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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDowntown Development Authority - Minutes - 05/01/2003DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORCTY REGULAR DIRECTORS' MEETING LARRY STROUD, CHAIR BILL BERTSCHY, COUNCIL LIAISON ANNE GARRISON, STAFF LIAISON MINUTES OF MAY 1. 2003 229-9900 (w) 484-8838 (W) 484-EOP-U fW? REGULAR MEETING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MET IN REGULAR SESSION AT 7:30 A.M. ON MAY 1, 2003 IN THE MEETING ROOM AT HOME STATE BANK LOCATED AT 303 EAST MOUNTAIN AVENUE, FORT COLLINS. CO 80524. PRESENT THERE WERE PRESENT: LARRY STROUD, CHAIR KIM JORDAN. VICE CHAIR JASON MEADORS, SECRETARY/TREASURER BILL BERTSCHY MARY BRAYTON GREG BELCHER STEVE TAYLOR CAREY HEWITT STAFF: ROBERT STEINER. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANNE GARRISON JIM MARTELL, COUNSEL GUESTS; JOHN FISCHBACH. MYRNE WATROVS, JOHN DAOQETT, RON PHILLIPS, DAVID SHORT BILL SEARS, JOE FRANK, TRACY DYER, ERICA KEATON, SARAH FOX CALL TO ORDER MR, STROUD CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 7:30 A.M. AND ROLL CALL WAS TAKEN. INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION OF JIM MARTELL, STANDING IN FOR DDA COUNCIL, LUCIA LILEY. APPROVAL OF MINUTES M5, BRAYTON MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 3, 2003 THIS WAS SECONDED BY MR. BERTSCHY AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OTSP UPDATE RANDY HENSLEY INTRODUCED JOHN DAGGETT. AND BEGAN BY ADVISING THAT TO DATE NO RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, AND NO POSITION TAKEN ON THE PARKING ISSUES IN DOWNTOWN. HE STATED THAT WHILE THE PHYSICAL INVENTORY IS ADEQUATE, IT 15 NOT OPTIMIZED, HE WOULD LIKE TO NEGOTIATE WITH OWNERS OF PRIVATE AND CURRENTLY UNDER -USED LOTS, TO BECOME PART OF THE PUBLIC INVENTORY. PRESENTLY, LONG TERM USERS ARE TAKING UP SHORT TERM PARKING SPACES, WHILE ONLY 20% OF LONG TERM PARKING IS BEING UnLIZED BY THESE INDIVIDUALS. PARKING ALTERNATIVES COULD BE IN THE FORM OF METERS. ONE OR TWO METERS CAN COVER 5 - 20 SPACES. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF NEW TECHNOLOGY, HOWEVER NOT ALL OF IT IS USER FRIENDLY. ESCALATING FINE STRUCTURES ARE ALSO A CONSIDERATION, HOWEVER THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT IN PLACE TO TELL OFFICERS HOW FREQUENTLY VIOLATIONS HAVE OCCURRED. THe THIRD CON5I0ERATION IS A VEHICLE WITH COMPUTER MOUNTED READER AND A LICENSE RECOGNITION SYSTEM. IT IS VERY EFFECTIVE BUT THE COST WOULD BE $200,000 TO IMPLEMENT. DDA MINUTES PAGE 2 RESULTS OF A SURVEY WERE TABULATED CONFIRMING THAT MOST PEOPLE COME DOWNTOWN TO SHOP AND EAT, AND THIS GROUP USED APPROXIMATELY FOUR HOURS PARKING TIME. THOSE WHO REQUIRED MUCH LONGER AND DESIRED NO CHANGE IN CURRENT POLICING PRACTICES, FELL INTO THE CATEGORY OF DOWNTOWN WORKERS. THE FINDINGS WILL BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL IN A STUDY SESSION ON MAY 27, 2003. FIRST NATIONAL BANK A TWO MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATION OF THE SITE AND BANK EXTERIOR IS PLANNED. ALTHOUGH A RENOVATION FINANCIAL COMMITMENT IS NOT BEING REQUESTED AT THIS TIME, DDA CAN PARTICIPATE IN EITHER THE SITE OR FAgADE RENOVATION. AMONG THE CHANGES PLANNED IS THE REMOVAL OF THE OLD FA4ADE, NEW VESTIBULES FRONT AND BACK, NEW CANOPY AND A TWO TONE BRICK FACj.ADE, WITH CUT STONE ENTRY FEATURES. THE BOARD DISCUSSED AT LENGTH THE SMALLER TOWER, IN PARTICULAR ITS COLOR, AND ASKED IF A CHANGE WAS POSSIBLE. THE BOARD ALSO ENCOURAGED XEROSCAPING, AND A SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AS BEFITS A BUSINESS LEADER IN THIS COMMUNITY. RIVERFEST MR. BERTSCHY RECUSED HIMSELF BECAUSE OF HIS AFFILIATION WITH FRIENDS OF THE POUDRE. MR. SEARS INTRODUCED THIS AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS SPONSORED BY FRIENDS OF THE POUDRE AND TREES, WATER AND PEOPLE. IN ITS 1 7- YEAR, RIVERFEST DRAWS MORE PEOPLE EACH YEAR, AND ASIDE FROM BEING AN ENJOYABLE EVENT, ITS PURPOSE 15 TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS