HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/20/2009 00 Misc Distributed at the Meeting RE: South 2nd Street/ESD 105DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
129 North Second Street U tS�) ho eci
Yakima, Washington 98901
Phone: (509) 575 -6113 • Fax (509) 576 -6792 1 aili.0 i [ ` -3us
William R. Cook, Director
January 20, 2009
Dr. Jane Gutting
Superintendent
Educational Service District 105
33 South Second Avenue.
Yakima, WA 98902
Dear Dr. Gutting:
On behalf of Mayor Edler and our City Council, I want to convey our great concern that
ESD 105 is considering an option for your future that would not include a downtown
Yakima address. We are all very committed to do whatever we can to keep you in our
downtown core area.
Our City and our Valley have been the beneficiaries of the great work you do, and
although we know you have choices to consider, we hope you will remember and value
the important partners, facilities and people who share your downtown Yakima
neighborhood.
I am writing this letter, specifically, to suggest some near term and longer range
opportunities for the City of Yakima to help you grow your campus on South Second
Avenue. Let me begin by explaining that the City of Yakima's fiscal year runs January
1" through December 31 s`, and as such, we are just beginning a new budget cycle. The
bad news is that all projected revenues for 2009 have been allocated to an intended use.
The good news is that plans can change and priorities can change with Council approval.
With this in mind, let me begin with a plan for improving South Second Avenue from
Walnut Street to Yakima Avenue. As you know, the street is concrete and very wide;
much wider than it needs to be for its use. I would propose that in 2009 the City of
Yakima remove the tracks in the road and replace with asphalt or concrete. I believe that
the tracks are the main contributor to both the rough driving condition and the distracting
appearance of the street. We estimate approximately $150,000 of City funds would be
needed for this short term fix.
Longer term, we would like to provide technical /design assistance to work with you and
your staff on a more attractive and lasting contribution to your campus plan.
We have some great opportunities to do something very significant and special in the
public right -of -way for several reasons:
1.) At almost one hundred feet in width, South Second Street is much wider than it
need be. This allows us to consider alternatives to the existing straight "grid"
alignment. Perhaps a curvilinear alignment or a street that significantly narrows
in front of your building to slow traffic would make the experience for your
employees and customers crossing east and west safer and more pedestrian
friendly. Landscaping, street furniture and street lighting could all be used to
Code Administration 575 -6121 • Engineering 575 -6111 • Neighborhood Services 575 -6101 ^ Planning 575 -6183
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improve the visual attractiveness and connectivity of Second Street to Yakima
Avenue. We estimate these improvements at approximately one million dollars.
2.) Because West Chestnut Avenue dead ends at your property and South Second
Avenue carries very little through traffic, either or both could be looked at for full
or partial closing. This could create a pedestrian plaza at the intersection of the
two streets.
As excited as I am about the multitude of possibilities, I am also cautious that several
details must be determined before proceeding on this longer term plan, such as: a.) What
property now or in the foreseeable future will be included in your master plan; b.) Where
in your campus plan do you want to site your future building; and c.) What funding will
be available for use by the City of Yakima, such as Yakima County SIED funds, that we
can jointly apply for to bring our plans to a reality.
In summary, let me assure you that the City of Yakima is prepared to do everything
within our means to keep ESD in downtown Yakima. It may be that our efforts will have
to be staged over more than one year to allow us to plan and budget accordingly, but our
commitment is firm and sincere.
Please let me know when we can meet to begin planning your downtown Yakima campus
plan.
Yours
William It. Cook
p�a e Edler, Mayor
Dick Zais, City Manager