Summary: Citizen participation works. The Crown Road Neighbors Group for Street Repairs has, once again, made a big difference in the quality of life in Willow Park. The Group identified a large "inaccuracy" in a City report and -- even before 30 neighbors attended the Council Meeting -- precipitated a change back to the City's promise of 7 Speed Humps on Crown Rd.
• Latest Update: posted 26 November 2024
• Tags: #DevelopmentSouth #Civics
• Note: Willow Park Civics is about Willow Park but is NOT associated with or managed by the City of Willow Park.
Civic Action Works. Crown Road Neighbors call for Citizen involvement, and City revises to original course.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead, American cultural anthropologist
Citizen participation works. The Crown Road Neighbors Group for Street Repairs has, once again, made a big difference in the quality of life in Willow Park. The Group identified a large "inaccuracy" in a City report and -- even before 30 neighbors attended the Council Meeting -- precipitated a change back to the City's promise of 7 Speed Humps on Crown Rd.
Quick update on the outcome of Council Meeting this past Tuesday 11/26. We had a SOLID showing at City Hall. It was standing room only and several neighbors delivered messages to Council ahead of Mr. Grimes' recommendation to install the remaining 4x speed humps... I have attached Jacob Martin's plan [in .pdf] so you can see where the remaining 4x humps will be placed. The circled locations are the currently installed humps and the un-circled crosses are where the new ones will be installed. [7] Letter from Crown Road Neighbors]
In the 26 November 2024 Council Meeting agenda [1], the "City Staff" recommended closing the issue of the Speed Humps on the new cement Crown Road [2]. The City Staff submitted a WP Police Dept study document indicating 3 Speed Humps were sufficient to calm the excessive speeding on Crown Road [1].
This study document supported the City Staff's arbitrary change from 7 to 3 Speed Humps, announced to Crown Road Residents in a 21 October 2024 email from the City Manager [4]. This email indicated Jacob and Martin had also changed their recommendation 7 to 3 Speed Humps. [4]
As of the 26 November Council Meeting, the City had installed only three (3) of the (7) Speed Humps recommended by Jacob and Martin engineers, and approved by the Council during the 11 June 2024 Council Meeting [3].
And then the Willow Park Citizens, who live on Crown Road, got back to work.
The neighbors who live on Crown Road and adjacent Ranch House Road in Willow Park have spent most of 2024, speaking during Council Meetings, submitting petitions, and demanding attention from the City, all to restore the form and function of their properties damaged or changed by the City's Street Improvement Project.
The Crown Road Citizens studied the Police study document and found several large flaws [5].
The Group reported their corrections to the City and to the City's Elected Officials, who changed their recommendation from the inadequate 3 Speed Humps back to the original, engineered 7 Speed Humps. The revised City Council Agenda Item Briefing Sheet and revised Staff Recommendation and the original email from the City changing from 7 Speed Humps to 3 are in source 6 below.
Willow Park Sources and Resources
[1] 26 November 2024 Council Meeting, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 22 November 2024
[2] Index: Crown Rd Neighbors Group for Street Repairs. Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 01 October 2024
[3] 11 June 2024 Council Meeting, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 07 June 2024, Agenda Item 2. Discussion/Action: to consider installation of speed humps on Crown Road
[4] Email from City Manager Bryan Grimes, received Monday 21 Oct 2024 at 3:10 PM:
“Mr. [H],
Good afternoon. I spoke with Mayor Moss this afternoon after your meeting. I am encouraged by the progress being made on Crown Road.
As to the additional speed humps, the purpose of the speed humps is to calm the traffic to 30 mph through Crown Road. As you and I discussed previously, Council had authorized 7 speed humps initially based on the first recommendations from the Engineer to meet that goal. A second recommendation from Jacob and Martin advised that 3 speed humps could achieve that goal as well.
