Neighbors warn closely spaced Troy Lane intersections could increase safety risks

Several neighbors told the Planning Commission Jan. 7 that a proposed public street connection to Troy Lane for a 14‑lot sketch at 5600 Vagabond Lane could create unsafe conditions for pedestrians and motorists.

Rena Sugarbaker said vegetation on the curve of Troy Lane limits sight distance and that children regularly wait at a bus stop at the intersection. "My concern is the risk that an accident, would increase substantially," she told commissioners, referencing staff notes that the new intersection would lie much closer to existing accesses than the city's roughly 660‑foot guideline.

Staff member Chris McKenzie reported he had checked crash records and found "there's been 2 crashes on Troy at the 56th Avenue in the last 5 years, both of them rear end collisions due to the curve." Sean Brill told the commission that staff's trip estimate for the full rezoning and buildout would be roughly 130 additional vehicle trips per day spread over the day and that, on balance, a traffic study was unlikely to be required under current code thresholds.

Property owner Deborah Larson and other residents urged consistent application of the city's premature‑subdivision rules (section 508.01) and said prior decisions left them uncertain about whether their parcel would be treated the same as neighboring parcels that were later developed. Paul Schulmesters noted a legal history tied to the private easement and said the easement can be altered only by unanimous consent of the 15 parcel owners, which he described as unlikely.

Commissioners acknowledged the safety concerns and asked staff and the developer to consider mitigations—sight‑line clearing, potential sidewalks or other measures—if the proposal moves forward to formal application and Council review.