REGARDING WATER CONSERVATION. MR. SEARS ASKED THE BOARD TO PARTICIPATE ONCE AGAIN IN PROVIDING THREE SANDSTONE BENCHES ALONG THE BIKE PATH NEAR THE RIVER, AT A COST OF $2,500. MR. HEWITT MOVED TO FUND THIS REQUEST IN THE AMOUNT OF UP TO $2,500, THIS WAS SECONDED BY MR. BELCHER AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. W. MOUNTAIN SIDEWALK THE BUSINESSES ON THE 100 BLOCK OF WEST MOUNTAIN WERE REPRESENTED BY GLENN KONEN OF ARCHITECTS STUDIO. HE EXPRESSED HESITATION REGARDING THE PROPOSED CITY DESIGN, WHICH IS REFLECTED IN THE CONCERNS OF OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS. THE PRESENT DESIGN WOULD COST $7,749 MORE THAN THE PLAIN, GRAY CONCRETE WALK. TRACEY DYER FROM THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS SPOKE OF A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS STRETCH FROM WALRUS ICE CREAM TO ARCHITECTS STUDIO, AND THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO REDUCE THIS RISK, AND MAKE THE SIDEWALK MORE ATTRACTIVE. MS. BRAYTON MOVED THAT A FIRM PROPOSAL AGREED TO BY ALL PARTIES NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE. AT WHICH TIME THEY SHOULD RETURN TO THE RDA BOARD. MS. JORDAN SECONDED THE MOTION WHICH CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, THE BOARD INDICATED ITS WILLINGNESS TO FUND THE PORTION OF THE PROJECT WHICH EXCEEDS THAT OF THE PLAIN, GRAY CONCRETE, UP TO ONE THIRD OF THE COST, IF THE PROJECT COST EXCEEDS 1 50% OF THE GRAY CONCRETE, THEN ALL PARTIES SHARE EQUALLY, ONE THIRD EACH. CLIMATE WISE SARAH FOX DISTRIBUTED PAMPHLETS INTENDED TO MAKE BUSINESSES AWARE OF A PROGRAM CALLED CLIMATE WISE, WHICH CAN ASSIST IN IMPLEMENTING A COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY EFFICIENT, POLLUTION PREVENTION STRATEGY. THIS PROGRAM SAVES MONEY AND REDUCES ENERGY USE. IF FORT COLLINS BUSINESSES ELIMINATED 100,000 TONS OF CO2 IN A YEAR, IT WOULD EQUATE TO REMOVING 20,000 CARS FROM THE ROADS ANNUALLY, LIFESTYLES CENTER MR, BERTSCHY REMOVED HIMSELF FROM THE MEETING DUE TO A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST, PETS WRAY PROVIDED A POWER POINT PRESENTATION, SHOWING SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED CENTERS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. JOE FRANK THEN GAVE A COMMENTARY EXPLAINING THAT FORT COLLINS IS IN COMPETITION FOR THE NEXT REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER WITH LOVELAND AND WINDSOR. A SITE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF ZIEGLER AND HARMONY, NEAR THE CURRENT LSI BUILDING. THIS IS AN 66 ACRE LOT, AND THE DEVELOPER IS CONSIDERING BETWEEN 60 AND 100 ACRES FOR THE PROPOSED CENTER. MR. FRANK SPOKE TO THE FACT THAT A LOT OF ISSUES GO INTO CHANGING OR AMENDING THE HARMONY CORRIDOR PLAN. THIS IS A STAFF INITIATED PROCESS IN WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADD SOME LANGUAGE TO THE PLAN, AND SET SOME STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES THAT ARE SPECIFIC ENOUGH NOT TO ENGENDER A BIG BOX SHOPPING CENTER. THE CITY WILL WORK THROUGH THE AMENDMENT PROCESS BY GIVING PRESENTATIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS DDA AND DBA AND HOLDING NEIGHBORHOOD MEETNOS. THE SHOPPING CENTER WOULD COMPRISE PREDOMINANTLY NATIONAL CHAINS WITH SOME LOCAL BUSINESSES. MR. BELCHER ASKED HOW BOULDER HAD BEEN AFFECTED BY THE FLAT IRON MALL. IN RESPONDING, MR. FRANK STATED THAT CITY STAFF HAS NOT LOST FOCUS OF THE FOOTHILLS FASHION MALL, AND THE IMPACT ANOTHER CENTER MAY HAVE ON IT. A LENGTHY DISCUSSION FOLLOWED WITH CONCERN BEING EXPRESSED FOR DOWNTOWN. