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5. HRSR 03-07-2005ITEM # 5. City E giver MEMORANDUM TO: Housing & Redevelopment Authority FROM: Catherine Mehelich, Director of Economic DATE: March 7, 2005 SUBJECT: Downtown Revitalization Project Update ,~ Development~i'~ ((, Attachments • King Avenue Parking Lot Taskforce, February 1, 2005 meeting minutes • MetroPlains Project Schedule • Article "Downtown redesign just around corner" Pioneer Press, February 13, 2005 Background The City entered into a development agreement with MetroPlains Development at the end of last year. Since that time staff has been working closely with MetroPlains to make progress on a number of activities leading up to the anticipated summer project construction. Current Activities King Avenue Parking Lot Improvement Assistant Director of Economic Development, Heidi Steinmetz is working closely with the King Ave Parking Lot Taskforce and their monthly meetings to provide input on the parking lot design and enforcement options. Meeting minutes from the February taskforce meeting is attached for the HRA's review. Within the next month the City Engineer will formalize construction plans and bid specifications for the City Council's approval and construction in June. • February Council approves quote for Utilities Building asbestos removal • April Council considers quotes for building removal and authorize bidding for parking lot improvements • April/May Building removal and Council considers bid for parking lot improvements • May/June Commence parking lot construction • June/July Completion of parking lot construction River's Edge Greenspace Improvements The March 2, 2005 edition of the Star News featured an article on the schematic improvement plans for the River's Edge Commons located between the Cinema Building and Sunshine Depot Downtown Revitalization Project Update March 7, 2005 HRA Meeting Page 2 of 2 downtown. The Park and Recreation Commission recently acted to recommend plan approval. The Council will consider the plan in March or April. The park dedication fee collected from the Bluff and Jackson Block projects will be used to pay for park improvements in the downtown. The items above are highlights in activity from the past month. Staff is open to addressing any other specific questions that Commissioners may have with regard to any aspect of the ongoing project. In addition, MetzoPlains' project schedule is attached as a reference point for some upcoming activity in the downtown. MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER KING AVENUE PARKING LOT TASK FORCE HELD AT FIRST NATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTER TUESDAY, FEBRUARY I, 2005 Members Present: Keith Holrne, property owner Kemper Drug; Steve Johnson, property owner Antiques Downtown; Fred McCoy, McCoy's Pub; John Houlton, First National Bank of Elk River Members Absent: John Anderson, downtown resident; Dr. Tony Jarmoluk, Elk Dental Center; Ty Sunderman, Dare's Funeral Service Staff Present: City Engineer Terry Maurer and Assistant Director of Economic Development Heidi Steinmetz Others Present: Lisa Raduenz of LJR, Inc., Transportation and Consultants and Planners Kin Avenue Parkin Lot Construction U date Sta ~n Schedule and Construction Issues City Enginneer Terry Maurer presented an updated list of design and construction issues for feedback from Task Force members. The first issue was relocation of electrical facilities on the site. Mr. Maurer stated that the utility boxes will be relocated from the existing southeast and southwest corners of the building to two islands to be built within the reconstructed parking lot. He also mentioned that overhead lights now mounted on the former Municipal Utilities building will need to also be relocated within the lot. Mr. Maurer said that he met the previous day with Dr. Ron Bratlie of the school district and he agreed in concept to providing a sidewalk easement along the east side of their property. Parking spots that are 'head-in' will be located in a row along this area and the City will be responsible for the sidewalk reconstruction in this area. Keith Holme asked about a line that was shown on the map of the site which Mr. Maurer used during the discussion. Mr. Maurer responded that the line depicted the edge of school district property and that the City would also have to re-stripe parking spaces in the school district's lot as well. He mentioned that this was necessary because the school district's access to King Avenue will be closed as part of the parking lot construction. Mr. Holme asked about King Avenue access to Highway 10 at the school district property edge. Mr. Maurer suggested that the group discuss access at the eastern edge of the property first, as he had further discussions with MnDOT about this access. Nir. Maurer said that MnDOT told the City that they would have to apply for a permit m order to allow right-turn only access into the lot from eastbound Highway 10 and indicated the agency would challenge the City over the granting of this access, as they believe the access would be too close to the intersection of