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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/18/2009 09 Phase 4 Pedestrian Way Improvements Recommendations; DYFI / ONDS • BUSIF -ESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIRMMA, WASHINGTON • AGENDA STATE ENT Item No. ( q ' For Meeting of August 18, 2009 ITEM TITLE: Joint Downtown Yakima Future Initiative (DYFI) and Neighborhood Development Committee's recommendations to the full City Council regarding Phase 4 state grant allocation, project elements and supplemental Block Grant funding. SUBMITTED BY: Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Works Michael Morales, Deputy Director CED Doug Mayo, City Engineer CONTACT PERSON/TELEPHONE: Michael Morales, Deputy Director CED (575 -3533) SUMMARY EXPLANATION: . On July 22, 2009, the Council DYFI Committee (Chairperson Kathy Coffey and Council Members Rick Ensey and Maureen Adkison) were presented options for the allocation of Phase 4 Pedestrian Way Improvements funded by 2009 State Legislative grant of $1.0 million. After overview from City staff, Convention Center Executive Director John Cooper and downtown business interests, the Council Committee voted to forward the staff recommendation to the full City Council with their approval. This recommendation specifies $650,000 for N. 8 Street realignment and the addition of streetscape amenities along the Convention Center, $250,000 for streetscape amenities only on both sides of S. 8 Street adjacent to the new Holiday Inn; $100,000 for Convention Center Campus improvements and amenities; and finally, $50,000 (from REET 1) for survey, design, and pre - construction preparation costs for the remaining pedestrian way connectors planned under the DYFI umbrella. (Continued on next page) Resolution _ Ordinance _Other 7/22/09 DYFI Minutes, 8/5/09 Neighborhood Development Minutes Contract Mail to (name and address): Funding Source: State Grant Block Grant ',2)•• o • riatio • s REET 1 APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: 4// -` ' 4- 4=-4 - ;F - , City Manager , w STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The allocations of the $1.0 million Phase 4 and ONDS Block Grant ($500,000) funds are a Council policy matter. BOARD /COMMISSION /COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: The DYFI Committee recommends that the Phase 4 DYFI $1.0 million grant be allocated to Convention Center street frontage improvements, and as described above; the Neighborhood Development Committee recommends the allocation of $500,000 Block Grant appropriations to the "A" Street element, between 3 Street and Naches Avenue. COUNCIL ACTION: • Joint Recommendation Phase 4 DYFI August 18, 2009 4 1, Page 2 The Convention Center improvements have been part of the planning process since DYFI conception. Staff understands the importance of proceeding with the "A" streetscape and pedestrian way improvements beyond this $1.0 million and have provided a recommendation for $500,000 Block Grant funding to continue this important work. Our state senators at the federal level have advised us of an additional possible $2.3 million grant working its way through the federal budget process. The Neighborhood Development Committee (Chairperson Bill Lover and Council Members Kathy Coffey, and Sonia Rodriguez) met on August 5, 2009 to discuss the option of using $500,000 in appropriated, yet not expended or dedicated, Block Grant resources to improve the north side of °A" Street between 3` Street and Neches Avenue. These improvements will be to current DYFI theme standards. The Committee voted to recommend this proposal to the full Council: 0 Block GrantA Street Element Agenda Item /ms ® Meeting Minutes For Downtown Yakima Futures initiative (DYFI) Committee of the City Council Wednesday, July 22, 2009 Meeting . Council Committee Members present: Kathy Coffey, Chair Rick Ensey Maureen Adkison Sonia Rodriguez (Alternate) City Staff Members present: Dick Zais, City Manager Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Works Doug Mayo, City Engineer Michael Morales, Deputy Director CED Bill Cook, Director CED Randy Tabert, Design Engineer Invited Guests: Dan Kelleher, CDY John Cooper, Convention Center Joe Morrier, JEM Committee Chair Kathy Coffey opened the meeting with the first topic being the allocation of the state Phase 4 $1.0 million grant. Chris Waarvick provided a brief overview of the DYFI or improvement project recognizing that the convention center has long been an element on the unding list. While it was recognized that other pedestrian connections had not yet been , completed, staff proposes that the convention center element, specifically the North 8 Street realignment and streetscape amenities be considered by the committee for 2009 design and 2010 construction. The remaining recommendations were as follows: • South 8 Street "amenities only" adjacent to the new Holiday Inn at $250,000. © An additional $100,000 for Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Campus improvements and amenities, and o $50,000 for survey, design and pre - construction costs for