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE DEVELOPER, CITY AND DDA SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS WAYS TO BRING SOME DDA MINUTES PAGE 3 NATIONAL CHAINS IN TO THE FOOTHILLS FASHION MALL, THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AS WELL AS THE LIFESTYLES CENTER, UPDATES UPDATES ARE CONTAINED IN THE PACKET FOR THE BOARDS PERSONAL REVIEW, ADJOURN THERE BONO NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 9.50 A.M. JASON MEADORS, SECRETARY DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO: DDA Board of Dir ' qrs FROM: Chip Steiner n DATE: June 2, 2003 J RE: Empire Hotel/Armstrong Inn Attached to this memo is a redevelopment proposal for the Empire Hotel. The approach includes commercial usage on the ground floor and 36 apartment style suites and guestrooms on the upper floors. Completion of the entire project is scheduled for the spring of 2004. The DDA is being asked to fund $282,839 for storefront re -construction, awnings, brick cleaning and repair, flood proofing, and electric equipment relocation (moving the City's electrical box from the sidewalk and into an enclosed area within the parking lot). This is 10 percent of the $2.8 million construction cost. The redevelopment proposal includes a tax increment estimate of $47,343 (the estimate was generated by a senior appraiser at the Latimer County Assessor's office). Assuming the increment comes on line in 2006, total collectable taxes for the DDA through 2011 will be $284,000 which is slightly more than the request. This is an ambitious and exciting proposal. The addition of 36 hotel rooms will triple the number currently available downtown. Hotel rooms have been a long-time objective of the DDA. If this project is successful it may inspire others and ten 36-room hotels are, in staff s opinion, better than one big corporate hotel. Staff supports the request and recommends approval from the Board. To fund this project the Authority will need to issue new debt. The $240,000 previously appropriated for the project was unencumbered during the budget process for 2003 and the funds now make up a significant portion of the DDA's administrative capital projects line item. New debt would be issued toward the end of this year or early next year. 19 Otd Town DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY To: DDA Board of ctors FROM: Chip Steiner DATE: June 3, 2003 13E: National Association for Interpretation The National Association for Interpretation (NAI) is a non-profit professional organization for historical heritage and nature interpretive education. It is currently located in Fort Collins but needs a larger location and has been looking beyond the city for new headquarters. Mason Street North, developer of the mixed -use project between Chevy Street and Lee Martinez Park is proposing that NAI buy the CV Axle building, 230 Cherry, renovate it, and use it for a new headquarters site. The DDA is being asked to participate in the amount of $200,000 to acquire the facade and making a number of public improvements (parking, sidewalks). The building will be brick and glass skinned. Total cost of the project is $893,148 (R.C. Heath provided the cost estimate). The request amounts to 22 percent of the entire project cost. NAI pays property taxes. At the estimated improvement value, the completed project could generate as much as $20,000 annually in tax increment. In a six -year window (2006 — 2011) the tax increment would be $120,000. Board packets include background on NAI, site location maps, and sketch renderings of the renovated building. Staff supports this request. NAI employs 11 people and is growing. Professional job retention is especially important for downtown. Redevelopment at the north end of the Mason Street corridor could encourage additional projects in the area. Furthermore, the Board may want to consider that, assuming the Mason Street North project gets built, it will be generating in the neighborhood of $80,000 annually in tax increment. Over six years the increment will be $480,000 which is about $230,000 more than the Authority has committed to the project. The extra increment could be used for the NAI project. 