HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 9/19/1990MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL WORKSHOP SESSIONOFTHECITYCOUNCILOFTHECITYOF49GLENDALE, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA HELDWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1990 AT 8:20A.M. City Manager Vanacour called the Special WorkshopSessionoftheGlendaleCityCounciltoorderattheWestwardLookResort, 245 East Ina Road, Tucson, Arizona. Councilmemberspresentwere: Bellah, Huffman, Hugh, McAllister, Scruggs and Tolby. Members Absent: None. Also present were Martin Vanacour, City Manager; GordonL. Pedrow, Assistant City Manager and Peter Van Haren, CityAttorney.
WORKSHOP SESSION
1. DOWNTOWN GLENDALE STREET BEAUTIFICATION
Staff summarized the item by stating that during the
City Council Workshop on goals, Council indicated a desire
for visual improvement of the Glendale Avenue segment west of
51st Avenue into downtown. The discussion indicated that
phased improvement was acceptable with some improvement
forthcoming this fiscal year. A staff team has reviewed the
area and has identified policy issues that need to be
discussed. The issues are: the type of environment to
create in the downtown; the city's ability to make aesthetic
and functional improvments in current rights-of-way; the
opportunities to reduce through traffic to allow local and
pedestrian oriented traffic to be encouraged and the need to
handle any displaced through traffic in other locations.
Mr. Ken Reedy prefaced his remarks by stating that a
problem exists with the amount of right-of-way between 51st
and 54th Avenue. He said there is not enough existing
right-of-way to do any meaningful landscaping. Mr. Reedy
said in view of this development the one-way couplet system
took on more focus. Staff presented slides to the Council
illustrating different city's solutions to beautifying some
of the main streets in various cities and towns. Staff
presented diagrams of several options and strategies for
improving Glendale Avenue.
Councilmember Bellah asked staff what were some of the
benefits derived by the cities illustrated. Staff replied
that several of the cities had increased their downtown
occupancy ratios.
Councilmember Bellah asked staff what tangible financial
benefit would Glendale realize by doing a one-way couplet
system as opposed to just doing a beautification project.
Staff replied that in some of the examples presented when a
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street by-pass was implemented, it had been a real economicboontothedowntownareaaffected. Councilmember Bellah asked whether staff envisioned thedowntownareabeingretailormoreofficeoriented. Staffrepliedthatitwouldbeacombinationofboth. Mayor Renner asked staff if a by-pass on either Lamar orGlennDrivewasfeasible. Staff replied positively. Mr. Reedy said his approach would be to do a by-pass to LamarwithaviaductacrossGrandAvenueandareturntoGlendaleAvenue. He said a viaduct would cost a lot of money but thatcouldbeoffsetbynothavingtopurchaseasmuchright-of-way. He said this would leave Glenn Drive alone, impacting Lamar only and changing the character of Glendale
Avenue. This concept would require some type of an
interchange.
Councilmember Huffman stated that he felt that the city
needs to provide more high-density housing within the
downtown area in order to encourage people to make use of the
downtown area. If it was possible and feasible for people to
walk to facilities in the downtown area it would promote more
activity. Staff replied that increased density housing had
been one of the recommendations of a consulting firm that was
hired by the city when a redevelopment master plan was done
of the area.
Councilmember McAllister suggested that when the city
approaches the merchants, it be brought out that the city is
not going to decrease traffic but increase buying traffic
along Glendale Avenue.
Discussion ensued on the concept of slowing traffic down
on Glendale Avenue and making the area attractive enough to
entice people to the area; making Glendale Avenue more
pedestrian oriented. Support was also expressed for the
bypass concept versus the one-way couplet system.
The general consensus of the Council is support for
enhancement of Glendale Avenue for pedestrian traffic and for
increased retail trade.
There being no further items to come before the Council,
the meeting adjourned at 9:40 a.m.
Linda Ginn for
Peter van Haren, City Attorney
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