There is sort of a trail on the county's right of way for Drayton Boulevard.
Photo by Kurt Hildebrand.
The map around Drayton Boulevard looked a lot different 35 years ago when the county and developers agreed the road should be built as a major collector with sound walls from Pleasantview Drive to Rubio Way.
On Thursday, Douglas County commissioners approved a plan to convert the empty right-of-way from a full-sized $5.6 million collector road with sound walls originally envisioned to an emergency access and a walking path.
That would also include reseeding the right of way, reducing weeds and combine two county projects for the property.
“We have a $5.6 million obligation that we have to complete in five years with no budget and no plan,” County Manager Jenifer Davidson said of Drayton.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Ritchie said that it’s not an option that the county do nothing with the land, since the obligation to build requires reopening development agreements with the developers of the three Pleasantview neighborhoods.
Former Douglas County Commissioner Greg Lynn, who was one of the parties to the agreements, agreed commissioners were looking at the least objectionable plan.
“Most people need to see Drayton Boulevard die,” he said. “If not, they would like to see the sound walls guaranteed in blood. Do you have any idea how much I’d like this off my plate? I’ve been watching this for 30 years.”
Another party to the agreements, Suzanne Towse said that when Pleasantview was first proposed in 1990, it was anticipated that Drayton Boulevard would need to be built. She agreed with Lynn that there should be something in whatever new agreement is drafted that indicates the sound walls must be included if the road is ever constructed.
Residents said there were issues with drainage across the property, which County Engineer Jeremy Hutchins said he would work on.
Commissioner Danny Tarkanian pointed out that residents who lived there knew there was a possibility a road could go through, so a walking path seemed to be a better fit.
“There is little to no public support for constructing Drayton Boulevard and the current cost for the construction exceeds the county’s available funding of $460,000,” Civil Engineer Plans Examiner Barbra Resnik wrote in a Feb.14 memo.
One of the key issues is providing emergency access to Rain Shadow while not affecting neighbors, Resnick said.
Residents who weighed in with the county are clearly opposed to building the road as originally envisioned and would prefer the property be left alone.