By AMANDA KIMBLE
TheFlashToday.com
STEPHENVILLE (April 3, 2017) – Living, working and studying in Stephenville comes with a constant reality. There are traffic issues across the city – most notably around Tarleton State University and along portions of U.S. Highway 377.
Call it growing pains.
According to information published in the city’s proposed revised thoroughfare plan, the Stephenville’s population grew more than 13-percent between 2010 and 2014 and officials expected continued growth well into the future.
Revisions to the thoroughfare plan are expected to be approved by the Stephenville City Council following a public hearing on the issues at the council’s Tuesday meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m. in the city hall council chambers.
The issues detailed in the plan have been the focus of a more than yearlong process addressing the future of transportation across Stephenville.
Jeremy Allen, deputy city administrator and interim director of planning and development, said the city’s thoroughfare plan has now been through a series of six public meetings and the plan has been undergone the “full vetting process.”
“The process to amend the comprehensive plan started last January,” Allen said. “This is the vision for the city, as it relates to roads.”
Short-term projects outlined in the plan include a study of Washington Street (U.S. Highway 377) and Business 377 from Graham Street (FM 108) to the Northwest Loop to identify possible improvements for traffic, safety and consideration for shared-use paths, which are intended to cut down on motor vehicle traffic, alleviate parking issues in some areas and provide safer routes for pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
The plan notes that U.S. Highway 67/377 carries almost 26,000 vehicles across the city on an average day, just east of the Northwest Loop, whereas the loop carries about 10,500 vehicles daily.
The list of short-term projects also includes studies at the intersections of Northwest Loop and Lingleville Road, Northwest Loop and Harbin Drive, Northwest Loop and 377 and Business 377 and Lillian Street, as well as concerns related to ongoing improvements on U.S. Highway 281 and traffic signal warrant studies to improve traffic and safety at FM 8 and Ollie Street, Harbin and West Frey and Wolfe Nursery Road and West Frey.
Allen said the comprehensive thoroughfare plan is intended to serve as blue print, saying the purpose of the plan was not establish a timeline for proposed projects but provide guidelines when considering future improvements.
“All of the specifics will never be met,” he said, adding as improvements and growth occur, a new vision will begin to form and the plan will be adjusted to fit that vision.
The thoroughfare plan is a piece of the Stephenville’s comprehensive plan, combined with land uses proposed in the 2015 economic development action plan, North Central Texas Council of Government’s 2015-2020 strategic plan and Tarleton’s 2020 plan.
Together, those plans describer anticipated resident growth north and west with limited multifamily development and overall resident growth rate of one to three percent; ongoing commercial agriculture uses in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction; increased retail and commercial development along 377; continued redevelopment of Tarleton; and potential for light industrial growth to the east.
Allen said a number of issues in the thoroughfare plan have a direct connection to requirements in the city’s subdivision ordinance, which is also undergoing a facelift. He said new developments typically pick up the cost as they relate to their projects and the thoroughfare and subdivision guidelines set forth restrictions and requirements.
Meanwhile, consideration will also be given to the approval of amendments to the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan, which address continuation of the Bosque River Trail and other open space area.
An additional 1.4 miles of the river trail is expected to be completed this year, and acquisition of more trail land will increase park space by eight acres. The revisions say small neighborhood parks are needed, and the city has acquired land for “pocket parks” at Creekside, Elk Ridge and another neighborhood park along the Bosque River.
Related to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, Tuesday’s meeting will include possible approval of the final play of Stone Gate Estates Subdivision, located on FM 914 south of CR 454, as well as a public hearing on rezoning requests for the properties at 2847 West Washington Street – from “I” industrial to “B-5” restaurant-alcoholic beverage service.
Executive session discussions following the public portion of the meeting are expected to include discussions related to a contract with Fort Worth and Western Railroad, a property located at 970 East South Loop and personnel matters related to the Planning and Building Services Director position.
Among other items of business, the council will:
- Approve a contract for backflow prevention services;
- Hear the annual report and budget presentation for Stephenville Historical House Museum;
- Consider contracts for city employee health, dental, voluntary life and long-term disability insurance;
- Consider consumer price index adjustment to municipal telecommunication right-of-way access line rate;
- Consider suspending the April 21 effective date for Oncor Electric Delivery’s requested rate change;
- Hear the city’s monthly budget report from Finance Director Monica Harris; and
- Approve a lease agreement with Stephenville Economic Development Authority for office space at Stephenville Clark Regional Airport
A complete agenda packet can be accessed through the city’s website, where the meeting will be streamed live and can also be reviewed at a later time.
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