Jackson Avenue and Hwy 10. Mr. Holme said that the problem is that traffic is akeady backed up in this area and that a driver cannot get to it until the signal changes. John Houlton asked Mr. Maurer if traffic counts had been done on King Avenue. Mr. Maurer said counts have not been done. It was the consensus of the Task Force that King Avenue at Hwy 10 should be closed. Mr. Holme stated that there was a need for access to Kemper Drug parking spaces and that people were coming to the store not because they just happened to see it but because they needed to get there for a reason. Mr. Holme said there would be a parking problem during King Avenue Parking Lot Task Force Minutes Page 2 February 1, 2005 the reconstruction process 'no matter what we do'. Group discussion ensued about employee parking within the lot during the reconstruction process and beyond. Mr. Holme said it was his personal opinion that parking should be "closed" during the reconstruction, with the need for truck and construction parking taking precedence. Mr. Houlton said that he was concerned about traffic on Lowell Avenue like the previous time there had been a reconstruction project, as it would be the street that 'picked up through traffic'. Mr. Houlton said that he didn't think that King Avenue would have much traffic on it, as most of it was generated by the bank anyway. Mr. Maurer said that perhaps the City Council should consider an all-way stop sign at King Avenue and Main Street. Mr. Holme said that he thought a stop sign at that location would restrict traffic flow. Mr. Maurer said that restricting flow was 'not necessarily a bad thing' because it may deter traffic just cutting through downtown. Mr. Houlton thought the idea of adding another stop sign was 'horrifying' because of other traffic controls already nearby. Mr. Holme asked how many people were employed by key businesses in the area that would be using the parking lot. Mr. Maurer did not know the number. Mr. Holme questioned whether 149 stalls for parking would be sufficient for both employees and customers in the downtown area. He also said that sidewalk access along Hwy 10 in winter months is a big issue as MnDOT dumps snow along the lot perimeter which doesn't leave much room for pedestrian access. Fred McCoy said that where people park from the downtown area will be an issue, and that employees need someplace to park with designation. Lisa Raduenz stated that the intent of the group was to determine just that, at the next meeting in March. Mr. Maurer asked Mr. Houlton what the bank's plan was for parking near the meat market. Mr. Houlton said the bank would continue to own that parcel of land, but had agreed to 'throw in' the parking available on the site to make it easier to redesign the general parking lot. Mr. Holme said the furthest parking stalls from the doors of the businesses like the meat market would be the best place to put general employee parking. Mr. Maurer was asked about disabled/handicapped parking. He responded that a minimum of 5 parking spots were required for the total of 149 spaces at the site. Mr. Ho1me asked how many disabled spots were already there? Mr. Maurer responded there were two behind the pharmacy area. Mr. Holme asked how many were on Main Street? Mr. Maurer said he would check and get back to the group in March. Mr. Holme said that at least one spot for disabled in front of the pharmacy and one in-the back lot get used "a lot" and that two spots "seem to work". He said the one spot in front of the store is somewhat difficult, as backing up out of the spot is dangerous because of traffic coming off of Highway 10. Mr. Maurer suggested that perhaps the City could put disabled parallel parking near King Avenue on the north side of Main Street as it may be a better place and would be easier for cars entering into the lot if cars were not parked at that location all the time. He said this question did not need to be answered at this time. Steve Johnson brought up the fact that there is at least one and possibly two Artesian wells on the site which are currently capped, and asked about the slope of the proposed lot. Mr. Maurer responded that storm sewers should handle any seepage or drainage issues on the site, and that the slope was about six feet. He also said that the islands to be installed in the lot would be a 'happy medium' between traffic direction and plowing, and that there were two existing and four new ones that would be located within in the lot, with the islands on the north end of parking rows would be painted. Mr. McCoy asked about snowplowing issues and if snow was going to be trucked away from the site. Mr. Maurer said that the City Street Department would likely take it away and that it might be worth it if Phil Hals, Streets King Avenue Parking Lot Task Force Minutes February 1, 2005 Page 3 Superindendent, was able to come to an upcoming meeting of the group. Mr. Houlton said it did not change what was already happening today at the site. Mr. Holme said he noticed one pile that day that was 'not really a problem' and that vehicles which are left in the lot for days are