19 Old Town Square DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO: DDA Board of� ectors FROM: Chip Steiner l "T DATE: June 3, 2003 RE: Xylem Designs Redevelopment Xylem Designs, 325 Cherry Street, suffered extensive damage in the March, 2003 snow storm. As a result, it needs to rebuild. A proposal to do so is attached. The structure would be rebuilt to appear as, and eventually become, seven townhomes. For the next few years Xylem Designs would continue to manufacture easels but eventually the individual townhomes would be converted to residences. Estimated cost for the initial redevelopment is $267,000. The request to the DDA is for $50,000 or about 20 percent of total project cost. Tax increment would be about $7,000 annually following the renovation. Funded at the amount requested, the DDA's investment would be recouped in seven years. Staff supports the redesign and the eventual change of use. However, the amount requested is twice what the Authority normally agrees to (with some exceptions) and as the building is converted into residences, property taxes from the project will fall to a level below the building's current liability (prior to the snow damage). If the Board reacts favorably to this proposal, staff suggests it consider: 1. reducing the Authority's participation by half, 2. Prohibiting the conversion of the project into residences until the DDA's investment has been recouped —about three years after the building has been completed. Staff does not know the work schedule of the completion date. The DDA currently has funds available in its administrative capital improvements line item. If construction runs into next year, these funds would need to be reappropriated. Funding could also be rolled into a new debt instrument. 19 Old Town Square DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT ddoAUTHORITY TO: DDA Board of ctors FROM: Chip Steiner DATE: June 3, 2003 RE: The Opera Gardens (Penthouses at the Opera Galleria) Mikal Torgerson and the owners of the Opera Galleria are proposing to build three penthouses on the top of the Opera Galleria (see attached plans). A part of the proposal includes a bridge connecting the penthouses to the fourth level of the Civic Center Parking Structure. Since the DDA is part owner of both the Galleria and the parking ramp, the owners are requesting its permission to build the penthouses and connect them to the garage. According to Mr. Torgerson, the Galleria itself has the structural integrity to support the addition of the penthouses (inclusive of a pool and lawns). No funds are being requested but the owners would like a letter of support from the DDA to the City and to Larimer County. Staff recommends approval. 19 Old Town Square • Suite DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO: DDA Board of D' ctors FROM: Chip Steiner DATE: June 3, 2003 "7 RE: Downtown Strategic Plan Parking Recommendation (Board packets include a draft of the DSP. This is background information to a special DDA/DBA joint meeting at noon, June 26, to review the final recommendations from the consultants. That is, you don't need to read it in preparation for this meeting.) An important element of the Downtown Strategic Plan is to determine a new parking strategy for the central business district. The City presented various options to the Board at its last meeting. These were: enhanced enforcement (which means significantly increasing fines chronic abusers of on - street parking), installing meters, a combination of these, or leaving the system as it is. The Downtown Business Association has endorsed enhanced enforcement although it would also be comfortable with some combination of both enhanced enforcement and meters (see attached letter). Staff agrees with the DBA's position. Enhanced enforcement can be implemented at less cost than meters and, if it isn't working, it can be tweaked easily. The option to go to meters is always available. At the request of the Executive Committee, the DDA will add to the DBA position a recommendation that the City work with downtown businesses to establish a discounted and more effective validation program for their customers. A DDA recommendation will be passed on to City Council. 