City Council Approves Downtown Plaza Design, Raises Speed Limits

The Yakima City Council gave its approval to a design for the proposed downtown plaza and also indicated that it might cancel an advisory vote set for August of 2015 in their biweekly meeting Tuesday.

For now, the next step for the council is to talk about funding the project. Yakima City Manager Tony O'Rourke believes the plaza will be the key to revitalizing the downtown area.

Every community we’ve visited, the downtown plazas have done exactly that -- really triggered an economic revitalization of their downtowns, and that’s the purpose of this plaza.

The final design was presented during a public meeting on Monday night. The plan includes a shaded structure for some parking spaces, water features for children to play in and shaded areas as well as a multipurpose event space for concerts and farmers markets.

The council has set a study session for 3 p.m. next Tuesday at City Hall to talk about financing. The proposed cost of the plaza is between $9 million and $11 million.

Also Tuesday, the council approved an ordinance that changes the speed limits in many major streets in the city.

The speed limit will soon change from 35 mph to 40 mph on Nob Hill Boulevard from 48th Avenue to 64th Avenue; Summitview Avenue from 72nd Avenue to 96th Avenue; Tieton Drive from 72nd Avenue to 96th Avenue; and Fruitvale Boulevard from 24th Avenue to 40th Avenue. The council also voted to increase the speed limit on Ahtanum from 16th Avenue to the city of Union Gap.