Following the presentation, council then met in a half-hour in-camera session behind closed doors to discuss the issue further. In the end, there was no public decision announced and it is not immediately clear in the aftermath of the meeting what the next steps are for the city in addressing the dilapidated property. The city has been attempting for months to take action against the property, starting with the issuing of a demolition order on Aug. 27, 2020. The order came in the wake of a building inspection report from Aug. 25, 2020, that cited numerous deficiencies, including broken windows, cracked and missing siding, broken doors, boarded up windows and doors, concerns that the garage wall could collapse, and problems with the interior including broken or missing light fixtures.
The presentation outlined the work that had been done over recent years in the downtown, including discussion of streetscapes and curb extensions. The curb extensions, also known as bulb-outs, that have been placed downtown on 100th and 101st Streets have been a source of controversy in the past couple of years, with residents openly questioning whether they will create a safer traffic situation downtown. There has been particular concerns expressed that the bulb-outs make it more difficult for large vehicles turning at intersections. Mackrell’s presentation included a lengthy justification for curb extensions downtown. Those include creating a pedestrian-friendly environment downtown by reducing the distance by half that pedestrians have to walk from sidewalk to sidewalk.