Planning Commission Meeting Date: April 16, 2026
To: Members of the Planning Commission
From: Mathias Hughey, Associate City Planner
Title
Consider a Motion Requesting City Council Commit to Addressing Concerns About Traffic Safety Raised in Recent Public Hearings.
Body
Action Requested:
The Planning Commission is asked to consider and approve the draft motion requesting City Council commit to addressing resident concerns about traffic safety raised in recent public hearings.
Summary Report:
At the March 19, 2026 public hearing for a conditional use permit for Carleton College to make certain transportation facility improvements on campus a significant number of residents expressed concerns that vehicle traffic in the neighborhood presented a safety concern for residents, especially residents walking or biking, and school children waiting for the bus. Residents also described that pedestrian circulation trends had changed significantly since the Weitz Center opened, adding potentially thousands of daily pedestrian trips between older parts of campus and the Weitze Center, specifically along College, Union, and Winona Streets.
Commissioners suggested including a condition directing the City and Carleton College to address traffic safety on these streets. While related to the project in many ways, it is outside the scope of the CUP and therefore not appropriate to impose conditions on an applicant to address these concerns.
However, the safe function of city streets for all users has been underscored by numerous City plans and policies, and resident feedback indicating this area is of special concern should be thoroughly considered.
Attached is a partial draft of a resolution originally intended to be included as a condition to the CUP.
Staff suggest that a motion from the Planning Commission raising the concern with City Council will be appropriate, and a special emphasis will be provided to council on the concern from residents. The decision to direct City Staff and City funds to study or implement changes to the streets in the area rests with City Council.
Staff have developed the following draft motion which may be adopted or amended as the Commission sees fit to communicate to Council the unique traffic safety concerns of the area:
Recommend to City Council that the City formally review, in coordination with Carleton College, traffic patterns, including but not limited to conflicts between motorized and non-motorized traffic, street design, and management of on-street parking in the neighborhood adjacent to Carleton College, and implement, where appropriate and practicable measures to improve and protect the safety of all residents.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff support the adoption of the draft motion.
Staff would also suggest that consideration be given to concerns about traffic safety raised by the neighborhood adjacent to St. Olaf College in response to the Conditional Use Permit issued for a parking lot expansion in 2025, specifically related to the increase in on-street parking and additional traffic in that neighborhood.
Staff anticipate, based on multiple conversations with residents, that traffic safety will be a primary concern for residents in the vicinity of the Harvest Hills Second Additional Preliminary Plat. Concerns are likely to specifically relate to traffic associated with the Middle School, and parent pick-up and drop-off on the west side of the school from Carter Drive.
The Planning Commission may decide to modify the motion to more broadly address these traffic safety concerns, identify each of these areas as needing special consideration, or adopt separate motions for each area to raise the concerns with City Council.
City Plans & Policies Relevance:
Numerous city plans and policies reference or explicitly establish safety of all road users as a goal.
Alternative Options:
The Planning Commission could draft formal resolution(s) to address the concerns raised by residents but should consider the limited availability of staff time to assist with crafting formal resolutions.
Financial Impacts:
Infrastructure projects range in cost, and crashes incur significant costs directly and indirectly to the City.
The cost of adopting a motion is marginal.
Tentative Timelines:
NA