MEEKER | The town’s board of trustees heard an update on the Circle Park pond project from ERBM Recreation and Park District Executive Director Sean VonRoenn Tuesday.
The rec district is waiting on consideration and approval from the cemetery district board as to whether the two-track road that goes from the park to the cemetery can be expanded and improved to allow for truck traffic to haul away excavated material for the pond. Without the road, material will be transported across the bridge in multiple lighter loads. Once the pond is constructed, the road would be reclaimed as part of the Meeker trail system.
Cemetery district board president Joe Conrado said they are studying the plan for the road and will discuss it next week during a workshop.
VonRoenn said the plan is still “very much in design right now,” but they are hopeful for a construction start in September.
“The park is the last signature location that has not been improved at all, infrastructure-wise,” VonRoenn said. “After the pond is completed we’d like to look at some infrastructure improvements.” Those improvements could include widening the circular drive, riverbank improvements to improve access and reduce erosion, among others.
Better City’s Kelby Bosshardt spoke to the board via telephone regarding the latest efforts for housing development.
“After the workshop we moved ahead focused on finding developers for new housing development and leaving some of the rehabilitation and other options to local efforts,” Bosshardt said.
Following a lengthy discussion, the board directed Bosshardt to limit potential sites for a new housing development to town limits, to focus on single family attached housing (e.g. townhomes, patio homes, duplexes, quadplexes, etc.), and to determine how many employers in the area acknowledge the need for additional new housing through a survey.
Trustees also heard a proposal from Bob Amick, representing the RBC Historical Society, regarding amending the town business grant program to allow for historic preservation grants. The board agreed that the idea is a good one, but since the grant application has already gone out and the deadline is April 1, that amending the program needs to be done next year.
In other business, the board approved a tavern license renewal for Chippers Downtown. Town Manager Lisa Cook notified the trustees that they were awarded a Department of Local Affairs Grant for the comprehensive plan update. The update will include a land use plan and a hazard mitigation plan.
By Niki Turner | [email protected]
