Stepping forward with their proposal for a College Hill university district, President Elson S. Floyd and other WSU officials shared detailed plans for the concept at Tuesday’s meeting of the Pullman City Council.
First proposed in February, the U-district would help provide an answer to some of the problems plaguing College Hill such as noise, trash, traffic and parking issues. It would also allow the university to be more accountable for handling violations of the city’s nuisance code.
The idea is to create a defined neighborhood that would serve as a bridge between campus and community. According to an article in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Mel Taylor, WSU executive director of real estate operations and external affairs, said Tuesday’s presentation would address the university district vision in more detail, including ideas concerning parking, policing and design. The document was drafted by staff from university departments including Capital Planning and Development, Parking and Transportation Services and the police department.
“It’s our side of what we envision the university district partnership being with the city,” Taylor said. “We’re doing this without being presumptuous that it’s the final project.”
He said if the council eventually approves the idea, an interlocal agreement will be needed to allow the university to phase in services.
