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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDowntown Development Authority - Minutes - 04/04/2002C� • DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY REGULAR DIRECTORS' MEETING MINUTES OF APRIL 4, 2002 REGULAR MEETING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Or THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MET IN REGULAR SESSION AT 7:30 A.M. ON APRIL 4, 2002 IN THE METING ROOM AT HOME STATE BANK - 303 E. MouNTA1N AVENUE, FORT CoLuNs, CO 80524. PRESENT THERE WERE PRESENT: LARRY STROUD, CHAIR JASON MEADORS, SECRETARY/TREASURER MARY BRAYTON. GREG BELCHER CHUCK WANNER RICK GOODALE STEVE TAYLOR ABSENT: Kim JORDAN, VICE CHAIR CAREY HEwnT STAFF: JAY HARDY, EXECUTNE DIRECTOR ANNE GARRISON LUCIA ULEY. LEGAL COUNSEL GUESTS: CHIP STEINER, BUD FRICK, PATRICK GLATZ AND GORDON SIGNS CALL TO ORDER MR. STROUD CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL WAS TAKEN. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MR. WANNER MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MARCH 27. 2002 THIS WAs SECONDED BY MR. BELCHER AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. RIVERFEST MR. WANNER EKCUSED HIMSELF FROM THE MEETING DUE TO A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF SPONSORSHIP INTEREST. RICHARD FOX OF TREES, WATER & PEOPLE MADE THE PRESENTATION, PROVIDING A SYNOPSIS OF THE ANNUAL RIVERFEST S RENDEZVOUs EVENT, NOW IN ITS SIXTEENTH YEAR. LAST YEAR, DDA SPONSORED RIVERFEST IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,500. AND six SANDSTONE BENCHES WERE SET IN PLACE AS A PERMANENT TRAIL ALONG THE RIVER. TODAY, $3,500 Is BEING SUGGESTED AGAIN, WITH A SIMILAR REQUEST TO THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION FOR $500.00. DDA MINUTES PAGE 2 THIS EVOLVING EVENT IS EDUCATIONAL, FAMILY ORIENTED AND HAS MUCH TO OFFER FROM AN ENTERTAINMENT STANDPOINT. IT WILL MOST TWELVE CAMPS THIS YEAR, TOGETHER WITH A FOOT RACE CALLED "RUN FOR THE RIVER." THERE WILL ALSO BE HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS, COSTUMED PROCESSIONS, AND BOOTHS ENCOMPASSING A VARIETY OF INTERESTS, AND ALL TAKING PLACE IN THE PARK CLOSEST TO THE ORIOINAL FORT. IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TD PARTICIPATE, ANOTHER SIX SANDSTONE BENCHES WILL BE PROVIDED, AND MR. HARDY SUGGESTED THAT AN APPROPRIATE FUNDING SOURCE WOULD BE THE ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL PROJECT FUND WHICH STILL HAS $ 132,500. BOARD COMMENTS SUGGESTED THE FOLIOWINO: • USING DDA FUNDING TO LEVERAGE OTHER FUNDING • DDA SHOULD SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES THAT BRING FAMILIES INTO DOWNTOWN • ENCOURAGE DBA TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED Ms. BRAYTON THEN MOVED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,500 AND ENCOURAGE DBA TO PARTICIPATE AT A $ 1 ,500 LEVEL, AS PART OF ITS MARKETING BUDGET. THIS WAS SECONDED BY MR. GOODALC. THE RATIONALE FOR THIS MOTION IS THAT DDA EMPLOYS DBA TO MARKET DOWNTOWN, AND THIS IS WHERE THE MONEY SHOULD COME FROM. THE MOTION WAS DEFEATED 4-2. MR. BELCHER OFFERED A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION. THAT DDA PROVIDE FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $2.500, ENCOURAGE DBA TO GIVE $ 1 ,500 AND IF THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, DDA WILL MAKE UP THE SHORTFALL UP TO $3. 600 AS REOUESTED. THE AMENDMENT WAS HOT ACCEPTED, AND MS. BRAYTON WITHDREW HER MOTION. MR. BELCHER MOVED TO FUND UP TO $2,500 IN DDA FUNDS AND ENCOURAGE DBA TO CONTRIBUTE UP TO $ 1,500 OF MARKETING DOLLARS. IF DBA CHOOSES NOT TO DO so. DDA WILL FUND THE FULL REOUEST OF UP TO $3,500.00. THIS WAS SECONDED BY MR. MEADORS AND THE MOTN)N CARRIED WITH Ms. BRAYTON IN OPPOSITION. DDA MANAGEMENT AT THE LAST MEETING, THE BOARD VOTED TO RETAIN THE SERVICES OF MR. STEINER OF AGRREEMENT THE ROBERT STEINER COMPANY, TO SERVE AS INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR A PERIOD OF NINETY, (90) DAYS BEGINNINO APRIL 8, 2002 AND THEREAFTER ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS. PROVISIONS FOR EARLY TERMINATION WERE INCLUDED FOR BOTH DDA AND THE PROFESSIONAL WITH THIRTY (30) DAYS NOTICE. COMPENSATION PROPOSED I8 $7,083.38 PER MONTH. IT Is CONTEMPLATED THAT MR. STEINER WOULD USE HIS EXISTING OFFICE AND THE STAFF AND OFFICES OF THE DDA. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, THE SCOPE OF SERVICES AND JOB DESCRIPTION WILL BE IDENTICAL TO THOSE OF THE OUTDOING DIRECTOR. MR. STEINER MAY INVOLVE HIMSELF IN OTHER PROJECTS OUTSIDE THE DDA, PROVIDING HIS DUTIES ARE NOT COMPROMISED. MS. BRAYTON MOVED TO PUT INTO PLACE THE AGREEMENT AS PROPOSED. THIS WAS SECONDED SY MR. BELCHER AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OTHER BUSINESS CURRENT ISSUES - INCLUDED IN THE PACKET IS A CURRENT ISSUES UPDATE. IT REPRESENTS ABOUT 70% OF PROJECTS ALREADY UNDERWAY. MR. HARDY WILL MEET LATER WITH MR. STEINER TO PROVIDE A MORE IN DEPTH REPORT. DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PL^m — DUE TD ILLNESS, ROBERT GIBBS WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE WORKSHOP, HE WILL RETURN AT A LATER DATE. CIVITAS HAS BEEN SELECTED, THE SCOPE OF WORK DETERMINED, AND THE PROCESS SHOULD TAKE BETWEEN 12 — 14 MONTHS. MS BRAYTON FEELS THAT AS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR, THE DDA BOARD SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE SCOPE OF WORK, PRIOR TO ITS APPROVAL. SOME CONCERN WAS EXPRESSED BY BOARD AND CITY STAFF THAT A LENGTHY REVIEW COULD DDA MINUTES PAGE 3 DELAY THE PROJECT BY 30 DAYS. MR. STROUD NOTED THE CONCERN, AND SHARED THAT WHILE THE BOARD FELT STRONGLY A REVIEW OF THE DOCUMENT AND INPUT WAS IMPORTANT, IT WOULD DO EVERYTHING TO KEEP THE PROJECT MOVING. MR. HARDY OFFERED TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THE SCOPE OF WORK AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUAL REVIEW BY THE BOARD. MB. BRAYTON THEN SUGGESTED THE BOARD SET A DATE AND TIME TO MEET, AND THURSDAY APRIL 1 1. 2002 WAS AGREED UPON. MEETING SITE TD BE DETERMINED. 185 NORTH COLLEGE AVENUE - MR. HARDY REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN CONTACTED BY MACK ANDERSON, WHO STATED THAT HIS TENANT BELIEVES HE HAS COMPLIED WTH ALL CRY REQUIREMENTS, AND IS UNWILLING TO MAKE ANY FURTHER CHANGES TO HIS SIONAGE. MR. HARDY REMINDED MR. ANDERSON THAT DDA'S AGREEMENT IS WITH THE OWNER, NOT THE TENANT. AT WHICH POINT, MR. ANDERSON AGREED TO UNDERWRITE THE COST OF CHANGING THE SIGN FROM RED TO GREEN, BUT NEEDED THE PERMISSION OF THE TENANT TO DO SO. DBA LIAISON - THE NEW APPOINTMENT IS MR. TAYLOR WHO HAS CONSENTED TO BECOME THE DBA LIAISON, AND THE BOARD THANKS MB. BRAYTON FOR HER MANY YEARS OF SERVICE AND ALL THE GOOD WORK SHE HAS DONE IN THAT TIME. 334 E. MOUNTAIN AVENUE - TFIE BOARD REVIEWED AN UPDATED RENDERING OF THE MARQUIS SLATED FOR RHYTHMS MUSIC HOUSE AND GRILL. MR. HARDY SUGGESTED CHANGING THE BACKGROUND COLOR TO YELLOW, WHICH MORE CLOSELY MATCHES OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE BUILDING. THE OWNER REPRESENTATIVE ASSURED THE BOARD THAT THE USE OF THE MARQUIS WOULD BE BOTH TRADITIONAL AND SUBDUED, AND THAT NO OTHER ADVERTISING SUCH AS POSTERS IN THE WINDOWS, WOULD BE UTILIZED. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD AND EXPLANATIONS BY THE SIGN COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE, MR. BELCHER MOVED TO ACCEPT THE SKIN AS PRESENTED, WITH THE BACKGROUND OF THE MARQUIS BEING AS CLOSE TO THE BUILDING COLOR AS POSSIBLE, AND USING WHATEVER COLORS SEEM APPROPRIATE FOR THE LETTERING. THIS WAS SECONDED BY MR. TAYLOR AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ADJOURN THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8.40 A.M. JASON MEADORS, SECRETARY ddoDOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO: DDA Board of Directors FROM: Chip Steiner DATE: April 11, 2002 RE: Downtown Strategic Plan Meeting Summary The Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors met with representatives from the City regarding the Scope of Work being drafted for the upcoming Downtown Strategic Plan. The following suggestions were verbally agreed to: 1. The steering committee will include two representatives from the DDA Board of Directors; 2. DDA will be added to references in the scope calling for DBA and City oversight; 3. The Downtown Strategic Plan will be made a standing DDA Board agenda item throughout the course of the study; 4. Retailers, employers, building owners, and real estate professionals will be included in the focus groups as detailed in task 2.2.6 (of draft version dated April 2, 2001); In addition, the Board discussed the issue of negative publicity surrounding downtown bars. John Fischbach suggested providing a briefing to the board on liquor licensing laws in Colorado. 19 Old Town Square • Suite 230 • Fort Collins, Colorado 50524 • tel• 970.484.2020 fax., 970.484.2069 DAVNTOWN � DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 19 OLD TOWN SQUARE, SUITE 230 Telephone (970) 484-2020 FORT COLLINS, CO 80524 Telefax (970) 484-2069 TO: DDA Board of hectors FROM: Chip Steiner DATE: April 30, 2002 RE: Select DDA representatives for Downtown Strategic Plan At the special DDA Board meeting held April 1 I to discuss the scope of work for the Downtown Strategic Plan it was agreed to by the City to include two board members on the plan's steering committee. These representatives need to be selected. The City estimates the committee will meet about every three weeks but there may be additional obligations such as attending workshops, Council meetings, P&Z meetings, focus groups, etc. Because this study is specifically targeted at the DDA district and bears directly upon the DDA's mission and purpose (and also because the DDA is funding the lion's share of the cost of the study) it is important that volunteers agreeing to serve on the steering committee are willing to make the commitment to attend and participate in as many meetings as possible. I think it would be helpful if volunteers have some knowledge of the development process in Fort Collins and have at least passing familiarity with City Plan. The retail end can be covered by DBA representatives. DOWNTOWN � DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 19 OLD TOWN SQUARE, SUITE 230 FORT COLLINS, CO 80524 TO: DDA Board offActors FROM: Chip SteinerNT DATE: Apri130, 2002 RE: Strategic Plan Update Telephone (970) 484-2020 Telefax (970) 484-2069 The Technical Committee will be meeting for the first time the day before the May DDA Board meeting. An update will be given verbally. Robert Gibbs was scheduled to return to Fort Collins May 21 — 22 but apparently a conflict has arisen. The visit is now being considered for May 29 — 30 or during the week of June 3. The tentative agenda is as follows: Day One Morning: Focus Groups Lunch: Gibbs and City Council Afternoon: Focus group and one to three merchandising sessions Evening: Public presentation Day Two: Morning: The DDA has asked but we do not yet have confirmation that Gibbs will meet for breakfast with the Board of Directors. Morning cont': Merchandising Sessions Lunch: With stakeholders Afternoon: Talks with staff, walking tour. DOeUNTOWN � DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 19 OLD TOWN SQUARE, SUITE 230 FORT COLLINS, CO 80524 TO: DDA Board of ' ectors FROM: Chip Steiner DATE: April 30, 2002 RE: Liquor Licensing Law Telephone (970) 484-2020 Telefax (970) 484-2069 John Fischbach suggested at the last DDA meeting that the Board needed to be briefed on liquor licensing law in Colorado. The law is relevant to recent discussions regarding the impact bars and taverns are having on the central business district. The City Manager has asked Ingrid Decker from the City Attorney's office to provide the briefing. A couple related items: 1. Mike Walker and Adam McCambridge, two Fort Collins police officers who are currently working the night shift in the central business district have met with the owners of a number of the larger bars downtown. There is some sentiment (I do not know how strong or how serious it is) that the bars might pay for nightly(?) cleanups which would be completed by five a.m. Mr. Walker will be at the DDA board meeting (see other business) if the Board wants to explore this idea further. 