City Hall
– Town Plaza Review Committee
Thursday,
July 19, 2007; 4:00 P.M.
Cowles
Council Chambers
Session 07-09 a regular meeting
of the City Hall – Town Plaza Review
Committee was called to order at 4:11 pm on July 19, 2007 in the
City Hall Cowles Council Chambers located at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer
Alaska.
Present:
Councilmember Beth Wythe, Councilmember Dennis Novak, Planning Commissioner and
Town Plaza Review Committee Chair Lane Chesley, Barb Seaman, Derotha Ferraro,
Parks & Recreation Commissioner and Town Plaza Review Committee Vice Chair,
Annie McGreenery, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Bumpo Bremicker, Renée
Krause, Angie Newby
Absent: Planning
Commissioner Rick Foster (excused)
Staff: Walt Wrede (telephonic), Beth McKibben,
Carey Meyer, Rachel Livingston, Ann Marie Holen
Public: Allegra Bukojemsky, Pat McNary
CALL TO
ORDER
APPROVAL
OF AGENDA
Agenda approved.
PUBLIC
COMMENTS REGARDING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
None.
APPROVAL
OF MINUTES
Synopsis of July 12, 2007
Approved by Consensus of the Committee
VISITORS
None.
STAFF
& COUNCIL REPORT/COMMITTEE REPORTS/BOROUGH REPORTS
Walt reported on the RFP progress. Proposals are due on August 1. An addendum to the RFP went out on Tuesday,
July 17, 2007 addressing some of questions raised by proposers.
They included the following:
1. Does the city want subcontractors identified now? The answer was no.
2. Question on the city’s request for a total cost on special
conditions. This was dropped as a requirement and the City is only requesting
contractor’s profit margin.
3. Clarified that extra points would not be given for local
preference because that could cause problems with receiving some types of
funding.
4. Clarification on design specifics – specifics will come with
the final three. It is not necessary
for this phase.
Walt talked about the need for an ordinance to ask the
voters to authorize the borrowing of money so that the project timeline is
met. This keeps us on track although it
is just a safeguard and most of the money will hopefully, come from other
sources. If the council does not borrow
the money there might be other options.
Walt also mentioned the memo in regards to the RFP selection
Committee. Walt ended by saying that
Greg Jones with CIRI might attend the next meeting.
Derotha mentioned that she did not see in the RFP any
reference to the City’s right to refuse all proposals for any reason. Walt
stated that he believes it is there.
Walt stated that the ordinance in regards to borrowing
money goes before council at the next meeting, July 23, 2007 and the public
hearing and second reading will be at the first meeting in August. Derotha asked about English Bay
involvement. Walt stated that they are
watching the progress carefully as anything done in town center will impact
their property on Pioneer.
Lane asked about having a draft ordinance prepared for the
August 2nd meeting.
PUBLIC
HEARING
None.
PENDING
BUSINESS
A.
Site
Selection
Discussion
on bubble map, noting the fact that the bubble layout is quite different from
the original map. Beth Wythe stated
that her selection points would have been quite different with the original
bubble map.
There was
a 5-minute break to reevaluate Bubble “E”.
The Committee asked Beth McKibben to go back and fix the bubbles and
make more accurate for the next meeting.
There
were changes made to individual scores on site selection scorecard, which Anne
Marie compiled to come up with the final tally. This was due to variations on the map. Sites selected were E, A,
C. The Committee asked staff to rename
the final three selections 1, 2, 3.
Lane
asked the Committee for their comments on their selections:
Renée
stated that her selection was colored by issues of backfill leveling and taking
out vegetation and scored accordingly.
Annie
stated that her decision veered more towards where the easements and wetlands
were situated.
Beth
Wythe stated that while the selection process was not perfect, it did lend
itself to a good evaluation of the properties.
Angie stated
she was glad that we went through this exercise in order to help be more
objective.
Barb
stated that she was not thrilled with this process and wonders about the
bubbles being too big to apply. If you
pick a huge bubble with the assumption that City Hall will go in one place
within the bubble but do not specifically mention this - the City Hall could
end up anywhere in the bubble. She
believes this process lacks specifics.
Dennis
did not submit a selection scorecard because he felt it was difficult to assign
numbers and value to each category. He
stated that everything seems to be in line with a certain area and that is
good. The choices have been narrowed
however where is the access? Dennis
stated that this was very crucial to this process. Is the access from Pioneer or Main. He stated that the plaza is certainly coming together to be in
the middle of the town center. He
commented that he would still like to see the plaza tie into the Land trust
property.
Bumpo
stated that he did not submit a scorecard but he likes the final selections of
the Committee. With the City Hall on
city land and the Plaza on the CIRI property.
