Council hears proposal to vacate Chestnut

News Tribune General Manager Terri Leifeste, right, stands with Council Member Third Ward Bob Scrivner, standing in for Mayor Carrie Tergin, after accepting a proclamation declaring Oct. 5 as Jefferson City News Tribune Day in honor of the newspaper's 150th anniversary.
News Tribune General Manager Terri Leifeste, right, stands with Council Member Third Ward Bob Scrivner, standing in for Mayor Carrie Tergin, after accepting a proclamation declaring Oct. 5 as Jefferson City News Tribune Day in honor of the newspaper's 150th anniversary.

An ordinance was introduced Monday night at the Jefferson City Council meeting to allow an agreement between the city and Lincoln University to vacate Chestnut Street from Dunklin Street to Atchison Street.

Lincoln wants to close the street to public access and construct a pedestrian plaza in a portion of the street.

A similar proposal was made more than two years ago, but it died due to a number of unanswered questions and concerns the council had about its impact on the plans for the Lafayette Street interchange now under construction.

The agreement introduced Monday night also provides for vacation of Atchison Court. Lincoln has acquired and cleared all the property surrounding that street, and city staff is recommending it also be vacated since it basically serves as a "driveway" into campus parking lots.

Lincoln would be required to provide electronically operated gates to the pedestrian plaza. They would be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but still allow deliveries and emergency vehicles access to the street.

City staff supports the vacation based on the traffic issues, but acknowledged adjoining residents may be inconvenienced by the closure.

At Monday's meeting some of those residents opposed to the project spoke to the council.

Steve Walker has lived in the 900 block of Fairmount Boulevard for 30 years, and said he didn't see Lincoln offering any alternate routes to get around the area once Chestnut was closed.

"This taking without giving of egress and access would be unprecedented in Jefferson City history," he said. "Quite frankly the city doesn't owe this vacation to Lincoln University. Closing Chestnut Street would shut out Lincoln University's neighbors and other citizens of Jefferson City to the most beautiful part of the campus."

With the timing of the closing of the street prior to the completion of the Lafayette interchange, city staff did say maintaining the status quo of the surrounding streets until the interchange is completed would allow more alternatives to the Lafayette closures. The interchange is not expected to be done until next fall.

The city's Public Works and Planning Committee moved the vacation issue to the full council in August. Some on the council believed it should wait because of the ongoing construction, but Mayor Carrie Tergin and Lincoln University President Kevin Rome felt closing the street is needed as a safety measure. They said it's a dangerous area for students walking on campus and noted a student was hit while trying to cross Chestnut in 2013.

"I support eventually closing Chestnut because it will be safer for the students, but I am concerned about closing Chestnut now," said Kathy Bordner, who also lives in the 900 block of Fairmount Boulevard. "I along with my fellow neighbors are really happy to be neighbors with Lincoln University, and we are excited to work together to make things better in that area."

If passed, the ordinance did state Lincoln planned to have construction of the pedestrian plaza done by May and then close the street permanently to public access. However, Rome told the council Monday night the university would amend the request to make the vacation and closing come after the interchange project is done.

"We're not closing or shutting off the campus; we're asking that cars be eliminated from that part of the campus," he said. "It will provide us an opportunity to beautify the area. We value our relationship with the community. We do want it to be known, though, that this will eventually happen and we want an approximate time for when it will occur because it has been talked about for many years."

City staff did say that no city funds are involved in this issue.

A public meeting will be held from 4-6 p.m. Thursday in the Boone/Bancroft Conference Room at City Hall to discuss the request to vacate the right of way. The meeting will have an open house format with architectural renderings of the pedestrian plaza available for viewing. Lincoln University and city staff will be present to address questions.

The ordinance will be back before the council in two weeks and could be voted on at that time.

In other action

A community meeting is planned Saturday for residents in the area around Elizabeth Street to discuss improving conditions in their neighborhood.

Area resident Angela Whitman spoke to the Jefferson City Council Monday night about concerns with the area, saying she had talked with many on the council as well as Jefferson City Police Chief Roger Schroeder about the drug activity and other problems the area has.

"There's poor lighting and public transportation isn't as available as it should be," she said. "I get up every morning to drive a single mother to where she needs to be because she doesn't have a way to get there.

"I came from Ferguson and I've been robbed and stabbed, but I have a voice and I will continue to talk about what needs to be done. I want my community to look like something."

Saturday's meeting will be held at 10 a.m. at the Boys and Girls Club on Edmonds Street.

In other business at Monday's council meeting:

• Parks and Recreation Director Bill Lockwood said plans for the planned multipurpose/wellness center should be in by Friday. He also said they have tried to answer questions they had been getting from residents about the project and put those answers on the city's website, jeffersoncitymo.gov/parks.

• The council amended the budget, authorizing one assistant in the Human Resources Department. That position was requested, but not in the final budget. The $49,500 cost will be funded through savings in health insurance premiums the city has worked out with its provider, United Healthcare.

• The council also issued a proclamation to the News Tribune for its 150th anniversary, noting its long history in the community and its mission to inform the public on issues.