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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-15-2011 ' . ~ CITY OF- DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ~►T WASHINGTON March 15, 2011 MINUTES 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Lynn Norman called the meeting.to order at 4:06 p.m. in Conference Room 2, located on the second floor of One East M'ain Street, Aubum, WA: Committee Members present were: Chair Lynn Norman and Vice Chair Nancy Backus. MemberSue Singer was excused. . . : Staff present included: Planning & Development Director Kevin Snyder, Planning Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain Economic Development Manager poug Lein and Planning & Development Secretary Tina Kriss. Audience Members present were: Ronnie Roberts, Ed Hahn, Kathleen Keator, and Spencer Alpert of Alpert International. 11. CONSENT AGENDA A. Meeting Minutes - March 1, 2011 Vice Chair Backus moved and Chair Norman seconded to approve the consent agenda items as presented. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 2-0 III. DISCUSSION A. Request for Expression of Interest Concept for Auburn Junction. Planning Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain and Director Kevin Snyder provided details on the potential marketing tool called Request for Expression of Interest Concept (RFEI) for Auburn Junction. The City of Richland recently utilized this tool for potential developer interest in city owned property; staff believes the RFEI approach coald be an informative and instructive method to furfher expose Aubum Junction to the marketplace, highlight the Gity owned parcels to this marketplace, and gauge market interesf. Staff believes its use could expose both the`type of developers and deyelopment that are attracted to Auburn Junction and help us focus future marketing efforts. Director Snyder stated this is a non=binding agreement. Staff conferred with the City Attorney's Office regarding fhe potential use of the RFEI and its conformance to the current Master Development Agreement with Alpert Intemational. The City Attomey's Office has determined. that the use of an RFEf is not inconsistent or violates the Master Development Agreemenf. Committee and staff reviewed the agreement and Committee provided the following feedback: Page 1 • . \ Downtown Redeveloqment Committee Minutes March 15. 2011 1. Committee liked the concept and thought it would be a viable way to confirm the City's idea for development for Auburn Junction; it will also provide feedback if the ideas don't seem to be on the right track. 2. Committee asked how this would be markefed. Director Snyderstated the City could use some selective advertising using periodicals and discuss with Mr. Alpert ifiwewould like to send these to several developers. Because this process yields a non-binding agreement the City has more options in the advertising. 3. Committee would like to make sure the RFEI is not limited; they would like to see more information on mixed-use with the housing component involved and how the designation of density housing on the valley floor will affect planning. 4. Committee would like to find ways of tying Aubum Junction into the existing : historic downtown. 5. Committee wants Aubum Junction to have a cohesive feel of an activity, arCs, entertainment, and commercial area which will still tie oth'er areas of the City together (an urban center hub) while being open to the ideas that are generated from this RFEI. 6. Committee is excited to see the potential of a RFEI submittal showing something unique and exciting which could expand the current vision of Aubum Junction. Spencer Alpert of Alpert lnternational stated this is a terrific idea, spreading the net, getting Auburn's name out there, and getting readyfor development. Mr. Alpert suggested the potential of one single use developer to be eonnected with another single use developer to enable multi uses and a.broader spectrum of ideas to get the development going forward. The City could still determine if they wanted fo accept the variation of development from multiple developers. Committee stated they have limited resources of land and would be concemed about squandering our possibilities if a developer wanted to develop commercial with a promise of future housing deyelopment only to find out later they did not want to develop housing. Committee suggested wording this in such a way to get a mix of both. Spencer Alpert stated he has been told it is hard to coordinate housing, apartments and retail together. A suggestion is to look for new ideas wh'ile still promoting the quality of the overall objective. If someone comes with one use they specialize in marry them up with someone we know is interested in developing with other uses to begin development through a contact point. Committee asked Director Snyder how successful the City of Richland has been with the concept of the RFEI. Mr. Snyder stated he will be talking with the City of Richland and report back. Mr. Snyder emphasized in the past the Committee has discussed development may not be full block but partial block sections due to market considerations; having multiple experienced development parties representing different aspects of the development. Page 2 . . . : Downtown Redevelopment Committee Minutes March 15, 2011 Direcfor Snyder stated he will work with the City Attomey's office and the master developer Spencer Alpert and others to create RFEI to bring back before Committee for feedback. B. Downtown Pedesfrian Kiosks Planning Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain provided a newmock version of the proposed pedestrian Kiosk, changing the height, width, and font size to depict the actual proposed Kiosk. Committee liked the new version. Ms. Chamberlain cancelled the walking foar planned for today due to the weather. Staff will reschedule this walking tour for a later meeting. IV. INFORMATION Chair Norman stated she will be gone for the next fwo weeks. Committee will be meeting again April 12, 2011. Staff stated the Matrix will be updated for the next meeting. V. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Downtown Redevelopment Committee, Chair Norman adjoumed the meeting at 4:31 p.m. APPROVED THIS 01 ~ DAY OF L Lyn rman, Chair Tina Kriss , PI ni g and Develolpment Secretary Page 3