Beth
Wythe commented on Dennis’s access issues.
She stated that when she envisions City Hall, she sees many access
points, Poopdeck, Pioneer, Main and this is how it should be. Beth stated that the location is not
important in terms of roads. The point
is to have access from all roads. She
stated that in her view this concept of town hall, plaza and park are not the
same thing. “The park is a separate
concept and does not come into the picture for me.”
Renée
concurred with Beth in regards to access to City Hall. She stated that she does not see just one
access, but many accesses.
Angie
stated that her intention with the very large oval was simply to give the
designers as much latitude as possible.
Question
to Committee from Lane: Motion to ask
the planning department to fix the map to reflect more accurately the choices
and to have Anne Marie update the selection scorecard. Unanimous consent. Motion carried.
Barb
stated that she was not sure this scorecard process was helpful. Beth mentioned issues with land trade
scoring and she estimated the portion of the bubble that was on city land, this
is how she graded that part of scoring.
Beth stated that if you moved all of the bubbles a bit north that they
would have scored higher on her scorecard.
Barb
stated that each Committee member’s numbers are widely different.
Discussion
ensued on bubbles overlapping.
Staff was
asked to supply a new, reconfigured map and to submit to council the original
chalk drawing selections as well. The
two maps should stay together.
Bumpo
brought up concerns with the large bubble “E.”
We all envision the City Hall being upland in the bubble but without
specific guidance with our intentions could it not end up behind the
Laundromat? Losing sight of our ideas?
Beth
Wythe asked that staff (Walt) come up with a draft preliminary recommendation
to present to council. Walt concurred.
B. Plaza Space & Amenities Needs
The
Committee commented on what they would like to see in the Plaza – the wish
list.
Bumpo –
Room for political demonstrations.
Dennis –
Bowl appliqué, walkways, farmer’s market, craft fairs, 1 acre minimum, Santa Fe
opera has a half dome, focal area for stage where sound will resonate, ability
for performances, gathering and street fairs.
Derotha –
Covered space and uncovered space.
Angie –
Summer and Winter activities, flat areas for winter activities, ample gathering
areas
Beth -
Something like an amphitheatre might be close to the plaza, but could not be a
part of the plaza because activities like street fairs do not fit into an
amphitheatre space.
Annie –
Carnivals
Renée –
Comfortable walking areas, being able to park in one spot and shop the
different locations within the town center and a Dog Park.
Lane –
Lawns for picnics and families, substantial bike rack, public restrooms, NO
skate park.
Barb –
Playground, fountain or statue, outdoor furniture (seating, benches), public
art, kiosks or city map, and landscaping.
Bumpo –
Added to his original comment with rocks and natural settings, no flat walls
that attract graffiti.
Derotha -
Power to the plaza (electric please!) particular row for vendors, walkable, spacious
space to wander.
Discussion
regarding possible competition with existing businesses vs. street merchants.
Beth – Sister city monument, community Christmas tree, community greenhouse.
Chair
Lane requested staff come up with list at next meeting with estimates on square
footage.
NEW BUSINESS
A.
Committee
Member Selection to Serve on RFP Review Committee
Beth
Wythe suggested a cross section from this Committee. 1 Rep from Parks & Rec, 1 Rep from Planning Commission, 1 Rep
from Town Center Development Committee, and 1 Rep from public at large. It was agreed that if a councilmember was
recommended it did not need to be one from this committee.
Selections: Rick Foster, Annie McGreenery, Barb Seamen,
Angie Newby
INFORMATIONAL
MATERIALS
A.
Site Selection Criteria Worksheets
B.
Ordinance 07-27 & Memorandum 07-109 regarding
Long Term Debt Authorization
COMMENTS
OF THE AUDIENCE
Allegra Bujemensky thanked the Committee for their
efforts. She mentioned that the U. S.
Green Building Council will be here on Sept. 25th in regards to
national economics and they have a wide open schedule. It might be worthwhile to do a workshop on
Town Center.
Bob Brandt stated that it would be good to talk to KBBI
about the amount of space they use for Concert on the Lawn. Also a recent study on LEEDS stated that the
basic LEED certification is now costing less than 1% of the building costs.
COMMENTS
OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
For the most part everyone was enthusiastic about the work
they have done and excited by the process and thanks to the staff.
Beth Wythe mentioned that it will take some real community
support for the bond vote and we need to build enthusiasm for this project and
maybe some from this Committee can work on making this happen.
ADJOURNMENT/NEXT
REGULAR MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR
There being no further business before the Committee Chair
Chesley adjourned the meeting at 6:10 pm.
The next meeting is scheduled for July 26, 2007 at City
Hall Cowles Council Chambers locate at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.