[1. CALL TO ORDER]
          [2. MINUTES]
          [3. EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE SIDEWALK ‐ OLD MILL RD TO MCKINLEY AVE.]
          [00:00:33]
          >> COUNCILPERSON MORMON. >> YES, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, ON SEVEN, MAY, 2024, THE CITY STAFF PRESENTED THE COUNCIL WITH AN ESTIMATE OF COST AND WORK INVOLVED IN BUILDING 1000 FEET OF SIDEWALK. 
          ON THE WEST SIDE OF UNIVERSITY BETWEEN OLD MILL AND EAST MCKINLEY. THE COST WAS REPORTED TO BE OR ESTIMATED TO BE $110,000 BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THE ANCILLARY COSTS OF MOVING TREES OR TELEPHONE POSTS NOR THE COSTS OF DEALING WITH UNDERGROUND AND OVERHEAD UTILITIES . THE PURPOSE OF THE SIDEWALK IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE PATH FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WALK TO SCHOOL DOWN OLD MILL ROAD. FOR THE BENEFIT OF CITIZENS, WHO ARE FULLY INFORMED ON THIS ISSUE, THERE IS ALREADY A SIDEWALK ON THE EAST SIDE OF THIS STREET ALONG THE SAME PORTION OF EAST UNIVERSITY. THE ONLY REAL ISSUE FOR PEDESTRIANS TRAVELING THIS ROUTE IS GETTING TO THAT SIDEWALK ON THE EAST SIDE. ALL THE SCHOOL TRAFFIC, THE PEDESTRIAN SCHOOL TRAFFIC , AS TO CROSS OVER TO THE EAST SIDE EVENTUALLY BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE SCHOOL IS. CROSSING AT OLD MILL IS NOT VERY SAFE, THEREFORE, MANY WALKERS TRAVEL UP THE WEST SIDE OF THE STREET UNTIL THEY CAN CROSS MORE SAFELY. STUDENTS SOMETIMES WALK IN THE YARDS OF ONE OR MORE HOUSES ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE EAST UNIVERSITY BEFORE THEY ARE ABLE TO CROSS OVER. SOME WALK ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THE HILL AT EAST MCKINLEY WHERE THE SAFETY OFFICERS DIRECTING SCHOOL BUS TRAFFIC. AND AS WE LOOKED AT THIS PROBLEM, WE DISCOVERED THERE WAS A SECOND CRITICAL ISSUE. WE LEARNED THAT CARS TRAVELING SOUTH ON EAST UNIVERSITY SOMETIMES LOSE CONTROL AND LAUNCH INTO THE YARDS OF THE LAST TWO HOUSES ON EAST UNIVERSITY BEFORE YOU GET TO OLD MILL ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR. PROTECTING THE LAST HOUSE BEFORE OLD MILL OR SEVEN BRADFORD PEARS. THAT HAVE STOPPED SEVERAL OUT-OF-CONTROL CARS. WE MUST PROTECT THESE TREES UNLESS OR UNTIL WE FIND ANOTHER WAY TO KEEP THE OCCUPANTS OF THESE TWO HOMES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL SAFE FROM HARM. PLACING A SIDEWALK ALONG THE WESTERN SIDE MAY KILL THESE TREES . DIGGING AROUND THEIR ROOTS. SO, OUR CHALLENGE IS TO PROTECT OCCUPANTS OF THESE HOUSES WHILE WE ALSO PROTECT THE PEDESTRIANS THAT WALK TO SCHOOL AROUND THIS ROUTE AND THAT IS THE SUMMARY OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD BACK ON 7 MAIN AND TONIGHT, I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK FURTHER AT THIS , ESPECIALLY FOCUSING ON THE TWO MAIN PROBLEMS OF PROTECTING THE TREES AND DETECTING THE PEDESTRIANS. SO IT IS NOT AN EASY CHALLENGE AND I YIELD BACK SO THAT WE CAN 
          DISCUSS THIS, I GUESS. >> SO, COUNCILMAN MORMON, WHAT I INFER THAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING IS MAYBE STAFF -- ASKING STAFF TO SPEND TIME LOOKING AT THOSE FINAL TWO HOMES AND WHAT CAN POTENTIALLY BE DONE TO MAKE THEIR SITUATION AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE IF A SIDEWALK WAS TO BE CONSTRUCTED? 
