HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 04-22-1998 SpecialAdopted Minutes
Special Council Meeting
April 22, 1998
A special meeting of the Plymouth City Council was called to order by Acting Mayor Preus at
6:05 PM in the Public Safety Training Room, 3400 Plymouth Blvd., on April 22, 1998. The
special meeting had been called by Mayor Tierney.
COUNCIL, PRESENT: Mayor Tierney; Councilmembers Preus, Spigner, Black, Bildsoe, and
Johnson. Mayor Tierney arrived at 6:06 PM; Councilmember Spigner arrived at 6:07 PM.
ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Johnson, Assistant Manager Lueckert, Public Works
Director Moore, Community Development Director Hurlburt, Planning Supervisor Senness,
Finance Director Hahn, and Deputy City Clerk Hoffman.
Community Development Director Hurlburt said they wanted to show basic concepts of the
streetscape study that would be shown to the public at the April 30 public information
meeting. She said it was a work in progress, with some details remaining to be worked out.
Mayor Tierney arrived at 6:06 PM.
Supervisor Senness said the consulting firm of SRF, Inc. was used for the study because of
their history of traffic consultation work with the City.
Councilmember Spigner arrived at 6:07 PM.
Supervisor Senness summarized a visual analysis of the district and pointed out the potential
for tree planting and placement of major signage. She presented pedestrian areas in the
district, as well as traffic origin and destination areas. She stated that a variety of street
lighting would be used, including lights appropriate for parking areas and pedestrian areas.
Director Hurlburt said the SRF, Inc. plan de-emphasized Plymouth Boulevard, developing it
into a parkway. She said they were proposing to reduce lanes of traffic at key spots, with the
placement of traffic circles, and to de-emphasize speed and traffic.
Supervisor Senness said the amount of traffic at intersections along Plymouth Boulevard
doesn't warrant signals. She said Vicksburg Lane would be developed as the primary
vehicular entrance to the City Center area. She said this would be done through higher
intensity lighting, while placing protective vegetation as a residential buffer along the western
side of Vicksburg Lane.
Adopted City Council Minutes
April 22, 1998
Page 2
Director Hurlburt said the west side of Vicksburg Lane is technically not part of the City
Center. She said the study suggests that approximately 2 acres probably should be, but that
may require re -guiding of the Comprehensive Plan. She said Vicksburg Lane will be the main
traffic artery and entry to the City Center. She said the corner piece of Harstad property would
be developed for retail and commercial uses.
Councilmember Bildsoe said that the movie theater complex appears to be the focal point of
the City Center, that he found that to be a negative element. He asked about softer lighting on
the building, and lower street lights.
Supervisor Senness said focal elements in the City Center district would include a series of
lower lights with banners, and efforts to maintain mid—block crossings safe for pedestrians.
Director Moore said that Plymouth Boulevard would be made narrower with the object to
slow traffic and sort it. He said it was not originally intended as a through street.
Supervisor Senness explained that the April 30 Public information meeting would follow the
format of the April 16 open house on northwest Plymouth.
Councilmember Johnson asked about giving some consideration to Vicksburg Lane between
County Road 9 and Old Rockford Road. Director Hurlburt said concepts could be looked at,
but the area is not part of the City Center designation and the consultants were not asked to
look at factors along that portion of Vicksburg.
Director Hurlburt said once a theme for the improvements is selected, the theme can be
extended to other areas. She said pedestrian—scale lighting around the theater will soften that
area. She said the effort will be to humanize it, and bring it down to a people scale. She said
the message is that this is the entertainment center. While the pedestrian feel will not be
accomplished on Vicksburg Lane, it will be on Plymouth Boulevard. She said other
developments will also change the landscape, to soften the area.
Director Hurlburt said the goal is to complete concept plans and then focus on priorities and
how to implement them.
Director Moore stated that they may be looking at special assessments to fund some of the
projects.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 PM.
Kurt H0911111 Deputy City Clerk