Title
Approving the Street Design Manual and Complete Streets Action Plan.
Body
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul City Council Complete Streets resolution, passed in 2009, recognized the City of Saint Paul strives to be the most livable city in America and livability includes the safe movement of people and goods along all public rights-of-way; and
WHEREAS, the Transportation Chapter of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan emphasizes the importance of Complete Streets with Policy 1.1 “Complete the streets” and several additional policies relating to multimodal safety and access; and
WHEREAS, the concept of Complete Streets is defined as considering the needs and characteristics of all modes of travel and people of all abilities as an integral part of the street design process and striving to identify win-win solutions for improving safety, access, and mobility of people and goods; and
WHEREAS, the Street Design Manual illustrates and defines best practices for street design for the City of Saint Paul and is intended to be updated administratively as design standards evolve and change; and
WHEREAS, the Complete Streets Action Plan outlines priorities to guide staff in further implementing adopted Complete Streets policies identified in the Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul secured funding for the Street Design Manual and Complete Streets Action Plan through a TIGER II planning grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation; and
WHEREAS, an interdepartmental staff work group with representatives from Public Works, Planning and Economic Development, Parks and Recreation, Safety and Inspection, and Fire drafted and reviewed the Street Design Manual and Complete Streets Action Plan; and
WHEREAS, public input was gathered through various means, including a kick-off workshop in 2012 five design workshops in 2013, the East 7th Street Better Block event in June 2013, and initial comment period in fall of 2014, and official comment period in spring of 2016; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Street Design Manual and Complete Streets Action Plan on May 27th, 2016; and
WHEREAS, the Transportation Planning Committee of the Saint Paul Planning Commission reviewed public testimony and amended the Street Design Manual and Complete Streets Action Plan to reflect its consideration of the testimony and recommendations; and
WHEREAS, the Transportation Committee of the Planning Commission recommended approval of the Street Design Manual and Complete Streets Action Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Planning Commission found the Street Design Manual and Complete Streets Action Plan to be consistent with the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan and recommended approval of the Street Design Manual and Complete Streets Action Plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Saint Paul City Council recommends to the Mayor approval of the Street Design Manual and Complete Streets Action Plan and authorizes staff to administratively update the Street Design Manual as design standards evolve and change.