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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcclc.min.030100 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MARCH 1, 2000 Chairperson Son Busch called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. Members in attendance were Bill Dinsmoor, Terry Butler, John Start and Eric Cohen. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Terry announced that she will be spending time in Mexico opening her new hotel. Bill relayed that the DEPP project.was approved at the last council meeting. Bill is concerned that Phase II will not be implemented. His fear is that numerous business owners are not in favor of the project. CCLC supports the DEPP project and commends the city for going forward and they feel the project will be successful. John feels that Phase II will be phased out. Staff will initiate a memo to management and council in support of the DEPP project. The board will do an article in the paper. Terry relayed that all of the board members when out in public should promote the DEPP project and how successful it,will be; feed good and positive energy to the community. Jon: In front of the Sardy House a street light is down. Staffwas directed to contact the Electric Dept. regarding light polls that are at Kathryn's store and possibly they can purchase them. There are three complete polls that have never been used. INFILL PROJECTS - CHRIS BENDON LONG RANGE PLANNER Chris informed the members that he has followed the DEPP project and feels positive about its outcome. Chris relayed that he is doing initial research on infill housing and also the Civic Center Master Plan. Infill housing is what we can do downtown to encourage and create a sense of urbanism. Incentives such as an excise tax for DEPP could be addressed. There are several buildings such as the Gap that were never built out to COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MARCH 1, 2000 what they could be: Some of the vacant lots downtown are being used as parking and could have affordable housing. The Civic Center master plan is basically looking at what government facilities we have. There is the possibility of moving the fire station to a location on Main Street or on Mill Street. There are concerns about the Conner cabins adjacent to City Hall and what might eventually become of those buildings and how might they be protected. Chris would like representatives from various boards that would represent their board and if there are specific questions they can then go back to the board and get a report. Similar to DEPP, a master plan would go through and get a vote from all the boards and get compliance from P&Z and Council. Chris would like one member from council and P&Z to be on the committee. The end result would be to get a master plan approved for the two projects. As part of the study regulatory barriers and zoning constraints were brought up such as open space requirements and parking. Other ideas will be addressed such as what if we raised our height limit and allowed for additional FAR. What if we allowed for additional parking? The interest is if there is going to be a certain amount of development happening it should be done where the infill structures exist, not sprawling through the countryside. If we allow development to occur downtown we might be able to keep some of our open space free. By doing development downtown we could enhance some of the social characteristics of downtown. We also might be able to address the town economy. Growth management has put a clamp on that, as properties do not redevelop, not only in the commercial space but also in the ability for a storeowner to build affordable housing. Jon relayed one of the barriers is financing and it is an area that the city can be helpful with in terms of coming up with competitive financing companies and ways to take some of the burden off business owners. Helping businesses secure mortgages should be addressed. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMM/SSION MINUTES OF MARCH 1, 2000 Bill said he and Jon had an opportunity to get involved in a transportation system that was funded through a tax code 6320 which basically encourages public/private partners in projects whether it be housing etc. It allows for bonding capability independent of the city's bonding, separate bonding that is a very inexpensive way to finance big projects or small projects. The assets are essentially turned over to whom ever the public entity partner is. It is an opportunity for the city to buy back the bonds. Bill feels the financing is a critical element. Bill also brought up the fact that there are several projects that cannot move ahead because of resistance by I-IPC. Bill asked what are the regulatory barriers being reviewed in the process? Chris responded the way the zoning is set up now, you can go to 40 feet but the far is 1 o5 so you can do a story and a half. It is difficult to get to 40 feet. Also, in some of.the zoning you have to take 25 % of parcel as open space. John said the open space was brought up by DEPP and clearly needs reviewed. Requiring dead space is useless. Chris said Paradise bakery has a social space and so does Zele and those areas work. The entrance to the Fire station has a dead area and where the old Isis had their dumpster is dead space. The most successful is the Kandycom Bldg. Chris also said he will assemble a team and identify the things that need changed for the board. John felt that economic players should be on Chris's team. Financial incentives need discussed. John suggested an appraiser. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MARCH 1, 2000 Chris suggested doing a few parcels through a process. Then codify a program by~right. By right means if you are going to do a building that meets the performance standards then pull a building permit and build it. In Alan Richmond's report it was pointed out the nUmerous boards that you have to go through and the things that can make the project fall through. Jon said we are talking about urban infill and should we limit the area. There is the forest service property, Barbee, Gramiger etc. Possibly it should be expanded. Chris said Barbee was approved for 10 AH units. Jon said there are two barriers, regulatory barrier and financial barrier. A suggestion would be to get a banker or financier involved. Eric said we are talking about infill housing and who is going to benefit and who are you putting in the housing. You are not looking at older people or families you are looking at young single people who are willing to live in town also restaurant and retail employees. If all the employers see the big picture the employee flow goes back and forth in the community and the successful business operators know that. You do not see middle management living in the commercial core. John informed the board that in order to develop you must have a mix of housing; short term, long term, and free market. An examination should be done as to who owns what property that can be potentially developed. We need to know who owns the ranches etc. and how to craft what they need. Chris relayed that he met with the small lodge owners and asked them what they needed to keep them successful and going. A lot of issues came up that he would not otherwise know and as a result council adopted the new small lodge program. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MARCH L 2000 Jon relaYed that the process needs simplified. There has to be a medium where the owner can make money. Bill said housing could be explored on top of the Norwest Bank. Terry feels people should be drawn back into the town. Jori said another barrier is the Wheeler view plane. Bill suggested possibly housing could be incorporated on top of the parking garage. Bill moved to adjourn, second by Terry. All in favor, motion carried. 4-0 Meeting adjourned at 10:15 a.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk