The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About12/04/2012 06 Six Point Action Plan for Downtown • BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. For Meeting of: December 4, 2012 ITEM TITLE: Six Point Action Plan for Downtown SUBMITTED BY: Tony O'Rourke, City Manager Sean Hawkins, Economic Development Manager CONTACT Sean Hawkins, 575 -6274 PERSON /TELEPHONE: SUMMARY EXPLANATION: See Attached Memorandum • Resolution Ordinance Other (specify) Contract: Mail to: Contract Term: Amount: Expiration Date: insurance Required? No Funding Phone: Source: APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: City Manager STAFF RECOMMENDATION: BOARD /COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Click to download ❑ action plan • Memorandum To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Tony O'Rourke, City Manager Sean Hawkins, Economic Development Manager Date: December 4, 2012 Subject: Six Point Action Plan for Downtown This memo is a follow -up to the City Council Study Session on November 14, 2012 regarding an action plan for a downtown planning and revitalization process. This action plan provides a frame -work and description of the various projects involved which include: • I. Issue RFP for Downtown Master Plan Consultants II. Issue RFP for Downtown Retail Development Plan Consultants III. Issue Downtown Event and Activity Guidelines for Council Approval IV. Create 2013 Downtown Safety Plan V. Conduct Site Visits to Regional Downtown Districts VI. Appoint a Three Person Council Oversight Committee for Downtown Issues Staff recommends the Council review this report and to provide specific direction at the end of 110 the report on the discussion items. I. IssueRFP for Downtown Master Plan Consultants As it stands today, there is no overall downtown specific portion in the overall Yakima Comprehensive Plan. Downtown, with its unique set of land use issues and business needs, is in need of an adopted plan that will help guide its future growth and economic potential. City staff recommends the issuance on a RFP for downtown master planning consulting services. A downtown planning process would occur during 2013. The planning process will be a full public process which will allow the voices of elected officials, downtown property owners, business owners and citizens to be included into the full master plan. The revitalization of many nearby communities (Walla, Walla, Leavenworth, Hood River, Bend, Spokane and Missoula) has been fully realized through a public downtown planning process. We have budgeted $100,000 from Central Business Development Capitol Fund (321) to pay for the consulting services. A Downtown Master Plan would address the following issues: 1. Urban Design Framework — The urban design framework will help us identify and prioritize specific improvements to downtown including streetscape amenities, wayfinding and directional signage, opportunity sites for infill and redevelopment and parking improvements Page 1 of 4 2. Public Amenities — A public amenities study will help us identify the best physical locations and design for plazas, pocket parks and public art in downtown and other necessary improvement to the pedestrian experience 3. Design Standards — A study of our current CBD building standards will help us create recommendations on how to encourage pedestrian friendly building design in downtown 4. Implementation Strategies — Finally, the study will be completed with a five year plan for overall project implementation as well as funding strategies and staff assignments for key plan recommendations Discussion Items for Council: a. Authorize staff to issue a RFP for downtown planning consultant services b. Discuss budget requirements and timeline for downtown planning process c. Discuss creation of special oversight committee of downtown stakeholders to guide overall planning process II. Issue RFP for Downtown Retail Development Plan In addition to issuing a RFP for Downtown Master Plan consultants, City staff also recommends issuing a RFP for the development of a comprehensive retail strategy for downtown. As it stands today, retail recruitment in downtown is at a stand still and is unlikely to pick up until we develop a retail strategy and vision to recruit new tenants and opportunities for retail and restaurants. City Economic Development staff intend to use this retail strategy to begin the work of recruiting new retail tenants back to downtown Yakima as well to use it as a basis for finding a new mixed -use recommendation of the former Yakima Valley Mall. We have budgeted $30,000 from Economic Development Fund to pay for the consulting services. A Downtown Retail Plan would address the following issues: 1. Downtown Retail Mix — To begin the planning process, we need a market based determination of the types of retail and restaurants that will be best fits in Downtown Yakima based on localized demographics