          >> I HAVE A FORMAL MOTION TO THAT EFFECT IF YOU ARE READY 
          FOR IT. >> IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE BASICALLY -- OKAY. LET'S ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO RESPOND TO THAT. MS. CROUCH, IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN GET DONE? 
          >> THAT IS CERTAINLY DOABLE. IT IS UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL. I WILL SAY WE HAVE TO MEET THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT GUIDELINES AND FOLLOW ON ON THE ENGINEERING SIDE AND CORRECT ME IF I SEE THIS WRONG BUT PRO WAG THAT WE HAVE TO MEET WITH A TYPE OF SERVICE WE MEET IN THE AREA AND WE ARE HAPPY TO LOOK AT ANY OPTIONS HERE CERTAINLY UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON HOW WE PROCEED FROM HERE. I WOULD SAY PROCEDURALLY, WHENEVER YOU GUYS AND THE MAJORITY WOULD LIKE TO DO IS FINE. I THINK THERE WAS A MISNOMER THAT YOU WERE SEEKING SOME SORT OF IMPENDING VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WERE PROCEEDING AND I APOLOGIZE. I WAS OUT AT THE LAST MEETING BUT THE GOAL HAS 
          [00:05:02]
ALWAYS BEEN FOR YOU TO HAVE KIND OF POST-OP GOTZ THERE WHICH IS WHEN YOU GET ENOUGH INFORMATION, WHETHER YOU WANT US TO PROCEED WITH THE DESIGN BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE TO TELL YOU WHAT UTILITY RELOCATION INVOLVES PEER WE ARE NOT AT A FINAL EXPENSE AND SO ON AND THEN, THERE WOULD BE BEST IF YOU INSTRUCT US TO PERCEIVE IT AS I'M THERE IS ONE THING BUT THEN THERE IS THE WHOLE ASPECT OF BUILDING IT AFTER THAT WHERE WE WOULD BE OUTSIDE OF MY SPENDING AUTHORITY OF $30,000 AND WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU AFTER WE WERE TO BID IT OR EVEN IF WE WERE SPENDING OUR OWN FUNDS TO DO IT TO GET PERMISSION TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY. SO THERE ARE TWO THINGS WITH NO TIME CERTAIN OTHER THAN AT THE PLEASURE OF 
          THE CITY COUNCIL. >> FROM THE WORDS FOR MR. MORMON'S MOUTH, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ASKING THE STAFF IS TO PHYSICALLY LOOK AT THOSE TWO HOMES AND SEE IF THERE ANY SAFE MITIGATION THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A SIDEWALK IS BEING CONSIDERED AT THE SAME TIME AND ON I DON'T KNOW IF THERE CAN BE BUT WE WOULD ASK THE STAFF TO PROFESSIONALLY LOOK AT THAT FROM THEIR LANDS, IF I CORRECT THERE, MR. 
          MOREMAN? >> YES, SIR. 
          >> WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A THING OR TWO. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CITY STAFF TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO INSTALL THE SIDEWALK SO THAT WE CAN HELP PRESERVE THOSE TREES, SPECIFICALLY, CAN WE BUILD A SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE BRADFORD PEARS, SPECIFICALLY, USING AN ALTERNATIVE SUBSTANCE OTHER THAN CONCRETE THAT WOULD REQUIRE VERY LITTLE DIGGING? FOR EXAMPLE, COULD THIS FIRST PORTION OF THE SIDEWALK, IF WE BUILT A SIDEWALK BE DONE USING EITHER CRUSHER RUN OR, ALTERNATIVELY, CAN WE USE ASPHALT IF THAT IS SAFER FOR THE TREES? I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT MAY BE EASIER TO PUT DOWN AND SOFTER. BUT YET, PERMANENT ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC OR THERE IS ALSO PLAYGROUNDS ARE BUILT USING SOME RUBBER MATERIAL THAT HAS A SOLID SURFACE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT THESE THINGS DOWN. I AM CIVILLY BRAINSTORMING WITH YOU OUT LOUD TONIGHT. SO, SOME ALTERNATIVE SURFACE THAN CONCRETE AND THOSE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF THAT. AND THEN, WE STILL HAVE TO VET WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE GOING TO KILL TREES OF THE LINE ENTRIES ARE IMPORTANT AND I'M NOT PUTTING THEM ABOVE SAFETY, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO JUST DO THIS WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH THE PEOPLE WHOSE HOMES AND LIVES ARE CHANGED AS A RESULT OF THE SIDEWALK. I DON'T THINK THE SIDEWALK IS NECESSARILY A BAD THING AND I DON'T THINK WE ARE GOING TO GET A LOT OF OBJECTION TO THAT BUT WE NEED TO ASK THE QUESTIONS AND I CAN EITHER HELP WITH THAT WERE STAND BACK. 
          ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE CAN REDUCE THE WIDTH OF THE SIDEWALK IN THE AREA OF THE TREES, THE BRADFORD PEAR SPECIFICALLY TO STAY WITHIN FIVE FEET OF THE CURB VERSUS SEVEN FEET OF THE CURB. AND, LET'S SEE, THIRDLY, I GUESS, SATISFY A.D.A. REQUIREMENTS. CAN'T WALK AROUND THAT. AND THEN, WHEN TIME HAS PASSED , I BELIEVE IT TO YOU TO LET US KNOW THAT WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO A MORE PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION ON THIS AND THEN WE WILL MAYBE PLAY SETBACK ON THE COMMITTEE 
          OF THE WHOLE. >> OKAY. 
          >> OKAY. >> IS THE CITY COUNCIL OKAY 
          WITH TAKING THESE STEPS? >> I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION AND THIS IS A QUESTION RELATED TO THE SIDEWALKS. NOW, WHEN I COME DOWN EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE, AND I DID WRITE OVER THROUGH THERE, I NOTICED THAT THERE IS A SIDEWALK ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET. SO, IS IT TYPICAL THAT WE PUT SIDEWALKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT NORMALLY HAPPENS BECAUSE I KNOW IN SOME AREAS -- AND I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO -- I CAN'T RECALL THE STREET NAME RIGHT NOW BUT ANYWAY, WHEN A SIDEWALK STOPS AND YOU HAVE A CROSSWALK AND THE REST OF IT MAY CONTINUE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET, SO HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? IS THAT PART OF THE PLAN ? HAVE 
          YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? >> A BRAND-NEW STREET TODAY CONSTRUCTED WILL BE NEAR PARKWAY IS THE BEST EXAMPLE. WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL A MULTIUSE PATHWAY. A VERY WIDE SIDEWALK THAT ACCOMMODATES STROLLERS, MOTOR SKATES OR WHATEVER ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET AND WE SEE THAT ALSO ON A GOOD BIT OF MOORES MILL ROAD IN THE NEWER DEVELOPED SESSION SECTION RROWS SIDEWALK. SOMETIMES, WE HAVE THEM ON BOTH SIDES USED TO REQUIRE INVESTMENT WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS WHY WE DO NOT HAVE A SIDEWALK. THAT IS BECAUSE YOUR DEVELOPER TO PUT INTO YOUR WHEN WE BEGAN DEVELOPING SIDEWALKS IN THE 2000? '98. WHEN WE STARTED REQUIRING THEM IN SUBDIVISIONS, NEW SUBDIVISIONS HAVE THEM ON 
          [00:10:04]
AT LEAST ONE SIDE AND SOME STREETS, WE REQUIRE TWO SITES. 
