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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-10-15 NURB min NURB Meeting – November 10, 2015 1 Northeast Urban Renewal Board (NURB) Regular Meeting Tuesday, November 10, 2015 The Northeast Urban Renewal Board met in regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10, 2015, in the Conference Room, Professional Building, 20 East Olive Street, Bozeman, Montana. Present: Absent: Voting Members: Tom Noble, Chair Jeanne Wesley-Wiese Daniel Doehring Erik Nelson Robert Pavlic Non-Voting Members: John Usher Commissioner Liaison: I-Ho Pomeroy Staff: Robin Sullivan, Recording Secretary Guests: Chris Nixon, 719 North Wallace Avenue Maurice Quanbeck, 520 North 11th Avenue John How, KLJ Engineering Call to Order – Chair Tom Noble called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. Changes to the Agenda – No changes were made to the agenda. Public Comment – No comment was received under this agenda item. Minutes – October 6, 2015. It was moved by Bob Pavlic, seconded by Erik Nelson, that the minutes of the meeting of October 6, 2015, be approved as submitted. The motion carried on a 4-0 vote. Discussion/Action Items – Update on street improvement design for North Wallace Avenue. John How, KLJ Engineering, distributed copies of the proposed improvement design that resulted from the second public meeting, held in October. He noted that the original design included a traffic circle at Aspen Street; however, as a result of concerns raised by Karst Stage and Kenyon Noble, that traffic circle has been replaced by bulb-outs. Also, because of concerns NURB Meeting – November 10, 2015 2 expressed by Simkins-Hallin, the bulb-outs on the south side of Lamme Street have been eliminated. He then briefly highlighted components of the design, which include bulb-outs at the intersections of North Wallace Avenue with Lamme Street, Davis Street, Cottonwood Street and Aspen Street, a four-way stop at Lamme Street and possibly Tamarack Street, a traffic circle at Fridley Street and a median north of Tamarack Street. He stated the exact location of the median north of Tamarack Street has not yet been determined, but will depend on the potential relocation of the driveway into the Kenyon-Noble property on the west side of the street. He noted that the current location of the driveway will result in significant conflicts with pedestrian traffic when the Front Street trail is completed and the pedestrian crossing is installed at the railroad tracks. He acknowledged that parking at Kenyon-Noble is currently occupying the street right-of-way, but it is the City’s intent to work with them in resolving the issue rather than being heavy-handed in enforcement. John How stated that during the public meeting, questions were raised by both the Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) and the Trails, Open Space and Parks Committee (TOPS) about whether the railroad pedestrian crossing will include trail extensions to both the Front Street trail and the depot trail. Staff response was that the Board’s project included the crossing only and no trail extensions; however, he asked that the Board to make the final decision on that issue. Erik Nelson voiced his support for the staff’s response, stating he feels it is appropriate for the other groups to provide those trail connections. John How stated the intent is to carry the sidewalk to the railroad crossing along the north side of the street only because of the right-of-way limitations. He stated it is staff’s understanding that this Board wants to pay for only the easiest railroad crossing project at the least cost. He suggested that the connection of trails which lie outside this district’s boundaries and possible future upgrades to the pedestrian crossing should be undertaken by those organizations that wish to see the improvements. Chair Noble suggested that some grant monies might be available to assist in extending the trails and upgrading the pedestrian crossing. John How noted the design includes a speed sign on North Wallace Avenue as it crosses the railroad tracks; however, if a four-way stop is installed at East Tamarack Street, that may not be necessary. He suggested another option would be to install a flashing pedestrian crossing light at the median, similar to those on Kagy Boulevard along the campus. John How noted that some interest has been expressed in including the installation of a fiber conduit in the street in conjunction with these improvements. He suggested this Board may be interested in using tax increment monies to install the conduit through either the district or the entire length of the street improvement, noting it will allow for easier installation of fiber in the future. He concluded by stating he will have relatively firm cost estimates prior to this Board’s December meeting since he must present those to the Commission at its December 14 meeting. Bob Pavlic noted that fiber has already been run along East Tamarack Street and to the Universal Athletic shop by Simkins-Hallin. That fiber also runs along North Ida Avenue from Front Street to Peach Street. NURB Meeting – November 10, 2015 3 Responding to Erik Nelson, John How stated he is seeking Board member opinions at this time, noting this is the design on which cost estimates will be based and he is interested in knowing if this Board can support the design. Responding to Bob Pavlic, John How stated the traffic circle is to be a 2-inch raised circle with a drive-over curb so that trucks can run over it. A pine tree is to be planted in the center so that people are aware of the circle, and necessary signage will be provided. Erik Nelson noted he prefers separated traffic calming to a traffic circle. He then suggested that signage about the character of the district could be included in the median on the north end of the improvements. Responding to comments from Bob Pavlic, John How stated that the lack of curbs along East Peach Street allows cars to park too close to the corner, which results in large trucks hitting parked cars as they try to maneuver through the intersection. Responding to Erik Nelson, John How confirmed that bulb-outs are not included at the intersections with stop signs because of the turning radius needed for vehicles traveling through those intersections. He stressed that the goal is not to widen the roadway, but to provide the access needed by the various types of vehicles that travel along the street. John How noted that staff is working