The Municipal Services Committee is meeting 07/12/2021 at 4:30PM. It looks like a jam-packed meeting.
Three items were referred back during the 07/07/2021 Common Council meeting—the proposed ban on shipping containers and pole buildings as accessory buildings, the Alvin Street reconstruction, and the proposed changes to the Municipal Code regarding electrical work.
They will also be voting on the proposed changes to how the Department of Public Works handles snow removal, leaf removal, and bulky overflow collection. This item has been before the committee twice as an information item, once as the original proposal and once as the modified proposal DPW put together after receiving community feedback. Now it’s appearing as a action item to be voted on.
Appleton Downtown Inc is making several requests. They want to host a sidewalk sale on College Avenue during Mile of Music; they want to install LED string lights on the College Avenue planter railings for the remainder of the 2021 summer season; and they want to place an on-street parklet in two parking stalls on State Street as a pilot program in the hopes of developing a full Parklet Policy for future consideration.
Per their memo, “A Parklet is an extension of the sidewalk over an on-street parking space(s) that serves as a small public park. Streets make up a large amount of public space in urban areas. Parklets help to take back some of that space and create areas for people to gather or relax in a space that is open and accessible to all. The goal of a Parklet is to create a more comfortable and inviting pedestrian experience.”
They will also be voting on a proposed reduction to the speed limit on French Road between JJ and the city limits from 45 MPH to 35 MPH.
Those are the action item highlights but there are several other items involving parking restrictions and traffic signal installation amongst other things.
There are also several action items including a report on the BIRD E-Scooter pilot program. It looks like complaints are down substantially overall, particularly in regards to people parking them improperly and riding them on College Avenue sidewalks. There has been an increase in complaints about their safety, and there was one accident involving a BIRD in June.
Additionally, one of the Public Works Department’s inspectors is retiring after 37 years of service. Due to his great institutional knowledge, the city plans to bring on his replacement a month before the retiring inspector leaves so that he can train the new hire. Having the two inspectors on the payroll at the same time will cost the city approximately $8,000, but they expect to have funds to cover this.
View full meeting details here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=859286&GUID=8DA03D7A-E563-45AC-8D66-AB7914870D2E&Options=info|&Search=
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