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Neighbors press council to prevent a traffic signal on Porter Lane as general‑plan review begins
Summary
Many Centerville residents used open session to urge council to avoid creating a traffic signal and other changes that would alter Porter Lane and nearby neighborhoods; council agreed to a structured, section‑by‑section general‑plan review and to schedule focused work sessions for August.
Multiple residents spoke during the council’s open session, expressing strong and repeated concern about the potential for a future traffic signal at Porter Lane and related safety, property‑value and neighborhood‑character impacts.
Lon Hazard opened the discussion for neighbors, saying the community recognizes the general plan may identify a future signal at both ends of Porter Lane but urged the council to "get ahead of the curve" and avoid decisions that create a "self‑fulfilling prophecy" of additional cut‑through traffic, noise and driveway safety problems. Several neighbors (including Helen Huff, Terry Nance, Richard Stapler, Jennifer Wilson and Kathy Luke) described driveway‑access challenges, parking and school‑pickup congestion, the proximity of historic homes that might benefit from a historic‑district designation, and concerns about a creek channel and rat problems that residents said would be addressed by better maintenance.
Council response and next steps: Council members emphasized that the general plan discussion tonight was procedural and not a decision on Porter Lane, reiterated that two public hearings tonight were for the budget and fee schedule only, and agreed on a process to handle the general‑plan update. The mayor proposed—and council supported—a section‑by‑section approach: each councillor will submit written concerns in advance, staff will prepare recommended section groupings, and the council will hold dedicated, condensed work sessions (targeting an off‑week in August) to review community comments and planning‑staff recommendations. Staff also committed to identify any legal issues raised in public comments and to circulate section assignments one week before work sessions to allow councilmembers time to prepare.
What residents asked for: neighborhood notification, preservation of residential character, strong consideration of a historic‑district designation for older homes along Porter Lane, pedestrian amenities such as a walking trail (if funded), and more study rather than prematurely locking in signals or zoning changes.
What happens next: Staff will propose a schedule and section breakdown for focused work sessions and will notify council and the public once dates and materials are posted; the council scheduled a truth‑and‑taxation hearing separately for the tax proposal and will return to plan scheduling per the agreed approach.
