Vienna amends Play Streets ordinance to set 15 mph speed zone and allow expedited removal process

Vienna City Council amended and adopted changes to the city's Play Streets ordinance (section 3-11-04) to recalibrate how designated play streets are regulated and how designations may be removed.

Mister Skogstad summarized the ordinance changes: play-street restrictions that previously limited through traffic will be replaced with a 15 mph speed zone (emergency vehicles excepted) and continuing a duty of care for drivers. To address streets that lose their play-street use over time, the council added an amendment authorizing removal of a play-street designation by council upon an 80% approval of abutting property owners, or by the mayor upon recommendation of the police chief without waiting for a council vote to expedite safety-related changes.

Councilors discussed the need to avoid an overuse of play-street designations that could impede traffic across the city and emphasized a practical removal mechanism. "We don't necessarily want to wait two weeks to have a council make a decision," Skogstad said, explaining the mayor/police chief removal option is intended to speed safety fixes while not removing council authority.

The council voted to adopt the amendment and then approved the amended ordinance; the meeting transcript records the motions as passing unanimously, and Skogstad said he will circulate the final ordinance language after the second reading.

Next steps: the ordinance becomes final following the required second reading process; Skogstad said he would send the council the final, amended ordinance language before the second reading.