Title
A DISCUSSION CONCERNING THE ADOPTION OF A SIDEWALK AND PROPOSED TRAILS PLAN AND LEGISLATION TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN
Executive Summary: Staff is prepared to discuss a draft sidewalk and trails plan and changes to City ordinances that will implement the plan. Staff is seeking Council's comment on the proposed plan.
Body
Legislative History
In the latter half of 2012 Council began discussing the creation of a pedestrian sidewalk fund that eventually lead on February 20, 2013 to the first reading and referral to Planning Commission of legislation that would create such a fund. After Planning Commission's public hearing on March 11, 2013, the commission recommended that Council disapprove the legislation citing concerns with the broader issue of community connectivity.
This recommendation was discussed at the March 26 workshop at which Council directed staff to complete a connectivity plan and propose measures of implementing the plan. At the April 3 Council meeting at second reading a motion was made to remove the matter from the regular meeting agenda and send it to a Council workshop for further review and discussion. Staff has awaited Council's discussion of the Hines Hill trail before returning this matter to Council.
Purpose & Explanation
Staff brings this matter to workshop to resume discussion of community connectivity and how connectivity can be implemented. Staff has prepared a draft Sidewalk and Proposed Trails Plan. The plan consists of traditional sidewalks and off-road trails and was created with the following assumptions:
- The sidewalk component was to be the Shoe and Spoke Plan illustrated as Map 3 in the Connect Hudson Plan, this plan coming out of the Safe Routes Hudson initiative.
- The Connect Hudson Plan replaced the Sidewalk and Connection Plan developed by the Community Development and Engineering Departments in 2005.
- The trails component was to be facilities planned by the Parks Department.
Staff recommends that Council consider the following:
- Adopt the Sidewalk and Proposed Trail Plan as the official sidewalk plan of the City of Hudson.
- Review and revise as necessary the Codified Ordinances concerning biking.
- Amend the Land Development Code to implement the plan. The goal of the amendments would be to:
- Require sidewalks in locations approved by Council.
- Not require sidewalks where they are not appropriate.
- Provide a funding option that would allow construction of sidewalks in priority areas.
- Provide predictability as to where sidewalks are required and where they are not.
More specifically staff recommends the following changes to the Land Development Code:
- Remove sidewalk requirements from zoning district regulations.
- Amend Section 1207.13 - Transportation/Circulation/Pedestrian Linkage to include sidewalk requirements as follows:
- Development that is not minor must install sidewalks as illustrated on the Sidewalk and Proposed Trail Plan. If sidewalk is not illustrated in the plan along a development's frontage, sidewalk is not required.
- Where sidewalks are required, developers will have the option of contributing to a Pedestrian Linkages Fund from which the City can draw to install sidewalks at high priority locations. More specifically provisions for the fund would be:
- The amount to be contributed should encourage participation in the fund. The amount would be a fixed percentage of the City's Engineer's estimate of cost and not exceed an amount the developer would pay for the installation.
- The option would not be available for development in high priority areas such as downtown or new development that abuts property on which sidewalk already exists.
- Properties that have paid to the fund would be tracked so that they would not be assessed for future sidewalk installations.
- The waiver from sidewalk requirements in Districts 6 and 8 presently authorized for Planning Commission will be maintained. Staff notes that the Sidewalk and Proposed Trail Plan illustrates sidewalks in District 8 only along Darrow Road, a section of Barlow Road through the former Flood Co. property, and a section of Barlow Road between Barlow Farm Park and Oak Grove Park. In District 6 it is only shown on a 230 foot section of West Streetsboro street east of Heather Lane.
Staff believes the legislation as outlined above addresses most if not all of the concerns of Planning Commission by specifying the locations where sidewalks are required, severely reducing the sidewalk requirement in Districts 6 and 8, maintaining PC's authority to waive the sidewalk requirement in Districts 6 and 8, and providing for a sidewalk fund option that would be attractive to developers; and specifying the amount to be contributed and preventing that option in high priority areas.
New legislation will be drafted as outlined above and or as requested by Council. The legislation will be presented at a future workshop. If acceptable it will proceed to first reading and the normal approval process. PC rendered its recommendation concerning the original legislation on March 11, 2013. According to Section 1203.02(e)(3) Council must act within ninety days of the date it receives Planning Commission's recommendation. Since that time is past, Council must dispense with the original legislation according to a recommendation of the City Solicitor.
Recommendation
Suggested Action
Staff recommends Council discuss this matter and direct staff accordingly.
Submitted by,
Mark Richardson, Community Development Director