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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 03/16/1999 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAT UE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP Capital Improvement Plan (C.I.P.) TUESDAY,MARCH 16, 1999 4:00- 6:55 PM, CITY CENTER HERITAGE ROOM H CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Jean Harris, Councilmembers Sherry Butcher-Younghans,Ronald Case, Ross Thorfinnson,Jr., and Nancy Tyra-Lukens CITY STAFF: City Manager Chris Enger, Division Commander Gary Therkelsen, Parks & Recreation Services Director Bob Lambert, Public Works Services Director Eugene Dietz, Community Development and Financial Services Director Don Uram, Management Services Director Natalie Swaggert, HRA Manager David Lindahl, City Planner Mike Franzen, City Attorney Ric Rosow and Council Recorder Margaret Rasmussen OTHER: Len Simich, Executive Director, Southwest Metro Transit; Jim Lasher; Bob Worthington I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER-MAYOR JEAN HARRIS Mayor Harris called the meeting to order at 4:12 p.m. H. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Harris stated that Jeff Strate requested time to discuss Federal/State funding for land purchase in southwest Eden Prairie during Council Forum. M. SOUTHWEST METRO TRANSIT HUB DEVELOPMENT- 4:00-5:00 PM A. PRESENTATION OF URBAN LAND INSTITUTE CONFERENCE (March 1-3, 1999) (David Lindahl) Two members of the Staff attended the Urban Land Institute Conference, held in California from March 1-3, 1999. David Lindahl made a visual presentation, describing unique features of the Block at Orange Mall in Beverly Hills, the Irvine Spectrum Center, and the Queensway Bay ocean-front redevelopment project at Long Beach, which were visited during the conference. It may be possible to reproduce some of these features in the Southwest Metro Transit Station property. Council/Staff Workshop March 16,1999 Page 2 B. PRESENTATION OF DESIGN ALTERNATIVES FOR TRANSIT SITE(Len Simich of Southwest Metro Transit and Jim Lasher of LSA Design) Len Simich, Executive Director of Southwest Metro Transit, presented the goals for development of the Southwest Metro Transit site: 1. Generate funding to cover the operational and maintenance/replacement costs to operate out of the hub. Annual operating costs are estimated to be$125,000, and annual maintenance and replacement costs are estimated to be$150,000. Ridership has increased 10 percent over last year. 2. Encourage development that supports transit and that is complementary to transit operations. 3. Create a development that is unique and interrelated in terms of connectivity and design. Create an ambiance where people want to gather and where Southwest Station is a visible component of the development scheme. 4. Generate additional revenue to lessen dependency on tax proceeds to fund transit operations. Simich explained the transit staff is in the process of doing a market analysis to see if these goals are realistic and discussing whether these should be put into a formal Request for Proposals(RFP)to submit to potential developers. He discussed the various constraints and opportunities of the project. Jim Lasher, architect from LSA Design, presented the phasing plan for developing the 23 acres currently owned by Southwest Metro Transit, with restaurants built in phase 1 and housing in phase 2. The layouts showed two concept plans. Concept A includes a three-level parking deck with 1,100 stalls, restaurants, a hotel, convenience and other retail stores. Concept B includes a five-level parking deck with 1,000 stalls, a 16-plex movie theater, entertainment center and indoor amusement park, a restaurant, convenience and other retail stores. C. DISCUSSION AND DIltECTION Simich said there are some businesses that have expressed a desire to open in Eden Prairie. There is a question whether the market can support another multiplex movie theater in addition to the ones at the Eden Prairie mall. Tyra-Lukens questioned the visual impact of the three-level parking deck in Concept A. Lasher replied that this deck would be behind two retail buildings. However, it would be visible from Technology Drive. Enger inquired how many square feet are in the parking decks in each concept. Lasher said there would be 40,000 square feet more in Concept B's parking deck, which would be shared with the proposed movie theater. Council/Staff Workshop March 16,1999 Page 3 Enger said in terms of use and design, Concept B seems better because of shared use of the parking deck by the theater, businesses, and bus riders. The city has put money into these types of developments in existing tax increment financing(TIF) districts. Simich listed the following key questions for the City to answer: • How does the City want Metro Transit staff to proceed? • Is the City willing to participate in financing a parking deck? • Is housing built near Purgatory Creek a good use of this property? • Should they go ahead with the movie theater concept? With regard to the movie theater concept, Enger said the City has made a commitment to another developer for a 16-18-screen theater. Harris asked if there is something else that could be built in terms of entertainment, such as an extreme sport complex. Lasher replied they would like to explore various concepts of that type. Simich said a community theater would be another use for that space. Lindahl said they haven't talked to developers from out of