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Coppen; q'~as 75019
August 22, 2007
Jim Witt, City Manager
City of Coppell
255 Parkway Blvd.
Coppell, TX 75019
DearJim:
The Old Town Coppell Association and its membership are grateful for the continued support for
the development of the Old Town area by both the administration and our elected officials. We
are excited about recent developments in the area and look forward to working closely with the
city to encourage future growth.
With the eventual sale of the Carter Crowley tract and impending construction on Bethel Road
through Old Town's existing retail center, we want to share the association's two principal
concerns: (1) adequate permanent event and visitor parking for the area and (2) east-west
access off of South Coppell Road to the Farmers Market, businesses and other properties.
Parking is at a premium for our businesses during the workweek and becomes acute during
community events such as our Farmers Market each Saturday during the spring, summer and fall.
As has been previously discussed, the Old Town area cannot develop its maximum potential
without adequate general parking for community events and special activities that draw visitors
to Old Town. Our fear is that future needs may require even more land than that that is
currently set aside out of the Carter Crowley tract. We hope that parking needs can be revisited
before the sale of Carter Crowley since we all know that once sold the opportunity to increase
general parking using a portion of this tract is lost.
It is our understanding that with the construction closure of West Bethel through the Old Town
center, the city is considering a temporary east-west road from South Coppell Road to Hammond
Street to provide access to west Bethel Road businesses, the Farmers Market and the parking lot
to be carved from the Carter Crowley property. Because of the crowded and somewhat
dangerous conditions created by the need to funnel all Farmers Market traffic off and on to
Bethel we would like to see a corridor remain permanent between Carter Crowley and the
business activities along West Bethel.
After all the years of toiling and planning for something special in Old Town it appears that we
are almost there and we all hope that thoughtful planning of the details will insure years of
enjoyment for us and those that follow.
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Paula Crocker - Old Town Coppell Association meeting this Wednesday, 8 a.m.
From:
To:
Date:
Subject:
<grpmurph@aol.com>
<kgriffin@ci.coppell.tx.us>
6/26/20073:01 AM
Old Town Coppell Association meeting this Wednesday, 8 a.m.
Ken--
Just a reminder of the OTCA meeting this Wednesday at 8 a.m. at Eddie's Barber Shop in old downtpwn
(across from the Deli). Call me at 817-424-0017 (my house) if you have any questions.
Here are a few things that I think the group would like to know about:
1. Time schedule for reconstruction of W. Bethel in old downtown-- proposed date and time of year!
Could you explain about the process of obtaining right-of-way and how you figure the dollar amount to
offer them, as several of the landowners are members of our group? I think they would take leaders~ip
in meeting with you at an early date, and those active in our group want to try to help get other
landowners to cooperate on this.
2. IfW. Bethel is still to be closed and the amount oftime it may be closed; and when you plan to mpke
that decision Could you consider dividing the project into two parts, in order for the businesses not t~ be
impacted for such a long period? (Complete old downtown area and access roads first)
3. The access you plan for old downtown businesses on each side ofW. Bethel, as well as the rerout~ng
of traffic that is not going to old downtown. Is it possible that the temporary access, while probably *ot a
formal city street, could be left as a second access road into the parking lot in old downtown at the .qeli
and Farmers Market, and could it be extended east to S. Coppell Road as another route in and out oHhe
parking area? As it is, the parking lot entrance along W. Bethel is overcrowded for two-way traffic atId
dangerous.
4. Signage and other informational material you plan to develop to alert the public about temporary
access points to downtown businesses during reconstruction
5. Plans for the road itself-- 2-lane, materials, sidewalks planned where, crossings where, and signal~ or
stop signs planned, what type of on-street parking if any, brick crossings, etc.
6. Amenities that are planned for old downtown as part ofthe street reconstruction-- things in the Ol~
Coppell Master Plan that will be incorporated as part of the street work -- type of street lights, bench~s,
stop signs or street lights, trash receptacles, flower planters, etc. Of these, if any are not included with
the street development, when will they be done and by what department?
7. Additional plans for access in and out of the old downtown area-- any plan for a road due south of!the
current senior center into the parking lot at Eddie's barber shop? Or other suggestions?
8. Any known or proposed plan for additional parking areas? (FYI only-- at Jim's suggestion, our gf(~Up
is writing a formal letter to the City and Council asking for additional parking space for all our activities
on land south of the Farmers Market)
Ken-- this is my question: Do we have to have public meetings on any of this or can the City just follpw
the input that citizens gave when the Old Coppell Master Plan was developed? (Personally, it seems ~ike
the publ~c, includ~~g all of us in old do~ntown, had e~ery chance to give input back then, and a new
group mIght unfaIrly cancel out all the mput that was Incorporated into the plan.) Answer this one only
if you want to!!
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Thanks, Ken. If! don't tell you enough, I think you are one of the most responsible, effective and cafing
members of the city staff!
Jean Murph
AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AQL.CQID.
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