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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/12/2001 BAKERS'FIELD Alan Tandy, City Manager Sue Benham Staff: John W. Stinson Mike Maggard AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT SPECIAL MEETING URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMI'I-I'EE Meeting of Monday, March 12, 2001 1:00 p.m. City Manager's Office - City Hall 1. ROLL CALL Called to order: 1:08 p.m. Present: Councilmembers David Couch, Chair; Sue Benham; and Mike Maggard 2. ADOPT FEBRUARY 12, 2001 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Adopted as submitted. 3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS Dave Cross, Architect, spoke regarding his letter to the Committee on the economic impact and evaluation of a location for the California High Speed Rail station. A study needs to be done in order to have influence at the California High Speed Rail Authority meeting in June 2001 to evaluate alignment options. Committee Chair David Couch stated that our current position is that we want it located in the Downtown area. Interim Public Works Director Jack LaRochelle said staff has attended the monthly meetings of the High Speed Rail and at every meeting made a public statement that we would like it located in the downtown and efforts are ongoing to get consensus on an exact site. The Kern Transportation Foundation has been the lead in putting together a scope of all the issues to bring it forth to the community for input. Ultimately, the Council would recommend a preferred location to the State. Marvin Dean spoke regarding high speed rail and prefers a downtown station site that would aid in all three areas of redevelopment. It was discussed that the City should take the lead. Committee Chair David Couch said he would like staff to make this a priority and he will be referring it to the Urban Development Committee. ADOP'rEI) AS SUBMITI'ED APRIL 2,, 2001'_ ~~ ~~ URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Monday, March 12, 2001 Page -2- 4. DEFERRED BUSINESS A. Committee discussion and adoption of 2001 Urban Development meeting schedule The Committee reviewed the draft calendar. The March 26th meeting was deleted. The start time for the next meeting on April 2r~ was changed to 4:00 p.m. All the other calendared meetings will start at 1:00 p.m. The Committee unanimouslyadopted the Urban Development Committee meeting schedule, with the above changes. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Discussion and possible recommendation regarding Downtown Business and Property Owners - Vision Committee Committee Chair David Couch introduced Herman Ruddell from the Downtown Business and Property Owners (DBA) Vision Committee to make their presentation. Completing downtown element of 2010 Plan Several years ago the downtown element of the 2010 Plan was deferred for completion to a later date. In discussions at their DBA board meetings regarding projects in the downtown, they would like to have a plan to fall back on in terms of what the community planning input has been and how the community would like to see things develop, instead of just reacting to developers' proposals. It was discussed that the upcoming Downtown Charrette would help to complete the downtown element of the 2010 Plan. Identifying and improving collector street qrid~ Mr. Ruddell continued that the traffic flow and capacity of City streets needs to be improved. They are focusing on F, H, L, and N Streets. For the most part these streets are four lanes, two in each direction, but in reality as the center lanes are used for left turns, these streets function as two lanes. They are recommending that the streets, for instance H Street, be made a dominate northbound street by changed it to two north bound lanes, a center left-turn lane, and one southbound lane. Then to mirror that, make L Street a dominate southbound with two southbound lanes, a center left- turn lane and one northbound lane. Interim Public Works Director Jack LaRochelle stated that because these streets are 82.5 feet wide in fight-of-way but only 54.5 feet wide in roadway, there is room for widening within the right-of-way without taking property. Standard left-turn lanes with left-turn traffic lights are preferred for safety. There are many options that can be explored for the north and southbound streets. The Committee agreed that improvements in traffic flow are needed and staff will meet with representatives of the DBA to discuss options. URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Monday, March 12, 2001 Page -3- Formation of a parking authority The DBA is still interested in creating a parking authority, which has been discussed with the Committee previously. Parking is a problem in the downtown and they would like to bring the formation of a parking authority back to the forefront again. Development of small parcels is difficult because lots are not large enough to build a business and have the space for required parking. They would like to propose a series of consolidated parking structures with a parking requirement that goes with it for any new buildings that are development. If new businesses use the parking structure to meet their parking requirements, they would pay for the parking. They are proposing that the consolidated parking structures be built with municipal financing to allow for tax-exempt rates, perhaps public/private partnerships. The proposed parking authority would be used to enforce parking in the downtown. It is the opinion of the DBA that parking be free to customers and visitors. The Committee discussed many of the aspects including: the need to get business and property owners' agreement with parking structures; small one-owner-operator business owners not being able to leave their stores and accruing parking tickets and the need for an authority to be flexible with special parking problems; problems associated with business folks who have heavy things to carry and their having to walk late at night to a parking garage; building costs for parking garages being approximately $5,000 per space, requiring businesses to use parking structures and safety issues late at night for users especially with the late-night bar atmosphere in the downtown; who will pay for security; and the need to achieve a way to ensure accountability of a parking authority to business and property owners. The Committee agreed there needs to be a long-term solution for downtown parking. As a short- term action, City staff will do an analysis of downtown parking structures that might have public parking spaces or be available for lease or rent by businesses, such as 18th and Eye, District Attorney's, Superintendent of Schools and others. Downtown site for high speed rail The DBA is strongly committed to having a downtown site for high speed rail. They are proposing the City work with the DBA in a partnership to identify a preferred site downtown. Mr. Ruddell stated there needs to be a non-stop direct airport connection (tram). If there are no stops between the station and Meadows Field, there may be a possibility of funding for a tram by the FFA. Jack LaRochelle explained the high speed rail travels at 200+ miles an hour and it slows down to 125 miles an hour in urban areas because of the noise. Everything is 100% grade separated, so vehicles will not be crossing. The City's argument for placing it in the downtown has been fairness. It will be going into downtown Los Angeles and San Francisco with larger urban areas to cross and higher property costs, so why not Bakersfield. The City has been developing its transportation system so that all roads lead downtown. If the alignment is placed in a suburban area, roads will have to be built to it and that causes urban sprawl, which will be difficult to overcome in the Environmental Document. Marvin Dean said he would like the Southeast PAC to have input into choosing the location. URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Monday, March 12, 2001 Page -4- The Committee discussed different site location options and alignments. It was emphasized that It is important to get a consensus of all interested groups in order to have a united single voice favoring a downtown site before the High Speed Rail Authority meeting in June 2001. The Committee directed Jack LaRochelle to make a presentation to the DBA and the Southeast PAC and receive their input and then make a workshop presentation to the City Council. Downtown Charrette Committee Chair David Couch stated the City Council has funded the Downtown Charrette. Planning Director Stan Grady said tentative target dates now being discussed are May 11th, 12th, and 13th, with wrap-up on the 19th. 6. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 2:35 p.m. Attendance staff: Assistant City Manager John Stinson; Economic Development Director Donna Kunz; City Attorney Bart Thiltgen; Interim Public Works Director Jack LaRochelle; Planning Director Stan Grady. Others: Cathy Butler, Downtown Business Association; Herman Ruddell, Downtown Business Association; Todd Quinones, Channel 23 News; Brian Vetter, Channel 23; Dave Cross, Architect; Marvin Dean, Southeast Business and Property Owners Association; Tammi Brown, reporter, KUZZ News; Will Hutchinson, Smart Growth Coalition; Dave Thor, Channel 29 News; James Burger, The Bakersfield Californian. cc: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers S:~John\UrbanDev2001\UDO1mar12summary.wpd