A report from the Operations Committee for the City of Hastings is included in a recommendation for approval to conduct a public hearing at the Tuesday night Council meeting on February 19th. According to the packet supplied to council members with background information, City staff met with the Operations Committee at four points throughout the design phase, the first on November 21 st , 2018. The Committee supported staff recommendations on the proposed improvements and also directed staff to gather feedback from property owners that would be impacted by the proposed trail alignment options. The alignment options were narrowed down to locating the trail from 19 th Street to 21 st Str eet either along the east side of Louis Lane or in the rear yard which is a City right – of – way between Louis Lane and Ridge Lane .
Each property owner that attended the Open House in this area was asked their preference, and their comments were summarized. Following a second meeting, on December 20th, that Committee directed Staff to prepare additional options for the trail, including providing an on – street shared option to minimize impacts to adjacent properties. These options were presented to the Operations Committee on January 23 rd and at that meeting, a petition signed by 30 property owners in the neighborhood was also received for consideration. The petition requested that the trail be removed from the project.
One point of clarification was necessary on the petition regarding a statement that assessments would be increased if a trail went in with the project. Assessments would not be impacted whether or not a trail was includ ed with the project, as assessments are determined by an appraiser based on the street and storm sewer improvements only. The committee met again on February 4 th to submit their recommendation which is to implement an on- street trail that would be a shared use of the existing roadway and to include grading and drainage improvements in the City?s right – of – way corridor and existing drainage swale between Louis Lane and Ridge Lane from 19 th Street to 21 st Street. The public hearing will take place Tuesday night and may result in action taken by the full council at that time. The meeting begins at 7 PM in Hastings City Hall.