2. I have done a little research on "clean cities" and have found that a number of communities have successfully initiated a tax which is used to fund extra police officers, weekly power washings of all pedestrian areas (including sidewalks), graffiti and litter patrols, and marketing and merchandising services. If the Board and the City have an interest, we can explore this approach in more detail. One funding option might be to create a business improvement district (this idea has been talked about before although with different ends in mind). Another option would be to ask the City to revise the ordinance authorizing the use of downtown General Improvement District taxes to permit these existing revenues (i.e., no new tax) to be used for additional purposes such as those mentioned above. D&rvrowN • DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 19 OLD TOWN SQUARE, SUITE 230 Telephone (970) 484-2020 FORT COLLINS, CO 80524 Telefax (970) 484-2069 TO: DDA Board of D eCtors FROM: Chip Steiner G DATE: April 30.2002 RE: Jefferson -to -Buckingham Site Plan Proposal Early in the month of April, the DDA Board received a long e-mail from Bill Sears that suggested the Poudre River needed to be made a high priority of the DDA. Mr. Sears makes a timely point. There are a number of redevelopment proposals at various planning stages along Linden Street and in the river corridor neighborhood. These include the Azatlan Center, a large residential project around the Sears Trostel site, the residential concept proposed by Kim Jordan for the Oxbow area on the northeast side of the river, redevelopment of the El Burrito property, and, at least a few years ago, redevelopment of Pete Cottier's building located across Linden Street from Sears Trostel. The DDA has pledged funds to the redevelopment of the Linden -Jefferson intersection. The suggestion being made here is that as the projects listed above (and probably others) begin to materialize, public improvements will need to extend beyond the intersection northeast up to Buckingham (and maybe to Vine) and to the northwest and southeast along Willow and Jefferson. I am asking the Board whether it thinks the DDA should initiate the redevelopment action in this neighborhood by commissioning what amounts to an overall development plan (ODP) for the public improvements that will necessarily accompany the proposed private projects as they come on line. Such a plan would incorporate and coordinate with the private development proposals and with the emerging Poudre River corridor plan. It would design the public improvements, including infrastructure, streetscapes, public places (e.g. parks, open spaces, trails, etc.) which would be built as private development occurs. This plan would not be conceptual; it is intended to be bricks and mortar design work (through the design development stage) that compliments the proposed private projects and knits them, the river corridor plan, and the existing downtown into coherent but distinctive sub districts. The plan would define and quantify what the DDA (and maybe City) might invest in the area as redevelopment occurs. This in turn might encourage the private projects to proceed. i pp AWNTOWN � d do DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 19 OLD TOWN SQUARE, SUITE 230 Telephone (970) 484-2020 FORT COLLINS, CO 80524 Telefox (970) 484-2069 TO: DDA Board of rectors FROM: Chip Steiner DATE: April 30, 200 RE: Linden Hotel Loan Payoff In the early 1990's, as a part of the package to get the Linden Hotel