with NorthWestern Energy on possibly improving lighting in this area. Chris Nixon noted another issue raised during the public meeting was the possibility of burying all of the lines along the street; however, staff has not yet had an opportunity to follow up on that issue. Responding to Chair Noble, John How stated the costs of burying the lines will not be included in his cost estimates. Chair Noble noted there used to be a NorthWestern Energy substation on East Tamarack Street; however, that has been removed. He suggested that it may not be so difficult to bury the power lines now. Responding to Chair Noble, John How stated there will be one more design meeting. The final design is to be done by February 1, with bidding to occur later in February, construction to begin in April or May, and completion of the work by October 2016. Responding to questions from Chair Noble, John How stated the traffic circle at West College Street and South 11th Avenue is a 3-inch raised median. He then indicated he has talked to City staff, and they are willing to work around the traffic circle when plowing. Update on street designs for East Peach Street and East Tamarack Street/Front Street/North Ida Avenue and cost estimates. John How, stated his firm is working on the design for North Wallace Avenue at the present time; and Director of Public Service Woolard wants that project to move forward separate from the improvements to East Peach Street and East Tamarack Street. He noted that the Director wants to see how the City’s program works with the North Wallace Avenue improvements and, if it works well, wants to tie one downtown street into the program each year. The Director has suggested that the East NURB Meeting – November 10, 2015 4 Peach Street and East Tamarack Street projects could possibly be tied into a future street project to reduce the mobilization costs for those street improvements. Erik Nelson expressed concern about how the expenditure of current funds for the North Wallace street project might impact the amount that can be bonded for the other street projects. He suggested it may be preferable to undertake the issuance of bonds first if that expenditure decreases the Board’s ability to bond. John How stated that when his firm moves forward with the street designs for the East Peach Street and the East Tamarack Street/Front Street/North Ida Avenue improvements and the cost estimates, they will use the designs developed by Morrison-Maierle. Chair Noble noted that those designs are the ones that have been previously agreed upon by this Board, and he feels it is important to continue the process without revising those plans; the Board concurred. Update on Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Districts. John How, KLJ Engineering, distributed the executive summary from the report. He noted the full report is approximately 55 pages long and is available online for anyone who wishes to review it. He stated the last public input meeting was held on November 5, and 42 people attended. He noted that the report looks at four basic parameters, including historic preservation, affordable housing, infill development, and design guidelines and code provisions. John How noted the recommendation in this report is that in five years the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD) boundaries be removed. He stated that if a specific area wants to have protections, a process is identified for creating a district and establishing the guidelines to be used within that district. He noted that this will give each area more flexibility in determining the type of development it wishes to promote. Responding to Erik Nelson, John How stated a new Neighborhood Coordinator is to be on board later this week. That individual will spend the next year or so working with property owners within the current NCOD to determine if they are interested in creating a design district for a certain area. He suggested that if no design districts are created over the next five years, it may be necessary to consider retaining the NCOD but with significant revisions. He noted the original purpose of the District was to protect areas that could potentially become historic districts; however, no new historic districts have been created since 1995. Also, since the creation of the NCOD, the City Commission and staff positions have changed, and these regulations no longer mesh with their views. Further responding to Erik Nelson, John How stated administration of the new design districts will be done by Planning staff. He anticipated that one person would be responsible for enforcing the guidelines within a specific design district so there is consistency in their application. John How stated the City staff is also working on a demolition ordinance. It is his hope that under the ordinance, non-contributing structures can be demolished without the requirement to first obtain a building permit. He then suggested that some code revisions within the existing NCOD boundaries may be beneficial, such as allowing accessory dwelling units on the ground floor of the house rather than limiting them to being over garages. NURB Meeting – November 10, 2015 5 John How stated his firm has been told their recommendations will be reviewed by MAKERS, but will probably not be included in the next round of revisions because the code will be undergoing a major rewrite. As a result, it is anticipated no code changes recommended in this report will be completed until 2016 and not adopted until 2017. He then concluded by stating his firm will incorporate any written comment received before November 23 in its written report to the Commission. He noted that written comment received until the December 14 presentation will be included in their verbal report to the Commission. Responding to Erik Nelson, John How noted there are items in the report that directly contradict each other, depending on which parameter they are addressing. He stated the presentation to the Commission will include a list of preferred recommendations from the professionals but will also include options for Commission consideration. He stressed that the Commission must determine which of the parameters carries more weight on each of those items where contradictions arise. Erik Nelson suggested that some neighborhoods will probably prefer to use those existing guidelines that fit their area, eliminating those that do not. He noted retaining a specific requirement, such as no fences in the front yard, could help to protect