By Anne Scheck
NEW CITY BUS STOPS PROMPT OBJECTIONS
Independence is adding a dozen bus stops by Cherriots – a few on Main Street and several in local neighborhoods – and some residents on E Street are unhappy about the one on their block. The Independence City Council approved the plan at the meeting Tuesday night.
“Nobody knew anything until it was too late,” said Stephanie Rincon, whose house on “E” is a short walk from the stop that will become part of the new “Route 45.” She told councilors that neighbors weren’t properly notified. Several along her street wrote letters to object, but “attempts to reach out” were unsuccessful, Ms. Rincon said. “Everyone was shocked,” she added.
The biggest concern – one also voiced a few weeks ago by a downtown merchant – is that the bus stops will require new yellow curbs, essentially creating a no-parking zone where spaces previously existed. However, each stop is expected to take only two spots – and, on E Street, a yellow curb already exists by a fire hydrant, so only one additional parking space will be lost. “The stops were placed with taking the minimal amount of parking in mind,” according to the city memo submitted in support of the project, which described the new service as one that will provide needed “transportation alternatives.”
Ms. Rincon told the councilors she counted cars on her street prior to attending the meeting and it’s simply too crowded with vehicles to be feasible. Councilor Kathy Martin-Willis stated that she’d made a site visit before the meeting, too; She suggested dropping one of the two stops on the street, which would allow only one at the front of the apartment building, Parkwest, to remain – a recommendation accepted by the council.
Councilor Shannon Corr then asked for an evaluation of ridership numbers following a period of operation, which would yield results that could be used to assess the route. Both Councilor Martin-Willis and Councilor Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith agreed with that idea.
In a follow-up interview, Ms. Rincon said she felt “let down” by the city, asserting that its staff seemed unconcerned about the lack of direct contact with the neighborhood about the bus stop. However, Cherriots communication director, Patricia Feeny, said door-hanger notices were hung on 160 residences.
“The Cherriots planning staff studied where existing riders of the Polk County Flex (program) were getting picked up and also looked at local demographic information to determine proposed new bus stop locations,” Ms. Feeny explained in an email. “Cherriots conducted a public survey last summer, which revealed the public's desire for a change to the Polk County Flex,” she said.
Asked about confirmation of the porch postings, Ms. Rincon responded: “I never saw anything, and I checked with a lot of us who live here, and they said the same thing.” She added that “I was told it was on the Cherriots website, but how would I know to look at that?”
Cherriots “Route 45” should launch this fall, said Ted Stonecliffe, transit planner for the transportation agency, who presented the concept to the city council in February and again Tuesday night.
ALSO: Cherriots transport system services to Polk County – temporarily suspended after a COVID-19 outbreak – have resumed on a limited basis, a return welcomed by all three members of the Polk County Board of Commissioners at a recent meeting.
Even though the buses now will make fewer trips, “we will take what we can get,” said Commission Chair Mike Ainsworth. Commissioners Craig Pope and Lyle Mordhorst said the re-instatement means some residents, particularly the elderly, are now again able to seek essential services. Riders are being asked to wear masks and follow social-distancing guidelines, according to a statement issued by Cherriots.
SIGN CODE CHANGE IS NOW POSTPONED
The Independence Planning Commission decided to delay consideration of sign-code changes during the COVID-19 crisis, despite a draft proposal of sweeping new provisions that took weeks to prepare.
Sign regulations, which are part of the Independence Development Code, were undergoing revisions to make them both more prescriptive and historically oriented for the downtown corridor, explained City Planner Fred Evander. Though commissioners were supportive of the sign-code updates, business owners would want to give “a lot of input and would have a lot of questions,” noted Commissioner Kate Schwarzler.
