Row on the Millrace seeks removal of small public parking cut for green space, requests nine off-site street trees

Becky (redevelopment staff) summarized a letter and memo from the Row on the Millrace (townhomes) after the project completed technical review. The applicant requested two small modifications: (1) eliminate a reverse-angle parking cut at the south end of the site along Pearl Street and restore that right-of-way area to grass (city would retain ownership), and (2) plant nine off-site street trees on a narrow city-owned strip adjacent to the Mill Race Canal to help the project meet tree-count requirements because the site itself is densely packed with utilities.

Shane Dyer (Speaker 7) representing Trotter LLC said the team considered other options but that the parcel’s odd peninsula geometry and tight utilities made the trade-off reasonable. Commissioners and staff discussed tree species and mature heights, sightline concerns for existing property owners who value views of the Mill Race, the city forester’s involvement for species selection, and limits where trees cannot be placed because of underlying storm and sanitary mains. Commissioners generally signaled support ('I'm in favor of it too' and 'I would be accommodating to these requests') but asked staff to confirm the tree species and long-term maintenance responsibilities before modifying the agreement.

Next steps: staff will work with the applicant and the city forester on species selection, evaluate sightline impacts, confirm maintenance responsibilities, and return with a recommended agreement modification if appropriate.