City Council Minutes 2021 04 06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes April 6, 2021 Page 4 of 11 All three EVC members voted to recommend the temporary closure of Main Street for April 26 to November 1. This closure accommodates emergency access while also providing benefit to businesses. The program can be provided at no -cost to participants. The members of the EVC recommend approval of the temporary closure of Main Street. Mayor Stolzmann noted the Council had received comments on this via email and those have been added to the record in the packet addendum. Mayor Stolzmann noted the Council has heard from many people on this topic and there are many aspects to consider. This closure would affect people in a variety of ways both positive and negative and Council has to take all of that into consideration. Public Comments Andy Clark, Owner Moxie, stated the survey results show high support for the closure. Many people simply don't want to eat inside right now and many businesses in downtown are struggling right now and need this additional seating. Kristi Graham, 729 LaFarge, stated the bus detour on LaFarge negatively impacts her. She feels the residents on LaFarge should have been talked to earlier in the process and a resident only survey should have been completed. The traffic impact on LaFarge is unfair to residents. She urged Council to vote no on the closure. Mimi Renee, 1132 LaFarge, stated she supports the closure of Main Street but only if a traffic detour can keep traffic off of LaFarge and routed to Front Street. She would like to see a traffic study done. She would like directional signs to parking in downtown and a resident parking program. Andy Gitkind, 729 LaFarge, stated resident input should have been prioritized in the surveys. He stated the closure should be lifted when the indoor dining restrictions are lifted. This closure is only giving four additional feet of space for restaurants over what they have now and he would prefer the standard patios be used and the street left open. Rick Kron, President Downtown Business Association, stated the DBA supports the closure. He stated downtown businesses are not out of the woods and need this to survive. The DBA endorses detouring the traffic to Front Street rather than LaFarge. The DBA would also support reopening the street when the other restrictions are lifted. He urged approval of the resolution. Max Ohern, 601 Main Street, urged approval of the proposal. He thinks this is a great thing for downtown and a good way to help the restaurants. There are pros and cons to the proposal but on balance he supports the closure.