the real issue for snowplows in the lot. He suggested that the cars that are sitting in the lot get towed to the area near the river which the Bank owns for parking during snow emergencies. Ms. Raduenz reminded the group that Mr. Maurer had to leave early from the meeting and that the group should let him continue down his list of items to discuss. Mr. Maurer continued to discuss construction staging at the site, and said that he would have more definitive answers at the next group meeting, but that tentative plans called for keeping a section of the lot open during reconstruction. Mr. Maurer said that the blacktopping would be scheduled around nonpeak usage of the lot, and that the contractor would be in charge of fencing off areas as necessary throughout the building construction zone. Mr. Maurer asked the group's members to provide him with direction on the day of the week and the time of the day that would work best for the businesses, including weekends. Mr. Houlton and NIr. Holme said that the main issue would be to 'do it fast'. NIr. Maurer said that perhaps it would be best to close the lot down for one complete day for the final lift of bituminous and striping with no parking just to get it done. Mr. McCoy asked Ms. Steinmetz about the possibility of using the "old Jungle" site for additional parking during the parking lot reconstruction process. He mentioned that he thought the place was going to be removed prior to construction on the riverfront site and perhaps it could be used for parking while the lot was in reconstruction. Mr. Holme asked if it was possible to allow temporary parking between the Sunshine Depot and the Cinema Building. Ms. Steinmetz said she would check into both options. She thought that the HRA and City Council had already discussed the issue of temporary parking between the Depot and the Cinema Building, but that she would double check. Mr. Houlton asked Mr. Maurer if he planned on burying overhead utility lines in the lot. Mr. Maurer asked the group if the lot was adequately lit today. He said the power feeds were buried within the buildings but he would check on this. Mr. Holme said that it wasn't an issue for him as his employees went out the front door due to the alarm set at 9 pm each night, but that it might be an issue for other businesses in the area if it was not adequately lit for employees leaving businesses at closing time. Mr. Houlton brought up the issue of delivery trucks to the site and said there was no maneuvering room near the area of the meat market or the bakery. He said that the configuration appeared to be laid out for car traffic and parking issues, and asked whether a big truck or garbage truck would be able to maneuver through the lot as needed once it was completed? Discussion ensued about the staging of garbage haulers and trucks now, and whether or not something more cooperatively could be done with trash haulers in order to limit the number of trucks now going through the lot for garbage hauling. Mr. Ho1me said he thought that everyone was using the same hauler, Randy's Sanitation, but that there were other issues that should be further discussed like--a) where should dumpsters be placed on the site; b) can they be combined to make more parking room?; c) What is Olde Main Eatery doing for garbage and recycling; and d) the frequency of commercial trucks and when during the day they normally pick up (is it truly 7:00 a.m.?). 2. A roval of anua 4 2005 Task Force Meetin Minutes Ms. Raduenz asked the group to approve the meeting minutes from its first meeting held on January 4, 2005. Upon review, the members approved the minutes as they were presented. King Avenue Parking Lot Task Force Minutes February 1, 2005 Page 4 Meeting Wrap-u~ At this point Mr. Maurer had to leave the group to attend another meeting. He mentioned that he would present the group with final construction plans at the March meeting in order to remain on schedule with the project. Ms. Raduenz asked the group if there were any other concerns or issues that they felt would need to be added to the agenda for March's meeting, which included answers from the session just held and a further discussion about where on the lot employee, customer and disabled parking should occur. The group asked for further information on commercial truck deliveries and the answer to whether or not parking might be made available on the old Jungle site at the next meeting, and both NIs. Raduenz and Ms. Steinmetz agreed to provide additional information at the next meeting with regard to these issues. 4. Adjournment The meeting of the King Avenue Parking Lot Task Force adjourned at 9:15 a.m. The next meeting of the King Avenue Parking Lot Task Force is scheduled for Thursday, March 3, 2005 at 8:00 a.m. at the First National Financial Center in the 2nd floor board room. Submitted by, Lisa Raduenz LJR, Inc., Transportation and Consultants and Planners ,; ~.,_ - , ~, ;5 i.. '~" r ~~.a ~ ~~>°~ ' °~ '~ .G ~ '~ _~` ~ ~~ ~` r ~ ~ , O r ~' ~ ,i~> ~ y~...~7 M~'17 iR- .. Z,,~f1~~ q ">r .-- F7 it ". ,~ *~ ~ __ ..__ . 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