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Survey finds support for lower residential speed limits; council asks staff to study costs and enforcement, delays Fire Station 3 timing
Summary
A city survey showed 71% support for lowering residential speed limits; council asked staff to analyze costs, enforcement implications and stopping‑distance safety data. On Fire Station 3, council debated timing and staffing and proposed pushing the construction timeline back to allow strategic planning and additional survey rounds.
City staff presented results of the Morris‑Leatherman resident survey, which included questions about residential speed limits and a proposed third fire station.
On speed limits, staff reported about 71% of respondents favored reducing speeds on city residential streets (e.g., a 30→25 mph change). Councilmembers asked staff to return with cost estimates (signage, engineering, and enforcement implications), clarity about expected safety benefits and stopping‑distance metrics, and enforcement strategies if limits are changed. One councilmember cited MnDOT findings that in some cases a 30→25 mph reduction produced a 5–7 mph reduction where the limit change applied; another noted many studied streets saw no change. Council directed staff to investigate implementation cost, likely enforcement needs, and data on stopping distance relevant to neighborhood safety.
On Fire Station 3, survey responses were mixed: about 52% reported no concern about current response times while others expressed support for additional south‑end capacity. Several councilmembers said the survey did not provide clear consensus and expressed concern about rushing an expensive capital project without a staffing/strategic plan; one councilmember proposed moving the station timeline to 2031 to allow a strategic staffing plan and an additional resident survey. No final construction commitment was made.
Staff will prepare cost and enforcement options for speed limit changes and return with refined recommendations; staff will also prepare a firmer strategic plan and staffing analysis for any future fire station action.
