Politics & Government
Council OKs Pierce Park Plan, Group on Residential Parking Rules
The Albany City Council on Monday night okayed the design for the first phase of the proposed Pierce Street Park next to Interstate 80 and established a working group to explore a possible ballot measure to ease residential parking requirements.
The Albany City Council Monday night approved the first phase of the proposed Pierce Street Park and also established a working group to investigate a possible ballot measure to ease residential parking requirements.
Both measures had been recommended by staff.
Pierce Street Park
The council approved the design for phase one (35 percent)Â of the Pierce Street Park proposed on a 4.5-acre parcel next to Interstate 80 just north of Washington Street.
The first phase includes includes play structures, a restroom, extensive grading because of the steepness of terrain, paving, landscaping, picnic tables and bike racks.
According to a city summary of the meeting, the council action also included approval of several recommendations, including four from the city's Parks and Recreation Commission:
- add a fence around the 2-5 year old play area
- picnic tables should be situated so that there is clear line of site to the multipurpose field
- play area for the 5-12 year olds should be less elaborate to better accommodate children with disabilities
- environmental evaluation of air quality should be reviewed sooner than later to better address future uses of the multipurpose fieldÂ
- that the fountain design be considered and that the project design team have it included as part of Phase 1
- that the path be widened to 8 feet from the south approach but not beyond the play structureÂ
The council also agreed to appoint a "working group" to explore a possible ballot measure to ease the voter-adopted parking requirements for new residential units. The law, passed by voters in 1978, requires two parking spaces be provided for every new unit.
The council action was in line with contemporary city goals to make Albany friendlier to housing developers and encourage transit-oriented development.Â
The group will be composed of members of the Traffic and Safety Commission, Planning and Zoning Commission and Sustainability Committee with a mandate "to prepare pros and cons, by May 2014, of placing a measure of the ballot to amend voter approved residential parking standards," according to a city summary of the council action.
For further information on the two items, please see these Nov. 3 Patch articles:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.