the remaining DYFI pedestrian connector improvements. John Cooper, Executive Director of the Convention Center, spoke to the improvements related to the Convention Center and provided more detail to that discussion. Visitors to the meeting expressed some concem over this allocation and proposed that the remaining pedestrian connectors be funded first. Joe Morrier was prominent among those with that view. Chair Kathy Coffey further described the nature of the funding limitation. All these projects are worthy and it is unfortunate that insufficient funds are available to perform all of the work described in the request letter this last Legislative session. The DYFI Committee ultimately voted 3 -0 to accept the staff proposal and forward to the full Council for general deliberation and action. Dick Zais mentioned the possibility of grant dollars through our Federal Legislative contingent and that the City's capital funds would be examined for any further assistance that may be found. Chris Waarvick briefly discussed downtown public parking lot management and where the 0 contract process was for the public Tots. report. These included landscaping, irri ation Dan Kelleher, CDY, provided an activities ep Th a items mclu irrigation, planters, and other maintenance activities. Dan report that CDY will be party to the agreement with the County for the downtown performance park at 2 ''d and A" This county vacant lot was created with the recent demolition of the older buildings_ Dan commented that the next CDY breakfast business meeting would be July 29 at 8 a_ni at the 2" Street Grill. Finally, under other business, Dick Zais provided a short summary of relevant history surrounding the separate sidewalk element of the 2 Thl street performance park. Doug Mayo provided a technical discussion of what options were available for sidewalk improvements and streetscape amenities around the park and up to Martin Luther King Boulevard. The DYFI committee voted to endorse to the full Council Option 3 for final deliberation and action. This option provides new sidewalks and streetscape amenities around the 2" street park and up to Martin Luther King Boulevard in front of the Courthouse on 2 Street The County will construct the base sidewalk elements, including disabled and handicapped parking for the east entrance. The City will provide streetscape amenities along that County Courthouse frontage and full improvements to the two sidewalk frontages to the park. This option is estimated to cost $242,000. The City Manager has secured a three -year payback of construction costs from the County for some City elements of this project • Approved: /111111101■401, s k Chairpe on ath • DYFI Committee of Council 0 Ms/cw 2 Meeting Minutes DYFI July 22 2009.ttf • City of Yakima Council Neighborhood Development Committee Wednesday, August 5, 2009 Councilmembers Present: Bill Lover, Kathy Coffey, Sonia Rodriguez Staff: Dave Zabell, Michael Morales, Archie Matthews, Florence Waters, Ken Wilkinson, Greg Harpel Guest Present: Luz Gutierrez 1. Draft OIC /SECC Agreement Recommendation was made to send the OIC /SECC Agreement to City Council at last years budget of $75,000, and not the increased amount. The recommendation was approved. 2. Consider funding options for Fair Avenue pocket park Bids to place sod for the Fair Avenue pocket park came back at $5,100. The bid for top soil and underground sprinkler system is $20,000. The .funding for this project will come from the Public Facility fund and will not affect any other projects in the Public Facility program. ' Recommendation to request City Council to fund this project was approved. 3. Consideration of supplemental funding for DYFI A recommendation was made to invest $500,000 of the available infrastructure funding into the section of A Street from Third Street to Sixth Street, on the north side of the street only, for the 41) Downtown Yakima Futures Initiative. The recommendation was approved to go to City Council. 4. Continued discussion of various program limits a. Energy Assistance Program Year to date information on all ONDS programs was discussed. The Energy Assistance Program would entail repair work for heating and cooling systems, doors and windows, insulation, and lighting through the Senior and/or Disabled Home Repair Program for qualified applicants. No new funding is being requested. The new program would alleviate the cap in the Regular Program. Recommendation to develop the Energy Assistance Program was approved. Other C usiness Betty Gaudette, an active member in our community, recently passed away. Ms. Gutierrez requested that Betty Gaudette be recognized at the next City Council meeting. The request was approved. Two meetings have been held to engage with Northeast Yakima community members in regard to educating the community about neighborhood issues, services that are available, and to improve the relationship between the City and the Northeast Yakima community. A recommendation was made to advertise public input meetings in smaller community newspapers, such as Viva and La Voz. • L 5 SC� Bill Lover, Chairman • • •