01:22The Ponds at Hunter Crest development dominated the council’s agenda, as city engineer Allison Falsky presented ongoing issues with the developer’s failure to complete a warranty punch list. Despite an official notice from city staff, the developer had not responded or addressed the uncompleted work. The council debated options to proceed with necessary improvements, considering the possibility of utilizing city forces for some tasks, while hiring a contractor to handle concrete work estimated at $2,500.

03:48A point of discussion involved the potential assessment of costs back to property owners. Mayor Lisa Whalen inquired which properties would be subject to these assessments. It was clarified that some lots remained vacant and might be owned by a different entity than the one that signed the development contract. A council member strongly opposed assessing all property owners, arguing it would be unfair to hold them accountable for the developer’s shortcomings. Instead, they suggested targeting costs towards the vacant parcels owned by Quadriga.

06:33The conversation also covered administrative costs and potential legal fees associated with pursuing assessments. It was noted that the city held a $5,000 final certificate of occupancy escrow from the developer, which could be used as leverage to encourage compliance, although it couldn’t directly cover repair costs. The council leaned towards having public works perform feasible restoration work and tracking costs to justify any future charges to the developer.

10:20The council then shifted focus to a request from the Red Oak neighborhood to adjust speed limits, aiming for uniformity with Grand View’s historical 20 mph limit from 1969, compared to the rest of Red Oak’s 30 mph. Alisa Webb from Sharper Management Company highlighted a petition supporting this change. Public works director Gary Peters reported there were no significant speeding issues in the neighborhood, with most traffic consisting of local residents and minimal speeding citations.

The council expressed concern about setting a precedent with speed limit changes, which could lead to further requests from other neighborhoods. They recognized that any decision would involve costs, including necessary signage changes. The discussion concluded with plans for a thorough response to Webb’s request, considering historical context and current traffic conditions.

14:54The council further delved into concerns about speeding in residential neighborhoods, emphasizing the importance of proper signage and enforcement. A council member stressed that enforcement is important for altering driver behavior, as simply lowering speed limits might not effectively prevent speeding. Despite the absence of speed limit signs, residents continued to speed, raising questions about how to remind drivers of the limits effectively.

17:32Discussions turned to installing a new 20 mph speed sign on Grand View, as there was currently no signage in that direction. It was suggested that having a sign could help enforce the speed limit legally. Financial considerations for the new signs were discussed, estimating the total cost, including posts and hardware, at around $100, with installation taking about one and a half to two hours by two workers. The council recognized the importance of clearly marked speed limits, especially in areas where children were present, acknowledging that signage could enhance driver awareness.

The council also considered the effectiveness of speed signs in changing driver behavior, noting that while some drivers might slow temporarily when seeing signs, they often revert to previous habits. They suggested a combination of speed monitoring and enforcement, including ticket issuance, to reinforce compliance. A council member pointed out the limited complaints about speeding.

Discussion on operational aspects of speed signs included their use in “stealth mode,” where speeds aren’t displayed to encourage natural driving behavior. The council recognized that visual perception of speed could be misleading, with vehicles appearing faster than they were, especially in areas with children.