Clear Lake council hears about new option for 7th Avenue North as part of Oaks Hotel project

CLEAR LAKE — The Clear Lake City Council last night heard about another option for 7th Avenue North as part of the Oaks Hotel project in the Surf District.

The council two weeks ago held a workshop session where options about the hotel construction were discussed, and the results of a traffic study were released if 7th Avenue North was removed between North Shore Drive and Buddy Holly Place, creating a plaza between the hotel and the Surf Ballroom Music Experience Center. Since that workshop, a so-called “Option 4” began to take shape that attempts to take the positive attributes of the previous options and meld those into one design.

City Engineer Matt Steding says a realigned 7th Avenue North would be shifted behind the hotel area.  “This realignment would create two separate parking areas, a north and a south hotel parking lot, and an established stop-controlled intersection where 7th Avenue meets Beach Drive. To address safety within these two lots, the design includes a tight radial alignment approaching each parking area. The curve is designed to naturally slow vehicle speeds, while still maintaining a minimum inside 25-foot turning radius to ensure full access for emergency vehicles if needed.”

Steding says there would also be a net increase of ten public parking spaces in that area.   “In addition, Option 4 also introduces 19 public parking stalls along Beach Drive, just to the north of North Shore Drive. To put this into perspective, previously there were eight parking stalls, plus another nine stalls on Beach Drive just to the north side of North Shore Drive. This is a total of 17.”

A four-way stop will also be placed at North Shore Drive and Beach Drive. The council tentatively will act on an option at their October 20th meeting and send the Oaks Hotel project to the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission for their review and ultimate recommendation back to the council.