19 Old Town Square Copy of DBA letter to City Council on Downtown Parking May 27, 2003 Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council City of Fort Collins 300 LaPorte Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80521 Dear Mr. Mayor and Members of City Council: The Downtown Business Association Legislative Affairs Committee met last week to discuss proposed changes to parking policies and procedures for the central business district. It has the following suggestions: 1. Preference should be given to an enhanced enforcement program that targets chronic abusers of on -street parking spaces. 2. Acquire the necessary technology that will allow enforcement officers to track in real time the number of violations accrued by each vehicle in three-month segments. 3. Issue tickets on the following schedule: first ticket in the three-month window = warning; second ticket in the same three-month window = $10 fine; third ticket in the same three-month window = $25 fine; fourth ticket in the same three-month window = $50 fine; each subsequent ticket in the same three-month window = $100 fine. 4. Increases in the fine accrue on a daily basis, not on a per -ticket basis. That is, the fine for multiple tickets in a single day would remain the same. It would jump to the next level only at the time a subsequent ticket is issued on a later day within the same three-month window. 5. Institute a user-friendly system in parking ramps that allows non -permit holders to park free for the first two hours. Permit holders would have the option of purchasing permits for long-term parking at current rates for the covered decks or, for $5/month, permits could be purchased for the top, exposed deck. Provide discounts to employers who purchase multiple spaces for their employees, whether on the covered decks or the exposed, top deck. 6. Provide free parking in all of downtown, ramps and on -street, on weekends with the following exception: Enforcement of chronic violators of on -street parking would continue on Saturdays. That is, chronic violators would be subject to ticketing (and increased fries) every day except Sunday. 7. Mount an extensive information and education campaign to explain the procedures. This would include ticket envelopes that clearly indicate the cost of the next ticket received. The DBA can help with this. The DBA Legislative Affairs Committee believes there should be some cost benefits achieved through the $5 permit fees for roof parking where there is currently no, or little, revenue generated. This, coupled with the escalating fines for abusers of on - street parking, should offset the provision for free two-hour parking in the ramps. The Committee bases its suggestions on the following: 1. The installation of meters is more cost prohibitive than an enhanced enforcement program. 2. Confrontation problems exist in either approach since meter violators must also be issued tickets. 3. Meters clutter the sidewalks, reducing their pedestrian -friendly qualities. 4. An enhanced enforcement program can be adjusted fairly easily if the policies being employed are not working to the community's satisfaction. If the three- month window suggested above isn't working it can be adjusted with a reprogramming of computers. If the incremental fines are not having the desired effect they can be easily changed. Meters do not offer any of this policy -changing flexibility. 5. Metering will still allow those people intent upon parking on the street to move their cars to a new space. There would be no financial penalty for doing so. 6. Metering center parking on College and Mountain, two of the most chronically abused on -street parking areas, would be very difficult. Regulation of these spaces with enhanced enforcement is not difficult. The Downtown Business Association appreciates the hard work and concern on the part of the City and its staff to help improve the parking situation in the central business district. It hopes these suggestions are received in that same constructive spirit. Please feel free to call me or DBA Executive Director David Short if you have any questions. Sincerely, David Zamzow, President Downtown Business Association