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Council hears planning commission updates, school traffic concerns and tree-board plans
Summary
City staff updated the council on planning commission work (zoning for cannabis and rezones), tree-board fall plantings and studies to address school traffic congestion; staff will pursue traffic-study options and potential grant funding.
During the July 23 meeting the city manager reported several planning- and public-works issues for follow-up. The planning commission is evaluating zoning changes to allow cannabis sales in the highway business and central business districts and has scheduled rezone public hearings for three parcels currently zoned heavy industrial; one parcel will be considered for a conditional-use permit to allow commercial recreational use connected to an equine therapy operation.
The council also heard concerns about school traffic congestion at the South Street and Columbia intersection. City staff said they will consult the Safe Routes to School plan and seek cost estimates from traffic-study firms. Short-term measures were discussed (one-way circulation for a school lot), and longer-term infrastructure options such as a signal or roundabout were mentioned (staff estimated a new signal could cost on the order of $1 million). Staff will explore possible grant opportunities for improvements.
The tree board is planning fall plantings and will staff a table at the community welcome-back picnic to discuss species selection and locations. A neighborhood concern about maintenance of a cul-de-sac median and the placement of a small street light in a pie-shaped lot was raised and will be reviewed by Public Works.
What happens next: planning and public works staff will return with draft ordinances or hearing notices for rezones and conditional-use review, cost estimates for a traffic study, and options for tree-board placement.
