Community Workshop #1: Issues and Objectives Date: November 12, 2002 Time: 6:30-8:30 PM Location: Regency Plaza, 8391 Auburn Boulevard

Community Workshop #1 On November 12, 2002, over 30 people participated in the first of three community workshops in an effort to plan for the future of Auburn Boulevard. Workshop objectives included reviewing the overall planning process and discussion of issues and objectives for the Boulevard. Participants worked as members of planning five planning teams to map issues and highlight their objectives. Issues Summary The workshop participants identified what they felt were the most important issues to address in the Auburn Boulevard planning process. Top issues included safety, beautification and impacts of the roadway project on residents and businesses. Participants were concerned about both pedestrian safety and driving safety. The residents and business representatives were concerned about the noise impact from traffic, and the potential road widening on property. Participants were concerned about the image of the Boulevard due to vandalism, blighted buildings, and ugly streetscape. Objectives Summary The objectives identified by workshop participants reflected the desire to address the issues. In terms of pedestrian safety, they wanted sidewalks and crosswalks along the entire length of the Boulevard. The need for better traffic control and management was also seen as an important safety objective. Dedicated turn lanes and reduction in curb cuts were suggested example solutions. Beautification objectives included improving the image of blighted buildings and signage, streetscaping along sidewalks and a medians, improved maintenance, and undergrounding utilities. Objectives for reducing impacts on the residents and commercial included improving soundwalls near the DeVille neighborhood, better traffic controls to reduce cut-through traffic impacts on neighborhoods and businesses, and planning that limits the need for additional property for widening the road. There were two other objectives identified by teams. The need to continue to involve a business owners and residents in the planning, design and implementation process was pointed out by Team 3. Team 2 wanted to explore opportunities for new land uses in the future on the Boulevard. The following are summaries of each of the five teams.   Team 1 Top Issues 1. Vandalism (homeless, litter) 2. Safety (sidewalks, parking, turn lanes) 3. Beautification (updating) Other Issues on Map Littering Homeless Vandalism Safety Turn lane off Linden (2 killed in 20 years and 1 x month injury by K-Mart) Strip dangerous Beautification Business lighting vs residential serenity Sidewalks Speeding Top Objectives 1. Reduce/eliminate the homelessness and vandalism 2. Install sidewalk entire length and identify additional turn lanes 3. Get out of the 50's and 60's design and enforce signage ordinances Other Objectives on Map Reduce/eliminate Sidewalk entire length Perking in rear Turn lanes   Team 2 Top Issues 1. Noise­sound wall 2. Safety issue­sidewalks, safe walking, turning lane 3. Trash 4. Cut-through traffic Other Issues on Map Wall, higher­like the sound of load motorcycles No sidewalks­Twin Oaks would like sidewalks where kids walk Trash, vandalism Safe turning lane out of Linden Avenue, K-Mart shoppers Cut through DeVille Oaks Bell Brook Undeveloped area in front of cemetery Eliminate utility poles Debris on vacant property Safe crossing Flooding Top Objectives 1. Rezone parcels to improve property quality­BP, mixed-use­less motorcycle shops, taverns, smoke shops, etc. 2. Raised medians with strategically located in and out-turns pockets 3. Improve traffic control­signaled ped X-walks and continuous sidewalks Other Objectives on Map Raised soundwalls Construct sidewalks Higher grade of business, rezoning, multi-use Raised median in and out lanes at K-Mart, Grand Oaks and Junior High Traffic mitegation Underground utilities Improve/enforced owner maintenance of properties Improved traffic control   Team 3 Top Issues 1. Ingress and egress (many) 2. Noise and congestion 3. Property loss, business impacts due to widening 4. Safety issues due to curb, gutter and sidewalks 5. Lighting Other Issues on Map Street widening Access Traffic noise Linden K-Mart Grand Oaks Cedar Crosswalks for kids Sidewalks by schools Economic value Improve ingress and egress Loss of property School zone enforcement Underground utilities New sidewalks Landscaping and trees Top Objectives 1. Redesign traffic patterns 2. Sound study on existing sound wall to improve it's effectiveness (DeVille Oaks) 3. Work with business owners and community to meet objectives and resolve concerns 4. Install curbs, gutters, sidewalks and crosswalks 5. Underground utilities Other Objectives on Map Redesign traffic pattern Add turn lanes Median strip appropriately paced Add signal lights Synchronize lights reduce drive cut-outs from strip centers Check effectiveness of wall at DeVille development Reduce speed limit   Team 4 Top Issues 1. Landscape entire boulevard including middle 2. Blighted business clean-up (i.e., paint jobs, weed pulling, etc.) 3. Improved street lighting 4. Finish sound wall at Bellbrook 5. Get rid of duplexes on Cordelia Circle off Sandalwood, build housing, park or anything­they are a major draw for criminals Other Issues on Map Crosswalks Landscaped center dividers Left turn lanes designated in center Sidewalks entire length on both sides Blighted businesses Synchronized traffic lights Complete sound wall Improve streetlighting Landscape boulevard Top Objectives 1. Beautification like Sunrise Marketplace 2. Safety/crosswalks/sidewalks 3. Improve blighted businesses 4. Bus turnouts and garbage cans   Team 5 Top Issues 1. Encroachment if Boulevard is widened, owners do NOT want to loose their property 2. Condition of road surface 3. Traffic management­timing of lights­people cutting through parking lots to avoid signals Top Objectives 1. Make roadways driveable 2. Make noise wall higher 3. How are you going to pay, (do not) raise taxes

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