The commissioners decided to put the sign-code review on temporary hiatus. “What I’ll try and do is simmer on this for a couple more months," said Mr. Evander. The meeting of the planning commission was held earlier this month. -end-
NEW CITY BUS STOPS PROMPT OBJECTIONS
Independence is adding a dozen bus stops by Cherriots – a few on Main Street and several in local neighborhoods – and some residents on E Street are unhappy about the one on their block. The Independence City Council approved the plan at the meeting Tuesday night.
“Nobody knew anything until it was too late,” said Stephanie Rincon, whose house on “E” is a short walk from the stop that will become part of the new “Route 45.” She told councilors that neighbors weren’t properly notified. Several along her street wrote letters to object, but “attempts to reach out” were unsuccessful, Ms. Rincon said. “Everyone was shocked,” she added.
The biggest concern – one also voiced a few weeks ago by a downtown merchant – is that the bus stops will require new yellow curbs, essentially creating a no-parking zone where spaces previously existed. However, each stop is expected to take only two spots – and, on E Street, a yellow curb already exists by a fire hydrant, so only one additional parking space will be lost. “The stops were placed with taking the minimal amount of parking in mind,” according to the city memo submitted in support of the project, which described the new service as one that will provide needed “transportation alternatives.”
Ms. Rincon told the councilors she counted cars on her street prior to attending the meeting and it’s simply too crowded with vehicles to be feasible. Councilor Kathy Martin-Willis stated that she’d made a site visit before the meeting, too; She suggested dropping one of the two stops on the street, which would allow only one at the front of the apartment building, Parkwest, to remain – a recommendation accepted by the council.
Councilor Shannon Corr then asked for an evaluation of ridership numbers following a period of operation, which would yield results that could be used to assess the route. Both Councilor Martin-Willis and Councilor Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith agreed with that idea.
In a follow-up interview, Ms. Rincon said she felt “let down” by the city, asserting that its staff seemed unconcerned about the lack of direct contact with the neighborhood about the bus stop. However, Cherriots communication director, Patricia Feeny, said door-hanger notices were hung on 160 residences.
“The Cherriots planning staff studied where existing riders of the Polk County Flex (program) were getting picked up and also looked at local demographic information to determine proposed new bus stop locations,” Ms. Feeny explained in an email. “Cherriots conducted a public survey last summer, which revealed the public's desire for a change to the Polk County Flex,” she said.
Asked about confirmation of the porch postings, Ms. Rincon responded: “I never saw anything, and I checked with a lot of us who live here, and they said the same thing.” She added that “I was told it was on the Cherriots website, but how would I know to look at that?”
Cherriots “Route 45” should launch this fall, said Ted Stonecliffe, transit planner for the transportation agency, who presented the concept to the city council in February and again Tuesday night.
ALSO: Cherriots transport system services to Polk County – temporarily suspended after a COVID-19 outbreak – have resumed on a limited basis, a return welcomed by all three members of the Polk County Board of Commissioners at a recent meeting.
Even though the buses now will make fewer trips, “we will take what we can get,” said Commission Chair Mike Ainsworth. Commissioners Craig Pope and Lyle Mordhorst said the re-instatement means some residents, particularly the elderly, are now again able to seek essential services. Riders are being asked to wear masks and follow social-distancing guidelines, according to a statement issued by Cherriots.
SIGN CODE CHANGE IS NOW POSTPONED
The Independence Planning Commission decided to delay consideration of sign-code changes during the COVID-19 crisis, despite a draft proposal of sweeping new provisions that took weeks to prepare.
Sign regulations, which are part of the Independence Development Code, were undergoing revisions to make them both more prescriptive and historically oriented for the downtown corridor, explained City Planner Fred Evander. Though commissioners were supportive of the sign-code updates, business owners would want to give “a lot of input and would have a lot of questions,” noted Commissioner Kate Schwarzler.
The commissioners decided to put the sign-code review on temporary hiatus. “What I’ll try and do is simmer on this for a couple more months," said Mr. Evander. The meeting of the planning commission was held earlier this month. -end-
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