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Council discusses trail-route alternative, schedules parks and CIP workshop for Aug. 4
Summary
Staff said an alternative trail route behind the school would require new environmental review and school easements, potentially delaying bids; council set an Aug. 4 workshop to update the parks plan and capital improvement priorities.
City staff told the council that the planned trail route along 9th Street to 9th Avenue is under reconsideration after a quick look at an alternate alignment that would run behind the school. Staff warned that selecting the new route would likely trigger a return to the Iowa DOT environmental review process, require contacting the grant agency for approval and require easements from the school, any of which could delay the project and push the bid schedule into the following year.
"If we select a new route, then we're going to have to go back to them," staff said, noting the need to confirm grant-agency acceptance of a route change. Staff also said they had learned easements from the school may be required.
Separately the council agreed to set a parks and capital improvement plan workshop for August 4 to update the parks and recreation plan, review ADA compliance, and gather ideas from council members, Park & Rec commissioners and staff. Council directed staff to send invitations and to contact Linda Putman, who worked on the ADA transition plan, to participate in the workshop.
Council members expressed a preference to keep the original plan moving forward but acknowledged the need to evaluate the alternate route and see what the grant agency will allow. Staff will circulate the alternate layout to council members for review before the workshop.
