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Neighbors press city over plan to move maintenance operations to Massolina complex
Summary
Residents raised equity and traffic concerns about staff exploration to consolidate vehicle and maintenance functions at the Massolina complex, urging community meetings and entrance relocation to avoid bringing truck traffic through residential streets; staff said no decision is final and the sale of the 19th Street site would require commission approval.
Multiple residents and commissioners used the town hall to question the city's work to explore consolidating maintenance, utilities and Parks & Rec operations at the Massolina complex. Concerned neighbors said moving functions from a commercial 19th Street site into a primarily residential area would increase truck traffic, noise and pollution and asked for community meetings before staff pursues any sale or move.
"They do not want it there," a resident representing neighbors said after relaying several concerns about traffic, response times and the commercial zoning differences between 19th Street and the Massolina site. Commissioners and staff responded that no final decision has been made and that the proposal is currently a feasibility exercise. Staff described an option to reconfigure entrances — for example to 7th Street or Allen Avenue — and to add fencing, buffering and lighting designs to reduce neighborhood impacts, and said any sale of 19th Street would come back to the commission for approval.
Officials committed to holding neighborhood meetings to better explain options and to explore mitigation steps if consolidation proceeds. Staff also noted the Massolina parcels acquired to the west increase total acreage available for potential consolidation and that existing fueling operations and equipment are already located there, which factors into feasibility assessments.
