Staff presents three options for Smith-Stockman connector; council raises tree, easement and cut-through concerns

Director Moore (identified in the meeting packet as Director Moore) and City Engineer Adam Bliss presented a Smith-Stockman connector design that staff say has been considered since 2004 and was included in corridor studies in 2019. Bliss said the illustrative plan separates the project into three components: the connector roadway (purple), drainage and a primary stormwater pond (blue), and a sidewalk extension (orange).

Staff described three funding/construction options: no-build ($0), drainage-only (estimated about $600,000), and full roadway with drainage and sidewalks (estimated roughly $1,100,000). Bliss said the design would require less than one acre of land, five easements (three tied to a nearby housing development), a small sliver from Starbucks and about 3,300 square feet from IHOP, and that conversations with most affected property owners have been positive though staff have had difficulty reaching the correct contact at Starbucks.

Councilors asked about sidewalks, access management benefits on Route 1 and the potential for increased cut-through traffic into adjacent neighborhoods. Bliss and Director Moore acknowledged tradeoffs: improved traffic access and reduced Route 1 congestion versus tree removal, loss of buffering and potential neighborhood impacts. Staff also noted Army Corps and DEP permitting will be required and that Corps permits have a one-year completion window under new rules, which may affect project scheduling.

Public commenters who live near the proposed connector urged the council to consider drainage-only if full construction risks wetlands or private-property impacts. Senator Kaye and other speakers noted the connector has been discussed across multiple planning efforts and urged the council to move forward while monitoring environmental impacts.