To that end, Chief Franklin will be deploying the speed trailer in the coming days on Crown Road so we can have data to see if the goal of 30 mph has been achieved. Once we collect the data, we will review and advise Council if any additional speed humps are needed.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
Bryan Grimes, City Manager, City Of Willow Park
[5] Crown Rd. Neighbors call for Citizen involvement. City is making Road changes contrary to City promises. Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 23 November 2024
The changes the Council is set to approve at the 26 November Council Meeting will affect ALL Willow Park Citizens. The City hired an engineer, who recommended 7 speed bumps to calm the excessive speeding on the new, cement Crown Rd, which the City approved. Then the City Administration arbitrarily changed the number of necessary speed bumps to 3. Plan to attend or to send a copy of your concerns to the City and to the Crown Road Neighborhood Street Project. Details in linked blog.
[6] The revised City Council Agenda Item Briefing Sheet and Staff Recommendation
From: Bryan Grimes <bgrimes@willowpark.org>
To: Doyle Moss <dmoss@willowpark.org>; Lea Young <lyoung@willowpark.org>; Eric Contreras <econtreras@willowpark.org>; Chawn Gilliland <cgilliland@willowpark.org>; Greg Runnebaum <grunnebaum@willowpark.org>; Nathan Crummel <ncrummel@willowpark.org>
Sent: Monday, November 25, 2024 at 04:07:07 PM CST
Subject: Revised Crown Road Staff Memo (November 25, 2024) [The revised City Council Agenda Item Briefing Sheet and Staff Recommendation are below in 6a]
Please find the attached revised staff memo on the Crown Road agenda item. Staff has revised our opinion on this issue. We are now recommending the installation of 4 additional speed humps. [in .pdf and text below.]
Bryan Grimes, City Manager, City of Willow Park, (817) 441-7108
[6a] City Council Agenda Item Briefing Sheet
Agenda Item: Discussion / Action on Crown Road Update
• Background: At the request of Council, staff deployed speed trailers to measure the effectiveness of the recently installed speed humps. While the speed humps significantly reduced the speeding along Crown Road, it did not meet the 85% requirement as presented previously by Jacob and Martin.
• Update: On Friday, November 22, 2024, staff recommended to not install any additional speed humps. After consultation with Jacob and Martin, and discussing the options to achieve the 85% requirement, staff is now revising our recommendation to INSTALL the additional four speed humps in accordance with the engineering study conducted by Jacob and Martin. At my direction, Public Works director, Chase McBride, has been in contact with the contractor to arrange the additional speed humps, pending Council approval.
• Staff recommendation: Suggested Motion: I move to install the additional 4 speed humps along Crown Road in accordance with the engineering study done by Jacob and Martin. Upon the installation of the speed humps, the Crown Road Project will be concluded.
[7] Group Follow-up Email
Email On Nov 29, 2024, at 10:32 AM, Eric Hoopes
Quick update on the outcome of Council Meeting this past Tuesday 11/26. We had a SOLID showing at City Hall. It was standing room only and several neighbors delivered messages to Council ahead of Mr. Grimes' recommendation to install the remaining 4x speed humps. The messages were incredibly powerful and delivered with precision. Our message was heard loud and clear - and Council listened. The City will be installing the remaining 4x speed humps sometime in the next few weeks. It did not come down to a vote, but rather a discussion and agreement by all to simply carry out what Council had already approved back on June 11.
From what I understand - the original Jacob Martin Engineering design will be implemented. I have attached Jacob Martin's plan [in .pdf] so you can see where the remaining 4x humps will be placed. The circled locations are the currently installed humps and the un-circled crosses are where the new ones will be installed. Looks like the North section of Crown at the top of the hill will be getting 3 more and the South section will be getting 1 more right by the gated neighborhood entrance for a total of 7. I will be sure to pass along updates to installation timeline if/as I receive them from City Management.
Again thank you for all of your support. We are truly grateful for our community and you as our neighbors & friends. We wish you all the very best Christmas and holiday season ahead! God bless!
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