HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-1593
Paxton, Kara
From:Karen Percival <karen.percival@gmail.com>
Sent:Friday, January 19, 2024 11:59 AM
To:Moore, Sarah; Jones, D'Andre; Stafford, Bob; Wiederkehr, Mike; Berna, Scott; Bunch,
Sarah; Turk, Teresa; Hertzberg, Holly; Agenda Item Comment; Mayor
Subject:Stearns Street Extension
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City of Fayetteville Council Members
Re: Stearns Street Extension
I appreciate the opportunity to present to the Fayetteville City Council on the SSExtension on
1/18/24. I am sorry I sounded so bad due to my cold. And Thank You for voting to delay action on
this agenda item. I would like to offer any City Council member a tour of the area. Just let me know
when. karen.percival@gmail.com
I wanted to express that the POA does understand that many years ago, when the developers
created the Bellafont Gardens neighborhood, they used the Right-of-Way to create a maintenance
shed area. It was hurtful to hear Bob Stafford say just don’t build in the right-of-way. I want to assure
you that we are aware that this is a right-of-way. I wish the developers of Bellafont Gardens would not
have chosen to build on the right-of-way way back in 2005 too. We, the Bellafont POA, contacted the
City Engineering Department for guidance on 1/25/2023 regarding a fence replacement project we
were undertaking. On January 25, 2023, the POA Facility Manager, contacted the City Engineering
department asking the status of the SSExtension and was told “the city does not have this on our
radar for a city funded project”. Believing we had done our due diligence, the POA approved building
a new fence. Then in July it all changes as the POA learns the City needs to spend $20,853.43 and
has moved the SSExtension to a priority. We inherited this deal from the Bellafont Gardens
developers, we didn’t create it! BTW the fence cost our POA close to $30K. We would have left the
old fence in place if we had known then that the SSExtension was a City priority.
During City Council discussion last night, It was eye opening to hear that the SSExtension from Old
Missouri to Crossover is not likely to go through due to “extensive development in the area” which
when you look at the map seems to be a City of Fayetteville Right-of-Way. What! So the comment
about building in a Right-of-Way impacts a poorer neighborhood but the City just says “it will never
happen” for the more affluent neighborhood.
So again I bring up that this 260 feet of Stearns Street extension costing $480,000 will only connect
Old Missouri to Vantage through a neighborhood with lots of speed slowing traffic “stuff” and
ultimately not create efficient connectivity for the City of Fayetteville residents. OMGosh, I’m sure this
$480,000 can be used somewhere in Fayetteville to really improve connectivity.
So I ask - Vote NO to budget adjustment Stearns Street extension because it is too expensive in real
dollars; $480K and too expensive in neighborhood Tree Canopy 41 trees and too dangerous for
Bicycle traffic already traveling on Vantage (I ran out of time to discuss this concern) And Zion and
Joyce are only 1/6 of a mile apart. Spend the money to improve Old Missouri, add bike lanes,
add sidewalks. Use the money to create connectivity of a walking and bike lane using this
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right-of-way. When talking to the City Engineer department, they have this walking and bike
path already designed using this right-of-way. These are good uses of the City money.
And finally I want to mention that the survey the City Engineering department conducted feels as if
the results are flawed especially with questions 2 and 9.
Question 2 - Do you live within ½ mile of Stearns Street? - Most people who completed the survey do
not! Why did they complete the survey???
Question 9 - Would you like to be contacted with future updates on this project? - 66% said no they
would not! Really, again why did they complete the survey???
Thank you!
Karen Percival
Bellafont Gardens POA
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