Council gives staff go‑ahead to move forward with Chestnut Park roadway design while community center study continues

Town staff presented updated plans and funding for the Chestnut Park project and asked the council for consensus to proceed with design of a new roadway that would reconfigure access and parking at the site.

Town project staff described the capital project budget and current expenditures: a $7.5 million approved capital project, $3.1 million already spent on existing improvements, leaving approximately $4.2 million in the CIP. Staff said a roughly 0.9-acre parcel remains unused and is under study for a community center site; because the site analysis could take months, staff proposed starting roadway design now so the town can bid and potentially build the road on a separate schedule if the community center decision is delayed.

Staff emphasized the plan would keep the existing Shady Bluff drive open while construction proceeds and that the intent was to avoid delaying the roadway on account of the community center study. Council members asked about lost parking, traffic impacts to nearby apartments and the timing of transitioning Shady Bluff to the new roadway. Staff repeatedly said they would keep Shady Bluff open until system changes are complete and that the road could be packaged with park improvements if council later approved that option.

Council did not take a formal roll-call vote; staff asked for and received a head nod consensus to proceed with design work and indicated they would return with the contract and any required budget amendments for formal council action.