the interaction between the street and the property within an area. Chair Noble expressed concern that a huge, inappropriate house was allowed in the overlay district on his street; and it is his perception that occurred due to the lack of design enforcement. He noted that the Building Inspector does inspect the site, but does not compare the actual development to the approved plan. John How stated the intent of the new regulations is to have the Planning staff review the plans first to ensure they meet the conditions of approval, then forward the plans to Building Inspection for their review. Responding to Erik Nelson, John How stated he can present the final report to this Board at its December 1 meeting and, if it wishes, the Board could then write a letter of support or recommendation regarding the proposal. Responding to John Usher, John How stated the process for initiating and implementing a design district will be developed once the Commission has made its decision. He noted the initial idea is to have interested citizens work with the Neighborhood Coordinator, and the process of creating a district similar to the initial public process followed in creation of a special improvement district. Chair Noble asked that the final report be included on next month’s agenda. Review of projects in work plan. Recording Secretary Sullivan distributed copies of the spreadsheet showing the projects in the work plan as well as the revenues and expenditures as of November 1. John How noted his firm’s initial billing included evaluation of the capital improvement list and other administrative services. All future billings will be split across the various projects, not general services. In response to comments and suggestions from Board members, he encouraged the Board to not make any changes to the amounts listed until after the designs have been completed and through the Commission’s approval process. He then indicated NURB Meeting – November 10, 2015 6 that he will come back to the Board at next month’s meeting with some proposed costs for the quiet zone and railroad crossing. Responding to Erik Nelson, John How stated the railroad crossing will be a part of the North Wallace Avenue improvements. He cautioned, however, that the quiet zone is a much longer process, and could take up to two years because the approval process is a long one. Further responding to Erik Nelson, John How stated he is awaiting City staff analysis of the initial survey of the East Aspen Street right-of-way between North Rouse Avenue and the creek to determine if the work done by Morrison-Mairle is adequate or if additional survey work is necessary. Erik Nelson voiced his interest in either promoting the redevelopment incentive program or moving those monies to another project. He also asked what this Board plans to do in 2016 to expend $15,000 on the depot rehabilitation. He suggested that expenditure could be as simple as helping a private developer with improvements to the depot. Chair Noble noted that he had initially anticipated using some of the streambank restoration monies to assist Audrey’s Pizza in their project, but they were able to make those improvements without assistance. He then noted there needs to be some type of allocation protocol and an application for those monies. Chris Nixon suggested that he could include something in the NENA newsletter about these programs. Chair Noble noted that Liz Galli-Noble asked him if anything more has been done on the street lighting study, and he responded there has not been. He stated the process essentially stalled when Director of Public Service Woolard indicated that lighting improvements would trigger a special improvement lighting district. John How stated his firm has an electrical department that could work on that issue if so directed. Chair Noble stated he does not feel there are any projects on the work plan that should be eliminated at this time. Erik Nelson asked that Recording Secretary Sullivan research the rationale of the undesignated reserve. He also suggested that monies could be allocated to the quiet zone to start that process. Recording Secretary Sullivan cautioned that the Commission has adopted the work plan and budget as submitted; and any changes by this Board will trigger the budget amendment process through the Commission. She then indicated a willingness to work with the City’s Finance staff to determine exactly what process must be followed; the Board directed her to do so. Responding to Board interest in the quiet zone, John How stated that Brad in their Helena office has made progress with MRL on the crossings in Helena. He indicated that, at this Board’s direction, he will ask Brad to pursue the pedestrian crossing and quiet zone in Bozeman. NURB Meeting – November 10, 2015 7 Update on bonding; set priorities for District Capital Improvement Program. Chair Noble requested that this item be moved to next month’s agenda since Economic Development Director Brit Fontenot is not present at this meeting. Set agenda for December 1, 2015 meeting or cancel meeting. Chair Tom Noble indicated that items for the December 1 agenda include the work plan and possible amendments, with an action item; an update on the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District, with an action item; the final design for North Wallace Avenue, with an action item; and an update on bonding. FYI/Discussion (formerly Neighborhood News). Chris Nixon announced the fall meeting of the NorthEast Neighborhood Association (NENA) will be held on November 19 at City Hall. Chair Noble asked what is going into the building on North Wallace. Erik Nelson noted a restaurant was originally proposed for the space, but that project fell through. Erik Nelson asked if the bakery is expanding. He then noted the Brown Building does not have enough parking to support more use within the building. He suggested that this Board give serious consideration to developing a shared parking area that can be used by various businesses in the area so that more dense development can be undertaken on a site. Bob Pavlic noted that Treasure State Oil has completely eliminated its tanks and pumps, and a portion of the building is for sale. He stated there has been a significant reduction in traffic in that area with the elimination of those pumps. Adjournment – 8:15 p.m. There being no further business to come before the Board at this time, Chair Noble adjourned the meeting. Tom Noble, Chair Northeast Urban Renewal Board City of Bozeman