Planning commission to weigh in on whether to close two streets

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

A request to permanently close Shawnee Way at Lost River Estates and Navajo Drive at its intersection with Shawnee will move from the Bowling Green City Commission to the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County.

With Commissioner Brian Slim Nash presiding as mayor pro tempore Mayor Elaine Walker is out of town the move passed 3-1 over the recommendation of the city Public Works department, with Commissioner Brian Strow opposed.

Many Shawnee Estates residents have long complained about cut-through traffic, which they blame on new apartment complexes in the surrounding area, largely occupied by college students.

Shawnee residents asked for the closings last year, and the streets were closed temporarily while city Public Works staff gathered data on their impact.

Residents of Shawnee Estates and surrounding neighborhoods packed the commission chamber, speaking for and against the street closures.

Shawnee Way resident Judy Brown said it was the beginning of a nightmare for her when the apartment complexes went up around Shawnee, which had been a quiet neighborhood of single-family homes.

Since those streets have been closed, its been like it was when we moved in, she said. Its been wonderful.

Larry Martin, a resident of Navajo Drive, gave commissioners copies of a petition from Shawnee residents. Two-hundred-thirty-seven homeowners almost half of the households in the neighborhood signed in favor of closing the streets.

Thirty-two of the neighborhoods homeowners signed a counter-petition opposing the closings. And Thomas Baldwin, resident of adjacent Lost River Lane, brought 91 signatures from his neighbors seeking to halt the permanent closings.

To close access points to Shawnee Estates would only move traffic from one single-family neighborhood to another, Baldwin said.

Traffic down Lost River Lane, diverted from Navajo and Shawnee, has already increased somewhat; but more apartments and houses are on their way, he said.

There is no good way of knowing the full impact of these developments on Lost River Lane, Baldwin said.

While Shawnee residents are correct that their street wasnt designed as a thoroughfare to handle cut-through traffic, Lost River Lane narrower than Shawnee, with a very sharp curve isnt a thoroughfare either, he said.

Baldwin predicted that, when a major development called The Cloisters is built on Thoroughbred Drive, that exit to Shawnee which has already seen a considerable increase, according to city traffic counts will back up.

He asked commissioners to put off a decision until the planned apartments and homes are built, so they will be able to measure the final volume and course of traffic.

Virginia Viviano, who lives on Shanks Mill Lane in Lost River Cove, said closing Navajo and Shawnee would force traffic onto extremely crooked, extremely narrow Cave Mill Road. On several occasions shes found that road blocked by accidents, leaving Shawnee as her only way in, she said.

After hearing from numerous supporters and opponents of the closings, Nash called for discussion among the commissioners.

I think weve heard it all, Commissioner Delane Simpson said.

Nash said that he sponsored the measure, and after this closing, would like to eventually see the construction of a new road to Campbell Lane from Patton Way.

Strow argued that the connector streets had originally been built at the citys and planning commissions demand, and that after developers spent thousands of dollars on those connections the city shouldnt ask to close them.

The closings will probably come before the planning commission for a public hearing in July, said Andy Gillies, executive director of the planning commission. The issue will then come back to city commissioners for a final vote.

Downtown money

Strow had submitted an order to spend $1.8 million of this years city budget surplus on Circus Square, the park project planned for downtown.

But just before the commission meeting, Downtown Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Cheryl Blaine asked him to pull the item from the agenda.

So he did, without explanation. Strow hopes to bring it back in some form for the commissions next meeting, he said.

But I wont bring it back unless she wants it back, Strow said.

Blaine said she asked Strow to withdraw the item so she could make sure all of the commissioners had their questions about the project answered.

A couple of commissioners asked how I came up with those numbers (for the cost of the project), Blaine said this morning. I want to make sure I get them what they need.

Blaine was out of town last week and unable to brief all the commissioners.

The idea was to use the extra money expected from the city net profits and occupational tax, from which the city is getting about $1.8 million more than expected.

Circus Square is somewhat stalled at this point, Strow said. If were going to do it, we need to complete the project.

Property owners around Circus Square, the park planned for the entire block between Sixth and Seventh avenues and College and State streets, are uncertain of how to plan for their homes and businesses futures until the city commits to a schedule for development, he said.

At the May 3 commission meeting, Blaine urged commissioners to make a solid commitment to finishing the park within one or two years. She estimated that the city would need to come up with $4.7 million to buy the last land on the block, design and build the park and fix up the former Quick Lincoln-Mercury building at 601 State St. Perhaps $1 million could be cut from that if the city requires prospective tenants of 601 State St. to build their own offices or restaurant space, Blaine said.

Animal ordinance

Unrestrained pets are now banned from city cemeteries, and those on leashes must be kept on paved paths.

Commissioners gave final approval to the ordinance, 4-0.

They acted on reports of numerous animals defecating on graves, but wished to allow responsible pet owners to still walk their animals.

The ordinance allows domesticated animals on paved cemetery paths if they are on leashes and held by someone at least 12 years old.

Owners would be required to clean up after dogs or face a fine of up to $100. Tickets can be issued by cemetery staff, and will be civil code violations, not criminal citations as first proposed.

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