Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Environmental Quality & Public Works Committee met on May 19, 2015, at 1:00 p.m., with Farmer presiding. The committee addressed six agenda items, including the approval of the committee summary and a proposal to reduce the speed limit on Jouett Creek Drive, both of which were approved. Four informational presentations were delivered to the committee, covering the Distillery District Update, Snow & Ice Control Plan Update, Neighborhood Traffic Management Program, and Items Referred to Committee. The committee took two votes during the meeting and heard four public comments.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on May 19, 2015:

• Farmer
• Stinnett
• Kay
• Moloney
• J. Brown
• Gibbs
• Evans
• F. Brown
• Mossotti
• Lane

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Motion: Move Remaining Balance of Distillery District Bond Proceeds 1:05:44

A motion was made by Tennent and seconded by Akers to move the remaining balance of distillery district bond proceeds to the economic infrastructure fund proposed in the mayor's budget. The motion passed unanimously. All ten members voted in favor: Farmer, Stinnett, Kay, Moloney, J. Brown, Gibbs, Evans, F. Brown, Mossotti, and Lane.

Resolution 0073-26: Reduce Speed Limit on Jewett Creek Drive 1:58:20

A motion was made by Gibbs and seconded by Mossotti to reduce the speed limit on Jewett Creek Drive from 35 mph to 30 mph. This resolution passed unanimously. All ten members voted in favor: Farmer, Stinnett, Kay, Moloney, J. Brown, Gibbs, Evans, F. Brown, Mossotti, and Lane.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial items:

Town Branch Trail Phase 6 Design Work

A grant of $742,000 was approved for funding design work on Phase 6 of the Town Branch Trail.

UK Trunk Line Project

An appropriation of $10 million was approved for the UK trunk line project.

Public Comment

Four speakers addressed the council during the public comment period on matters ranging from infrastructure planning to snow removal procedures.

Distillery District Trail and Floodplain Study

Fred Brown inquired about the construction timeline for the Distillery District Trail and Floodplain Study project. He asked whether the $2.2 million in bond money allocated for the project could be used for immediate infrastructure improvements in the distillery district. 1:00:42

Snow Removal and Sidewalk Plowing

Susan Lamb offered suggestions for improving sidewalk snow removal enforcement and operations. She proposed utilizing parking authority citation officers to enforce sidewalk snow removal requirements among property owners. Additionally, she recommended hiring private contractors to handle sidewalk clearing as an alternative approach to current practices. 1:41:18

Private Streets in Residential Areas

Mazzotti moved to eliminate private streets in residential subdivisions. The speaker cited operational challenges, specifically noting difficulties in snow removal and the lack of city services available on private streets in these areas. 1:51:49

Communication During Snowstorms

Lane proposed establishing a communication network to improve coordination during snow events. The suggestion involved creating a system where neighborhood association presidents would serve as communication liaisons during snowstorms, facilitating information sharing between the city and residents. 1:56:43

Contested Items

The May 19, 2015 meeting included two significant areas of disagreement among council members.

Reallocation of Distillery District Bond Funds

Council members debated the reallocation of $1.6 million in unspent bond funds designated for the Distillery District. The proposal would move these funds to the economic infrastructure fund. The disagreement centered on competing priorities: some council members raised concerns about immediate infrastructure needs within the distillery district itself, questioning whether redirecting the funds would adequately address pressing local requirements. The vote on this matter was split among council members, indicating a lack of consensus on the best use of these resources.

Private Streets in Residential Areas

Council Member Mazzotti proposed eliminating private streets in residential subdivisions, which generated heated discussion among council members. The proposal touched on broader questions about city services and development policy, including the city's role in maintaining residential infrastructure and how future subdivisions should be designed. The discussion reflected differing views on municipal responsibility and development standards for residential areas.

Approval of Committee Summary

The committee reviewed and approved the summary from the April 21, 2015 meeting. 6:49

Stinnett presented the summary for approval. The committee voted to approve the document without dissent, indicating unanimous agreement on the accuracy and completeness of the April meeting summary.

Distillery District Update

A presentation on the Distillery District was delivered during this agenda item, covering three main topics: the Town Branch Trail, a hydrology study, and the UK trunk line project. 7:54

The Commissioner presented information on these initiatives to the committee. The discussion centered on infrastructure and environmental considerations affecting the district.

A key issue raised during the discussion was the need for updated floodplain delineation. The committee identified this as an important requirement for the area, likely in connection with the hydrology study and future development planning.

The committee also discussed the potential for reallocation of bond funds, indicating that financing mechanisms for these projects may need to be adjusted or redirected.

The outcome of this agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal decisions or action items recorded. The presentation served to update the committee on the status and considerations related to the Distillery District initiatives.

Snow & Ice Control Plan Update

1:06:14

The committee reviewed the snow removal plan during this agenda item, with presentations from David and Albert.

Topics Covered

The discussion addressed several operational aspects of snow and ice control, including:

• Fleet aging and maintenance concerns
• Staffing levels and resource allocation
• Challenges encountered during the extreme winter weather

Suggestions and Recommendations

Committee members made several suggestions for improving snow removal operations:

• Enhanced communication protocols
• Implementation of GPS tracking for fleet vehicles
• Expanded sidewalk plowing coverage

Outcome

This agenda item was presented as informational, with no formal action or decision required from the committee at this time.

Neighborhood Traffic Management Program

The committee held a discussion on the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP), with Plueger presenting information on the initiative. 0:00

The discussion covered traffic calming techniques and the process for project applications under the program. No formal action was taken during this agenda item, and the session was informational in nature.

Reduction of Speed Limit on Jouett Creek Drive

1:58:20

The committee considered an ordinance to reduce the speed limit on Jouett Creek Drive from 35 mph to 30 mph. The proposal received support from traffic engineering.

Key speakers on this item included Gibbs and Mossotti.

The committee approved a motion to reduce the speed limit as proposed.

Items Referred to Committee

No items were referred to the committee during this meeting.