and trade data 2. Target List of Preferred Tennant Types, Brands and Restaurant Concepts — Based on the determined downtown retail mix, the study will determine at least 40 national tenants that the City of Yakima Economic Development Team can target for Downtown Yakima 3. Retail Recruitment Strategies — A full recommendation on how we can recruit our "target list" to downtown and the incentives and methods involved in getting them to do business in Downtown Yakima 4. Strategies for Mixed -reuse of Former Yakima Mall — As a major sales tax driver for the City of Yakima, the City must be involved in helping drive redevelopment strategies for the former Yakima Mali in Downtown Yakima Discussion Items for Council: a. Authorize staff to issue to RFP for Downtown Retail Development Plan consultants 41/ Page 2 of 4 • b. Discuss budget requirements and timeline for Downtown Retail Development Plan III. Issue Downtown Event and Activity Guidelines for Council Approval City staff has met twice with special event organizers on new requirements for downtown events. These discussions will result in new special event protocols for downtown that ensures that downtown events are of high quality and reflect the city in the best possible way. The new protocols will include measures to ensure local businesses are invited to participate and benefit economically in all local events and festivals. Additionally, City staff has been working on updating current the City's banner policy for both the street posts along Yakima Avenue and the poles across Yakima Avenue and Front Street. We intend to present these guidelines at the City Council meeting on January 8 2013. IV. Create 2013 Downtown Safety Plan City staff with work with the Yakima Police Department and downtown stakeholders to create and execute a downtown safety plan for 2013. In addition to a clean downtown, a safe downtown lays the foundation for a full revitalization of the downtown district. The goal of the 20.13 Downtown Safety Plan is to increase Police officer visibility during the summer months with a two officer bike patrol which will be conducted seven days a week. During the remainder of the year and during special events, two officers will be assigned to uniformed foot beat in the downtown area. 110 The Yakima Police Department will work with Sean Hawkins, Economic Development Manager, who will coordinate bi- annual meetings with downtown organizations, businesses and city services to identify safety concerns and develop alternative ways to increase safety within the downtown area. A detective will also be assigned to consistently monitor crime trends and patterns within the downtown area to ensure resources are deployed when and where they are needed the most. The gang unit will place a priority on the apprehension of gang members and taggers who deface the downtown area. V. Conduct Site Visits to Regional Downtown Districts The City Manager and Economic Development Manager intend to arrange visits for council members, city staff and key downtown stakeholders to regional downtown districts to learn directly from their planning processes and to learn about their revitalization success stories. To support this activity, the City commits to arranging three visits in the spring of 2013 to following downtown districts: • Walla, Walla, Washington (one full day) — While in Walla Walla, we will visit with the Walla Walla Downtown Foundation to hear about the success stories that have resulted from their 2004 downtown planning process and visit with Walla Walla's • Page 3 of 4 City Manager to discuss how the downtown planning process has helped the downtown grow • Missoula, Montana (two full days) — While in Missoula, we will visit with Mayor John Engan, Missoula Redevelopment Agency director Ellen Buchannan and Missoula Downtown Association director Linda McCarthy. - We will learn about their 2009 downtown planning process, the results and updates to their public space venues. • Bend, Oregon (two full days) — While in Bend, we will visit with the Downtown Bend Association to learn about their retail development initiatives, special events and how the 2007 Bend Central Area Plan is helping to guide future downtown development The city will arrange for transportation for all participants and set the agenda for the visits. We intend to conduct these visits in spring 2013 and will provide ample time for council and downtown stakeholders to plan their attendance. VI. Appoint Three Person City Council Oversight Committee for Downtown Issues In order to provide guidance and direction during the planning process, the City staff respectively requests.the creation of a three person council oversight committee for downtown issues. The three person oversight committee will meet from time to time with City staff to discuss the progress of the planning process and to provide feedback as key decisions are being made. Page 4 of 4 0