          WHEN IT ZIGZAGS, IT MEANS THERE IS SOME IMPEDIMENT ON A REGULAR STREET AND THE CITY TIED ON WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO PROVIDE A ROUTE TO A SCHOOL, A CHURCH, A SHOPPING AREA. THOSE HAVE BEEN PRIORITY ROUTES FOR US. IN THIS CASE, IT WAS INTENTIONALLY BUILT , AS I STATED BEFORE ON OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET BECAUSE IT GOES AROUND THE ENTIRE BLOCK OF EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE, GLEN AVENUE, AND STANFORD AVENUE. DEVELOPMENTS ALONG THE WAY AND HIGH SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF CHURCH OF THE HIGHLANDS HEAVILY CONTRIBUTED TO THAT WHOLE SIDEWALK AND THE NOTION WAS THAT PEDESTRIANS WOULD CROSS AT STANFORD WE HAVE A TRAFFIC SIGNAL OR THEY WOULD COME A DIFFERENT WAY AND CLASS CROSS GLENN WHERE WE HAVE AT UNIVERSITY DRIVE A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. AND FOR EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE, WE HAVE VERY LONG TERM PLANS ARE NOT IN THE CIP AT THE MOMENT. TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SIDEWALK ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF THE STREET. WE DO HAVE BIKE LANES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET AND YOU DO I SEE A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS IN THAT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR A SIDEWALK BUT IN AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE IT, THIS IS WHAT OUR CITIZENS ARE DOING. SO FOR WHILE, WE RECEIVED A TON OF GRANTS THAT HELP TO BUILD A LOT OF SIDEWALKS IN SESSIONS AND ENGINEERING SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AT THE TIME WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE THOSE SHOPPING AREAS, SCHOOLS , PLACES OF WORSHIP, CONNECTIONS AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY. 
          SINCE THAT TIME THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN BUILT, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS THAT WE HAD A REQUEST FOR THIS AND SO THAT IS ALSO WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE. 
          INTENTIONALITY WAS , THIS WAS AGAIN I WILL REITERATE FOR ANYONE, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A BUS ONLY ENTRANCE. NO PASSENGER CARS. NOTHING. RIGHT IN RIGHT OUT FOR BUSES AND IT HAS TURNED INTO A FULL ACCESS WITH SOMEBODY DIRECTING TRAFFIC FOR BUSES, CARS AND PEDESTRIANS. THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS ANTICIPATED IN THE ORIGINAL TRAFFIC STUDY WHEN THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS BUILT. SO THE CITY IS ALSO LEFT TO REACT TO THE PLAN OF THE TIME, WHICH WAS NOT THIS. THINGS CAN CHANGE OVER TIME , BUT I AM ALSO EXPLAINING WHAT A SIDEWALK WAS NEVER BUILT THERE TO BEGIN WITH IS THAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THE PLACE THAT PEDESTRIANS WERE ENTERING 
          CAMPUS. THAT IS THE WHY. >> DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR 
          QUESTION, MS. TAYLOR? >> SOMEWHAT. YEAH. SHE'S A LOT 
          BUT I THINK I -- >> 
          >> YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION? 
          >> NO. I THINK I GOT IT. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OF THE COUNCIL? IF NOT, IS THE COUNCIL OKAY WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH 
          THIS REQUEST OF THE STAFF? >> I AM GOOD. 
          >> OKAY. EVERYBODY GOOD? OKAY. MS. CROUCH, IS THIS AN INFORMAL REQUEST OF THE STAFF OR DOES MR. WARMAN NEED TO FORMALLY REQUEST? NO. AS LONG AS THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL SINCE WE HAVE TO DIRECT STAFF TIME, YOU ARE DIRECTING ME TO DIRECT THE STAFF TO DO THIS. I SAW THE MAJORITY ARE GOOD TO DO THAT SO 
          THAT IS WHAT WE WILL DO. >> OKAY. WE WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR US TO 
          CONSIDER. >> SOUNDS GOOD. 
          >> MIMIC ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT? 
          >> YES, PLEASE. >> TO REPLY TO YOUR QUESTION, ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES HERE IS GETTING TO THAT SIDEWALK. THE SIDEWALK DOES EXIST, AS YOU POINTED OUT. IT IS JUST HARD TO GET TO. ESPECIALLY AT OLD MILL ROAD. IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO CROSS THAT ROAD ISOLATE ONE BY CAR. COMING AND TAKING A LEFT FROM OLD MILL INTO EAST UNIVERSITY GOING NORTH IS A HARD THING TO DO BY CAR AND GETTING ACROSS ON FOOT IS DIFFICULT TOO SO THAT HAS PROMPTED A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION AND A LOT OF THE LETTERS, I THINK, THAT WE HAVE 
          RECEIVED. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          >> ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON TONI
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.