B-01 (Statement of Tom Smitty Smith on the Riddell) — original pdf

Backup

Stop Short-Cutting Traffic thru Tom “Smitty” Smith for the Knolls Board • We estimate 790 rush hour “short cut” rush hour trips a day on Wayne Riddell loop. • That’s more than 4 cars a minute- 1 every 15 sec • Tx A&M study predicts 30% of the traffic stalled at an intersection will cut through • “Diverted motorists add to neighborhood traffic volumes and increase crash exposure for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles and often drive at excessive speed…..” • If this zoning is approved it will threaten our children, and the kids going to the high school. Flooding and runoff are big reasons to vote against the Riddell Apartment complex on south First across from Akins High School. • The runoff from this complex could impact water quality and increase flooding downstream along Onion Creek. • The city spent $45 million to buy out 956 homes along Onion Creek- between 1999- and 2018 • 25 new apartment complexes and commercial businesses are being built and will affect flooding • The city is committed to reducing climate change – but doesn’t require more frequent and severe flooding to be considered in permitting To Reduce flooding Please ask the developer to: • Reduce the zoning to MF 2 or 3 to reduce the run off • Reduce the impervious cover to below 50% • Use pervious pavers (bricks with holes in them) • Collect rainfall from the roof • Build a series of swales and berms to retard runoff • Account for increased flooding from climate change in their plans and reduce runoff to projected 2100 levels of flooding What can you do to stop short cutting ? • Ask City staff to not require Wayne Riddell loop to be interconnected from 1st to 1626- you have the authority to do so (§ 25-4-151 & § 25- 4-157 ) • Ask the developer to exclude the 1.6 acre portion of the property at the entrance to the Wayne Riddell estate from their application We would not oppose this application if: • Short cutting were prevented • Runoff controls were put in place