Burton DDA discusses bus stop shelters, pavers and landscaping near welcome monument

Board members discussed multiple streetscape and maintenance topics, including a request from a local business for pavers at a nearby bus stop, critique of MTA-installed bus shelters, and landscaping ideas for the new welcome monument.

A representative relayed that Josh from Trio Paint offered to install pavers and donate a trash can at a bus stop north of his building; the board advised coordination with the Department of Public Works because the area is in the public right-of-way. Several members said the DDA should not bear the cost if the MTA later relocates a stop, recalling prior pavers left unused when stops moved.

Board members criticized the current bus shelters as cloudy or tinted and urged the MTA to install clear shelters like those provided to neighboring jurisdictions. One member said, "They cheaped us out," reflecting frustration that clearer shelters had been installed elsewhere but not in Burton.

During audience participation, resident Patrick Dargo identified temporary single bricks that had been used as weights on the monument cap; staff confirmed they were temporary and removed. The board also discussed options for low‑maintenance perennial plantings, benches or large rocks for seating, and the possibility of a flagpole, noting city commitment and maintenance requirements would be necessary if installed.

Trio Paint also intends to donate paint to businesses in the district as part of a neighborhood support program. The board asked for mock-ups of landscaping, including proposed bench and planter placement, and asked the volunteer to present a sketch at the next meeting.