Howe Sides With Wicklow Drive Residents

Fredericksburg mayoral candidate and councilman Fred Howe asked council members to consider using the $200,000 that is proposed in the budget for safety improvements at Wicklow Drive instead of paying for another design for the riverfront park.

. Councilman George Solley explained earlier that City Council has made it a priority in 2006, 2008 and 2010 to finish design work on the riverfront park.

Howe's request came after two Riverwalk subdivision residents spoke in favor of adding curb, gutter and sidewalks to the Wicklow Drive area.

James Cutler said the improvements are needed because these are life-safety issues. Scott Osetek said Wicklow Drive and Fall Hill Avenue are getting busier and it can get overcrowded with people on the sides of the roads. He said too much city taxpayer money is focused on the downtown area.

"We would like to see our tax dollars do something for our area," he said.

According to early estimates, it would cost $180,000 to make the safety changes to the Wicklow Drive area. City Council members have been undecided on if they want to add this expenditure to the fiscal year 2013 budget.

"I support the riverfront revitalization effort without question for the city and for our future," Howe said.

Howe asked council to instead support a "cheaper" path with a public design forum where local residents can help create the design plan for the riverfront park, and to invite developers to help fund the project.

Council members don't approve the budget until May, but there wasn't any indication from any of the other six that they'd support Howe's request.

Solley, who serves on the Riverfront Task Force, gave an overview of its work and . He said the Task Force has agreed to help with several objectives:

• Help city select a design team
• Develop the plan with a public forum and then further development a final plan after another public forum
• Obtain plan approval through the Architectural Review Board, Planning Commission and finally the City Council, where there would be another public forum.  

"This would complete the planning stage of the riverfront park and what would be left after that is construction," he said.

Later Tuesday night in an interview, Howe said the priority for budgeting expendtures should be on the safety of local residents. He said at a council work session it was decided to defer the Wicklow Drive improvements until the July 1 to see if the city made more revenue that expected and could afford the $180,000 expenditure. But Howe said the decision should be reversed and council should pay for the Wicklow Drive improvements and put the $200,000 riverfront design on the "wishlist."

Howe believes developers would provide designs for the riverfront park and for revitalizing the opposite side of Sophia Street without using any taxpayer money. His idea is similar to what mayoral candidate Matt Paxson has proposed, but Howe denied that he's even read any of Paxson's platform. Paxson has proposed to halt the $200,000 riverfront design and instead issue requests for proposals from developers and require the developers to include a funding mechanism for the project, possibly using a Community Development Authority or Tax Increment Financing district

Editor's note: What do you think the city should do? Pay for a more detailed study for the riverfront park or make safety improvements to Wicklow Drive? Can the city not spend that $200,000 for the riverfront park design and still develop the riverfront and the opposite side of Sophia Street? Tell us why.