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<br /> 10 <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch expressed concern with the Eastern Connector alignments and said we <br />may need to get some clarifications on them. <br /> <br /> Mr. Jim Tolbert, Director of Neighborhood Development Services, said it may <br />just be the way it is written, but he will double check. <br /> <br /> Mr. Tolbert said that all of the available funds have been spent for the ITS project, <br />and he asked that Council considering using $200,000 out of the urban allocation to do <br />the new signals. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said he supports using the urban allocation for ITS, but asked that staff <br />put in writing their location and when the new software will be installed before moving <br />the money. He made a motion to move $200,000 out of the urban allocation for ITS <br />subject to receiving a memo with the location and software information. <br /> <br /> Mr. Taliaferro seconded the motion and it was approved by the following vote. <br />Ayes: Dr. Brown, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Norris, Mr. Taliaferro. Noes: None. Absent: Ms. <br />Hamilton. <br /> <br /> Mr. Tolbert said the City has been in negotiation about proffers associated with <br />the development of Albemarle Place, and will be meeting with the developers to try to <br />work through legal issues. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch asked that Council be kept in the feedback loop. He said that while the <br />current issues are aesthetics and traffic flow, there is a long term issue. He said if the <br />median is taken now, there would be no choice in the future but to take property on the <br />east side to widen both lanes. He said we are giving up City resources to solve a regional <br />problem. <br /> <br /> Mr. Tolbert said that Council can approve or disapprove the project after it is <br />designed. <br /> <br /> Mr. Tolbert said the transportation element in the Comprehensive Plan needs to <br />be acted on. He said staff would like to look where smaller changes and proactive <br />solutions can be made. He said Councilors had concerns about hiring someone from <br />outside to do the work, but he said it cannot be done with existing staff even though staff <br />has the expertise without delaying the Comprehensive Plan. He said existing staff needs <br />to be supplemented with consultant help. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Dr. Brown about the cost, Mr. Tolbert said it <br />would be approximately $98,000. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said he raised this issue. He said a lot of the scope of work is a review <br />of existing data, and he thinks it is important that this be done by City staff. He said it <br />would be helpful to have a traffic volume matrix as was done by TJPDC. <br /> <br /> Mr. Taliaferro said he fundamentally agrees with Mr. Lynch as he is not a big fan <br />of consultants. <br /> <br /> Mr. O’Connell said that responding to neighborhood issues is very reactive, and <br />we have a hard time as staff getting to it. He said perhaps the consulting proposal could <br />be scaled back. <br /> <br /> Mr. Tolbert noted that there are now more State requirements about what has to <br />be included in the Comprehensive Plan. <br /> <br /> Mr. Norris said he agrees with Mr. Lynch and Mr. Taliaferro to a point. He said a <br />consultant may need to be used for certain pieces. He said we may be underutilizing staff <br />at the TJPDC. He suggested that a review of existing studies might tie in with the work <br />plan for the new traffic engineer. <br /> <br /> <br />