Our original allocation was a $3 million earmark that was set by the state legislature a couple years ago. Mindot came to the table with a $3 million al allocation. We went to them and we took inflationary pressures, used inflationary numbers, and they gave us another $200,000.

Without that cohesion, the bridge risks losing what prompted the competition in the first place, becoming a community landmark beyond something purely utilitarian.

I agree with staff on this one and think it would be best to proceed without the cladding for financial reasons, but also because I am concerned with the cladding as you're going up and you're moving. There are spaces where um just the alignment of the cladding makes it less transparent and it's harder to see.

I do recall when we were going through the RFP or the contest to bring forward proposals, um, we were paying attention a lot to the aesthetics of what would this mean? And we knew that this was one of those kind of main focal points, a a gateway into the community. Um, and so for that reason, I I'm hesitant to go fully no cladding. I think that the partial cladding on the bridge is a a good middle ground compromise.

So the motion would be to suspend all current and future city spending on studying the feasibility and design of the France Avenue proposed underpass project and further direct city staff to engage with technical colleagues at Henipin County to study at great alternatives for safe pedestrian crossings of France Avenue between 66th and 77th Avenue South.

Um I think it's a good idea to suspend um investment on this particular project. I did request some images be available that I'd like to talk about. And just if you could indulge me on this because come June 30th, 2027, I'm not going to be here.

I'm really viewing this in the the way that we've framed it up so far as an amazing opportunity for us to continue Centennial Lakes. Um, this could stitch together what we have today on the east side of France to the west side of France. Um, and I think that suspending conversation on this, whether it's till 2027 or 2028, is an overcorrection based on a a vocal contingency when I think that there's a very strong voice that is missing from the conversation right now.

The problem that we're trying to solve is I think the quality of life survey got it right. Um 70ish% of people want to feel safe crossing France Avenue. And I don't I think that that is not in question. That's what the open house feedback showed.

The current zoning would only allow about 125 units on the site. The comprehensive plan would allow much more than that. So there will be some substantial variances there. Um also in regard to height, four stories is the limit on this site. And the proposal here that they'll show two options. One is a sevenstory option. and the other is a has a 12story uh component.

This is the two building sevenstory concept. So concept one uh at the end of the day we think this is the one that wins on the on the aspect of feasibility uh fitting within the scale of what is there or has been recently developed around Fred Richards Park and I think it's this concept that we got the most uh favorable feedback from the planning commission last week as well.