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Consultant: Timberview Plat 2 traffic manageable now but future phases need second access
Summary
A Greenwood Consulting traffic study found short-term traffic from Timberview Plat 2 (about 51 lots) would stay within engineering standards but warned future phases (about 84 additional lots) lack a second access point required for safety; council asked staff to work with the developer and the upcoming comprehensive plan to secure an east'west connector and a second outlet.
A city-commissioned traffic analysis presented by Greenwood Consulting on the Timberview development said the immediate traffic impact of Plat 2 (about 51 additional homes) would remain within standard engineering thresholds, but it raised safety and connectivity concerns for future phases.
Bob of Greenwood Consulting told the council that traffic volumes on Country Club Drive and Hazel Street north of Elm are "within what would be considered suitable levels" for the short term but warned that a future phase of about 84 lots, as currently configured, would create a single-access condition that "could be a much bigger problem" and would not meet the International Fire Code guidance that developments with more than about 30 single-family units have two access points. "As it's currently configured, I'm not sure that the city really should be in a position of approving that," Bob said.
A nearby resident who spoke during public comment told the council she and neighbors are already experiencing safety problems on Hazel Street and urged the city to require another entrance before more lots are built. "We have approximately 70 houses with one entrance and exit. You bring in 51 more lots, there's going to be 121," the resident said, asking the council to prioritize another access point and sidewalks.
City staff (Mike) framed the near-term decision as one about Plat 2 only: opening Country Club Drive as an additional in/out for this phase would alleviate much of the added traffic on Hazel. Council members and the consultant emphasized the difference between short-term capacity and long-term circulation, discussing the city's comprehensive plan alignment for an east'west connector and whether that connector should tie into Hazel or take an alternate alignment to avoid increasing local cut-through traffic.
Council direction and next steps recorded by staff included: continue working with the developer to revise the final alignment for Plat 2 (including leaving a small northwest sliver of the plat configurable pending comp-plan decisions); prioritize adding sidewalks on Country Club Drive if the plat moves forward; and coordinate the developer's timing so the city can complete an east'west connector alignment as part of the comprehensive plan work anticipated in May'June.
The council did not take a formal final vote on the future-phase access pattern; staff were asked to return with revised Plat 2 materials that reflect the suggestions and to continue coordinating the alignment with the comprehensive plan update.