redeveloped, the DDA agreed to acquire the building's facade (along with the neighboring Loomis Building). The Authority was strapped for cash; it borrowed the monies needed to meet its obligation from the City's street oversizing fund. A Colorado Historic Society grant rounded out the cost of the $350,000 facade acquisition. To service the debt the DDA makes annual payments of around $33,000. Administrative resources are used to make the payments. Including this year, the Authority has three payments left totaling about $100,000. With the improved downtown economy and the annexation of Walmart the DDA now has resources with which to retire this loan. This would save a little bit of interest and free up resources in the next few years for other projects. If the Board gives directions to pursue this option, I suggest that we role the repayment into the next tax increment debt authorization. The DDA has committed funds to a number of projects which will require the creation of a new tax increment debt. Since a facade acquisition amounts to a capital improvement and since capital improvements are usually paid with tax increment funds, it would make sense to include in that new debt the repayment of the balance of the DDA's loan obligation to the City. AWNTOWN • d do DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 19 OLD TOWN SQUARE, SUITE 230 FORT COLLINS, CO 80524 TO: DDA Board of D' ectors FROM: Chip Steiner I�T DATE: Apri13Q 2002 RE: Other Business Telephone (970) 484-2020 Telefax (970) 484-2069 1. Porta-potties. The wait in lines to get into many downtown bars can run over an hour. Sometimes the demand for relief exceeds one's sense of modesty and the nearest shadow serves well -enough as a temporary johnnie. And then, by the time the bars close down and patrons are returned to the sidewalks of downtown, the pressure for relief may have attained unbearable proportions. Because there are not public restrooms available, just about any spot becomes a convenient spot. Apparently, it isn't only men either. As a possible temporary solution, Police officers Mike Walker and Adam McCambridge, are proposing that two porta-potties be located close to the entries of both downtown parking garages where they can be observed by the garage attendants. This is a temporary response to a very difficult downtown issue. Porta-potties are not very pretty, they can be tipped over, exacerbating an already stinky problem, and they cost money —maybe around $60/day. Nevertheless, it may be worth a try until more permanent solutions are arrived at (San Francisco and Paris have hi -tech potties that look nice, limit the time one can "hang out," inside [that is, transients cannot call them home], and which sanitize/sterilize themselves from top to bottom after each use). I do not think the City has been approached about the porta-potty idea. Since it manages the ramps, its consent would be necessary. Officers Walker and McCambridge have talked with bar owners about paying for the porta-potties. The DDA may want to contribute as well. 2. 185 North College Avenue. Lucia and I met with Mac Anderson a few weeks ago. He provided us with a letter from an attorney representing the owner of Johnnies which suggested that the DDA had no grounds for its argument to alter the sign. However, Mr. Anderson agreed to make the stucco revisions previously agreed to. He would also approach the owner and Lucia would approach the owner's attorney to suggest that changing the color of the sign, for which Mr. Anderson would pay if the owner agrees to the change, should not be reason for a court fight. In the end, if the stucco revisions are made, I don't think the DDA should pursue the issue further. We have made structural changes that will catch (and already have caught) sign changes to facades the DDA has invested in before they are installed. The next tenant in Mr. Anderson's building will have to return to the DDA for approval of new signage.