state so far, but in California there they saw an adult entertainment complex with a restaurant, bar, billiards table, shuffleboard, and other activities. There was consensus that City Staff should explore the concept of using TIF to assist with the development of the Southwest Station. Staff would also investigate using TIF for high-density, affordable housing on the west end of the site. Of the two plan concepts, Concept B was preferred. Lasher stated his staff would come up with a revised plan soon. Mayor Harris thanked Len Simich and Jim Lasher for their presentations. IV. CAPITAL E PROVEMENT PLAN—5:00—6:30 PM A. OVERVIEW/STRATEGIES Enger explained the City has to balance competing needs/interests within the framework of community resources. The City has added a lot of services and facilities in past years. Now it should move toward maintaining the facilities and infrastructure it has in place. Uram described the process Staff went through over the past few months to develop the CIP for 1999. • Determine the Capital Needs • Organize and Prioritize Capital Needs • Determine Funding Sources • Implement and Monitor the Program Council/Staff Workshop March 16,1999 Page 4 B. 1999 EXPENDITURES Capital requests in 1999 total $571,500: $140,000 for facilities, $81,000 for parks and recreation, $100,500 for information systems, $52,000 for public safety, and $190,000 for public works projects. The Council authorized Capital expenditures of$491,376 with the approval of the 1998 budget on December 15, 1998. Since then, additional necessary expenditures of $80,124 have been identified. Staff is proposing that$80,124 be transferred from the Capital Revolving Fund. After brief discussion about the proposed capital projects, the Council was in agreement with the fund transfer. C. YEAR 2000 AND BEYOND (Review of Prioritization Tool) Enger explained use of a new CIP assessment tool for prioritizing projects in future years. This will be used as a tool to bring strategic values into the process and for discussion in resolving questions about priorities. The CIP will be done in conjunction with the budget each year. Dietz stated at some point a philosophy needs to be developed along with this. An example is reconstruction of streets. More and more streets need to be reconstructed. Some cities use money from the general fund for this, and do not assess property owners. There is merit in considering this method. Maintenance of facilities has been postponed also. Diverting funds into the revolving funds would help. Mayor Harris asked that this discussion be put on the agenda for a future workshop. V. OTHER BUSINESS Lambert said Parks&Recreation Services has applied for a$500,000 federal grant for greenways. He did not submit a proposal for matching funds. They are also joining with the Watershed District to apply for a$100,000 grant for eight conservation areas along the Riley Creek and Purgatory Creek corridors. With regard to buffer areas along the boundary of Eden Orchard development, Lambert cautioned the Council not to try to protect the entire creek valley with buffers and open spaces. The cost would be prohibitive. Harris said she has been contacted by a number of citizens who believe the City should protect and purchase more open space. The Mayor said this is not realistic in terms of what the City can do. She asked for suggestions on how to use this citizen interest to best advantage. Enger recommended saving and maintaining the core resources the City has, and teaming up with citizen groups to solicit their help in accomplishing this. Council/Staff Workshop March 16,1999 Page 5 There was consensus that the much of the public is not aware of what the City has done already to purchase open space and woods, develop parks, protect creek beds and wetlands, etc. The map which the Parks and Recreation Services has developed to indicate these areas should be displayed for the public to see, one inside and one outside of the Council Chambers. A strategy is needed to communicate to the public what the City has already done. A task force of citizens is needed to help find matching dollars with which to purchase more open space, educate them about the City's goals, and make them partners with the City to achieve those goals. VI. COUNCIL FORUM—6:30—6:55 PM A. JEFF STRATE REQUESTED T M TO DISCUSS FEDERAL / STATE FUNDING FOR LAND PURCHASE W SOUTHWEST EDEN PRAT UE. Jeff Strate, 15021 Summerhill Drive, spoke about the possibility of federal funding in future years for purchase of open space areas such as the big woods and bluff areas. There is the possibility a bonding bill will be approved by the legislature this summer. If it were approved, he would be willing to work with the representative for Eden Prairie's Southwest District to obtain funding for the City. He also suggested contacting Cordelia Pearson at the Trust for Public Land about holding a workshop to explain the services they offer, which include loaning money at a low interest rate to purchase land, negotiating with landowners, etc. Strate would be willing to talk to any citizen groups about how to obtain matching funds and believes the City would qualify for such funds. Enger said the City is looking for partnership opportunities. The City is really concerned about achieving its goals of open space as outlined in its Open Space Plan. Tyra-Lukens said it might be beneficial to meet with the Trust for Public Land. VIL ADJOURNMENT Mayor Harris adjourned the workshop at 6:50 p.m.