BOULDER CITY, Nev. (FOX5) – A debate is brewing in Boulder City about trees and parking downtown.
The city says it needs to do the work to make things ADA-compliant.
But some business owners and residents are pushing back saying the changes could make the area dangerous and will cut down on proper shade.
Locals like Brynn DeLorimier tell FOX5 their concerns.
“I am sad to see that we’ll be losing some of our street trees when you know, it’s not getting any cooler here,” DeLorimier said.
On the other hand, Communications Manager, Lisa LaPlante with the City of Boulder City says leaders are looking into those concerns.
“In the end, I think that people are going to not really notice a major difference in the tree cover there,” LaPlante said.
Some of the features of the project along Nevada Way include angled stalls for safer, easier parking, ADA-compliant sidewalks on both sides, reduced speeds to 15 MPH for safety, increased parking from 109 to 124 spaces, motorcycle parking, and tree-lined center islands with festive lights.
The city says Nevada Way needs to be reworked being more than 20 years old, and the water service lines under the street are 50 years old.
That, coupled with the need to make the area compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act for more wheelchair access meant city leaders asked the community for input on possible solutions.
The leading contender? Getting rid of curb parking, opting for a center parking layout, and widening the sidewalks. In order to do that, nine mature trees will have to be removed, and six new trees will be planted. We’re told some trees will be relocated, and new trees will be planted to replace any that are removed.
LaPlante says the city added 61 new trees this year.
“It is our goal to make sure that we are keeping that beautiful tree canopy that people have come to expect,” LaPlante said. “They’re not going to be 25 feet tall, but we’re we’re going to do our best to make sure that we’re replacing as close to like-for-like.”
Losing that natural cool down is what worries some locals like DeLorimier.
“I walk here in 110 plus degree weather in the summer and it’s just all sun all the way down here. So, it’s actually a break to hit Nevada Way and get a little bit of shade,” DeLorimier said.
Hundreds of other locals were concerned about the redesign, signing a petition at a local business, citing safety and traffic flow issues.
LaPlante explains what happens if the city does nothing.
“One of the problems that we’ve had with ADA is that people can’t get through. There isn’t enough space to get through,” LaPlante said. “If we were to go ahead and continue the route we’re going now we might have to start pulling those encroachment licenses. By doing this, we’re able to keep those businesses able to have food on the streets as opposed to having to be inside the businesses.”
The next public input meeting will be Monday May 19th.
The plan goes before City Council May 27th for possible approval.
If approved, work is scheduled to take place from 10 pm to 6 am, Sunday through Friday from early July through September before the city’s event season.
The project is being funded by the Southern Nevada Regional Transportation Commission.
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