HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-12-2024 Study Session Summary Minutes MARANA AZ
ESTABLISHED 1977
MARANA TOWN COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION
11555 W. Civic Center Drive, Marana, Arizona 85653
Second Floor Conference Center, March 12, 2024, at or after 6:00 PM
Ed Honea, Mayor
Jon Post, Vice Mayor
Patti Comerford, Council Member
Jackie Craig, Council Member
Herb Kai, Council Member
John Officer, Council Member
Roxanne Ziegler, Council Member
SUMMARY MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Mayor Honea called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM and directed the Town Clerk to call
the roll. All Council Members were present, constituting a quorum.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/INVOCATION/MOMENT OF SILENCE: Led by Mayor
Honea.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Vice Mayor Post moved to approve the agenda as presented. Council Member Kai
seconded the motion. Motion passed, 7-0.
DISCUSSION/DIRECTION/POSSIBLE ACTION
D1 Relating to Transportation; presentation by Kittelson & Associates providing an
update and recommendations related to the Town of Marana Transportation Master Plan;
discussion and possible direction regarding the final Master Plan document (Fausto
Burruel)
Council Study Session Meeting
March 12,2024 Page I 1
Public Works Deputy Director Jennifer Flood introduced the topic and its presenters,
Vamshi Yellisetty and Phillis Huegel, Senior Principal Planner and Principal Planner,
respectively,at Kittleson&Associates. Ms.Flood informed the Council that this was the
final presentation on the Transportation Master Plan,and that the plan would be finalized
and likely be ready for adoption in April of this year.
Ms. Huegel began her presentation by outlining the Town's population history since its
incorporation in 1977.She highlighted changes in the Town since the 2001 Transportation
Master Plan and presented on estimated future population projections. She then showed
a slide depicting what Marana's projected transportation conditions could look like in
2055 if no roadway improvements are made. Ms. Huegel shared the results of the
Transportation Master Plan survey and survey results. She also provided survey
information and recommendations related to multimodal enhancements in the Town.
Mr. Yellisetty explained key findings resulting from the study and detailed options and
recommendations for each transportation sector, as set forth in the presentation slides.
A copy of the presentation slides is on file with the Town Clerk's Office. Clarifying
questions were asked and answered throughout the presentation. For more detailed
information, including maps, images, and charts, please see the presentation slides.
Regarding a portion of the presentation related to recommended Ina Road improvements
on a portion of Ina Road,Council Member Ziegler commented that Ina Road is currently
congested. Mr.Yellisetty said that a part of Ina Road is congested and that improvements
were recommended in those areas as part of the Master Plan. Mr. Rozema highlighted
that part of the reason for the current congestion on Ina Road is due to Orange Grove
Road being closed.
Regarding the options presented to alleviate traffic congestion on the Tangerine
Interchange (e.g., full interchange on Avra Valley Road, etc.), Mr. Rozema asked what
the environmental concerns consisted of. Mr. Yellisetty and Ms. Flood said one of the
concerns was that the area involved consisted of a major wildlife corridor. Vice Mayor
Post expressed concern that it would be an expensive project.
Regarding the recommended Tortolita Interchange, Council Member Craig commented
that it did not seem worth the expense to construct the Tortolita Interchange if the
Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) required improvements to the Pinal
Airpark Interchange. Mr. Yellisetty said the Tortolita Interchange is developer driven
and therefore that much of the cost would be borne by the developer of Tortolita.
Council Study Session Meeting
March 12,2024 Page 12
Council Member Ziegler recommended connecting Dove Mountain Boulevard to
Interstate 10. Mr. Rozema commented that there may be community members who
would not be in favor of such a project.
Mayor Honea expressed concern at the cost associated with all of the recommended
projects. He said the plan may be a best-case scenario from a planning perspective, but
not from a funding perspective, and said the focus from a funding perspective needed to
be on immediate needs. Mr.Yellisetty said that the plan is designed to assist with project
timing.
Mayor Honea said he didn't see anything in the presentation regarding Silverbell Road,
and said efforts should be made to make it a four-lane,all-weather roadway from Marana
until the inner part of Tucson so as to act almost as a second freeway. Mr.Yellisetty said
a lot of the two-lane segments of Silverbell were out of Marana's jurisdiction and that the
modeling shows that improvements to Silverbell would not be sufficient to reduce traffic
congestion.
Council Member Kai asked if ADOT would bear the cost of frontage road improvements
on both sides of Interstate 10 and asked if the Town should pursue that option to alleviate
freeway congestion during closures related to interchange improvements. Mr.Yellisetty
said that construction responsibilities were beyond the scope of the current master plan
study efforts, but he said that steps would need to be taken to find opportunities in
collaboration with ADOT.
Ms. Flood said the master plan is intended to provide overall guidance moving forward
over the next twenty years with the overall goal of reducing congestion as the Town
continues to grow.
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
Pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.03, the Town Council may vote to go into executive session,
which will not be open to the public, to discuss certain matters.
El Executive Session pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03 (A), Council may ask for
discussion or consideration, or consultation with designated Town representatives, or
consultation for legal advice with the Town Attorney, concerning any matter listed on
this agenda for any of the reasons listed in A.R.S. §38-431.03 (A).
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Notwithstanding the Mayor's discretion regarding the items to be placed on the agenda,
if three or more Council members request that an item be placed on the agenda, it must
Council Study Session Meeting
March 12,2024 Page 13
be placed on the agenda for the second regular Town Council meeting after the date of
the request, pursuant to Marana Town Code Section 2-4-2(B).
Mayor Honea asked for future agenda items. There were no future agenda items
requested.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Honea asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Vice Mayor Post and Council Member Kai moved to adjourn the meeting.Motion passed,
7-0. Meeting adjourned at 7:04 PM.
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing are the true and correct minutes of the Marana
Town Council Study Session Meeting held on March 12, 2024. I further certify that
a quorum was present.
David L. Udall,Town Clerk
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MARANA AZ
so4ED 1977
Council Study Session Meeting
March 12,2024 Page ( 4