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HomeMy WebLinkAboutITEM III-F CITY OF~ *.•r~ DRAFT DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT ; . ~B` COMMITTEE WASHINGTON March 1, 2011 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Lynn Norman called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. in Conference Room 2, located on the second floor of One East Main Street, Auburn, WA. Committee Members present were: Chair Lynn Norman, Vice Chair Sue Singer, and Member Nancy Backus. Staff present included: Planning & Development Director Kevin Snyder, Planning Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain, Project Engineer Ryan Vondrak, Assistant City Engineer Ingrid Gaub, Economic Development Manager Doug Lein, and Planning Secretary Tina Kriss. Audience Members present: Jeff Oliphant, Gail Spurrell and Ronnie Roberts II. CONSENT AGENDA A. Meeting Minutes - February 8, 2011 Committee would like the following item III. B. Downtown Pedestrian Kiosk, second to the last paragraph, to read as follows: Chair Norman stated she is concerned with the kiosk creating too much visual pollution or clutter with the narrow right-of-way and pole mounting. Chair Norman is concerned about being able to tie historic Main Street and the kiosk design. Chair Norman also had questions about the size of the kiosk. Member Backus moved and Member Singer seconded to approve the consent agenda items as amended. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 3-0 III. ACTION A. City Hall Plaza Improvement Project Planning Manager Chamberlain provided a revised agenda bill and budget status sheet to the Committee members. Ms. Chamberlain then reviewed the staff report on change order No. 2 to Contract Number 10-24 for Project No. CP0922, City Hall Plaza Improvement. Committee and staff discussed the details of the budget status sheet. There is a contingency amount of $244,073 remaining in Fund 330. Member Backus moved and Member Singer seconded to move forward Change Order No. 2 to Contract Number 10-24 for Project No. CP0922 to City Council for approval. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 3-0 Page 1 Downtown Redevelopment Committee Minutes March 1, 2011 IV. DISCUSSION A. Downtown Urban Center Design Standards Planning Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain provided the staff report on the changes to the Downtown Urban Center Design-Standards. A previous amendment to the design standards.changed.the street designation for a portion of North Division Street between Main. Street and 1St Street NE from a .Pedestrian I street to a Pedestrian 11 street. During the review of this amendment; the-Downtown Redevelopment Committee (DRC) and Planning and Community. Development Committee (PCDC) stated that a goal of the design standards is to focus retail/commercial uses on the ground floor along Main Street and South Division Street (the promenade) and that other uses such as medical office could be located on the ground floor along other downtown streets. An inquiry into the vacant Key Bank Building, at Auburn Avenue and 1St Street NE, about establishing medical office at this location was made. In reviewing the design standards, Auburn Avenue between East Main Street and- 1St Street NE is still designated a Pedestrian l -street which does not permit medical office uses. Committee states Pedestrian 11 gives more options for Auburn Avenue. Member Singer stated-she is supportive.of the Pedestrian II designation as long as it does not include the intersection -of Main Street and Auburn Avenue. Committee. emphasized the corners on Main Street are:to be retail/restaurant; Pedestrian I street. Committee is supportive of this change-. B. Downtown` Pedestrian Kiosks Planning Manager Chamberlain reviewed the map provided to the Committee on the possible.kiosks locations within the downtown area. Staff 'and-. Committee reviewed a mock pedestrian kiosk to determine potential locations and if the size of the kiosk would work. Committee suggested some signage where Auburn Avenue and Auburn Way split directing people to downtown. Director Snyder this is a possibility with the new signage that will be installed at this location adjacent to Little Caesar's. The intersection of A Street and Auburn Way North is not used by as much foot traffic as vehicular traffic. Audience member Ronnie. Roberts stated the height of the mock kiosk would work well, if 'a car is. parked-near the kiosks blocking the-lower portion you.could still determine the proper direction by-viewing the top portion. Audience member Gail. Spurrell.stated there are many people who have a-difficult time reading certain wayfinding, signs due to their small lettering so, -it is, nice to see the larger letters. Audience Member<Jeff Oliphant stated it.is important to make.sure both pedestrian and vehicular traffic have different signs. Chair stated they will be discussing auto traffic signage at a later meeting. but Committee has been having an ongoing discussion on pedestrian wayfinding. Chair asked, members to bring the map, showing potential locations to the next meeting to use to' during the walkingtour fora determination of kiosks locations. Committee stated they would like to see a narrower kiosk; it feels too bulky or massive., Page 2 Downtown Redevelopment Committee Minutes March 1, 2011 V. INFORMATION The next meeting will be the 8th of March. Committee would like to do the walking tour weather permitting. VI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Downtown Redevelopment Committee, Chair Norman adjourned the meeting at 3:53 p.m. APPROVED THIS DAY OF Lynn Norman, Chair Tina Kriss, Planning & Development Secretary Page 3