Minutes Downtown Plann 5 5 03 MINUTES
Downtown Planning Committee
Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
Monday, May 5, 2003
10:00 a.m.
Conference Room 2, City Hall Annex
1300 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa
PRESENT:
Committee members Jim Giesen, Doris Hingtgen. Bob Felderman Jim
Gibbs, Dan LoBianco, Ann Michatski, Dave Rusk. John Walsh Dick
Wertzberger, Judie Fjellman: Staff Members Bill Baum, Beth Conton.
Laura Carstens, David Harris, Jerelyn O'Connor and Rich Russell. Also
· present were consultants Anne Ricker of Leland Consulting Group, Bob
Kost of SEH, Inc., and Jim Holz of MSA Professional Services, nc.
ABSENT: Committee members Pam Jochum, Mike lronside and Steward
Sandstrom.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 10:10 a.m.
AFFIDAVIT OF COMPLIANCE: Staff presented an Affidavit of Compliance verifying the -
meeting was being held in compliance with the Iowa Open Meetings Law.
MINUTES: Motion by Walsh, seconded by Felderman, to approve the minutes of the April
11, 2003 meeting as submitted. Motion carried unanimously.
Anne Ricker distributed an.updated consultant team directory. Judie Fjellman requested
two changes to the new Downtown Planning Committee roster.
ACTIONITEMS:
Review Retreat Results:
Ms. Ricker reviewed the results of the April 11th planning retreat.
Review Preliminary Concept Economics:
Bob Kost reviewed the preliminary concept economics based on the retreat results and
background research. He noted the ptanning activity for the warehouse district in
relation to the possible school sites and the creation of an urban rehabilitation area.
Discussion followed. Consensus was that the Committee does not have a role in the
selection of a downtown school site.
Mr. Kost stated that planning is an ongoing continual process and the Committee
should plan for 10 - 20 years work on the Downtown Planning area. The Committee
discussed the time horizon for the Downtown Master Plan.
The Committee noted that some of the proposed redevelopment sites are currently
parking lots and that the Committee should address the parking redevelopment with the
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May 5. 2003
Page 2 of 3
plan's strategy. Committee members d ~scussed consulting local realtors for the
economic analysis, addressing the existing downtown parking issues and touring the
downtown area to look at and discuss development possibilities. Committee consensus
was to conduct a tour after the next meeting on June 9t~ with box lunches at noon and a
trolley tour from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Mr. Kost provided an update on the transit alternatives analysis. He said a workshop
will be held at the end of May on alignments and the evolving transit system.
Ms. Ricker stated that regarding planning, the reality of the market must balance with
community vision. The Committee talked about the downtown neiglqborhoods and their
connection and importance to the Downtown Master Plan area. Mr. Kost discussed the
City's support for adaptive re-use and that preliminary redevelopment opportunities
wou~d be included with the next presentation of the Downtown Master Plan to the
Committee.
Ms. Ricker reminded the Committee that there will be a Public Open House on June 9th
from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Orpheum Room at Five Flags Civic Center. She said that
she and Bob Kost will sketch a pro forma outline of strategies for each vision and
present the information to the general public.
Review May 5 City Council Work Session:
Ms. Ricker reviewed with the Committee the presentation for the May 5th City Council
work session at Carnegie Stout Public Library. She also mentioned that there would be
an implementation meeting on August 11t" with the Committee, and in September they
would present the final plan to the City Council.
Review of May 6 Focus Group Meetin,qs:
Ms. Ricker reported that one-hour focus group meetings with stakeholders will be held
on May 6tt~ at Five Flags Civic Center at 7:30 a.m.. 11:30 a.m., and 5:30 p.m., and
breakfast lunch and dinner will be served. Consensus was the Committee members
can attend as observers.
She discussed the focus group script and asked for Committee input regarding the
questions and prompts. Committee members asked that Ms. Ricker clarify that the plan
we are working on includes providing a list of developers but doesn't include the next
step of implementation, such as setting up meetings and contacting those developers.
Review Travelin,q Questions:
There was a brief discussion of the traveling questions exhibit.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSION:
Plannin,q Area Boundary:
Committee members and consultants debated whether the Downtown Master Plan
should be focused on the designated area that was set two years ago, should be
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May 5, 2003
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amended to included the Warehouse District, which is outside the ptanning boundary,
or should identify the Warehouse District as a contiguous area of influence. Several
Committee members commented that areas of influence outside the boundaries may be
critical to a successful redevelopment of the downtown area. Other Committee
members noted that the planning boundary had been set for Vision Downtown and for
the state grant as the service area of Dubuque Main Street Ltd.
Bob Felderman commented that the 2020 plan of Dubuque Main Street Ltd. includes
the peripheries of Jackson Park and the Warehouse District. Dan LoBianco discussed
that the boundaries of Dubuque Main Street Ltd. include buildings that face both sides
of the street.
The Committee continued their discussion of how much emphasis to put on contiguous
areas of influence. Bob Kost suggested that the Committee should prioritize the
importance of these areas. He suggested that the plan's implementation might include
planning for the Warehouse District as one of the next steps. There was a consensus
of the Committee to continue to refer to the Dubuque Main Street Ltd. service area and
to identify the importance of the contiguous areas of influence.
Chan~qes in Minutes:
Committee members referred back to the results of the retreat in the minutes. They
requested a change be made to the minutes under "common elements" that were found
on the tabletop plans. Common Elements should read "urban and linear parks" instead
of a "Town Square with green space" and "support for Main Street" should also include
a bullet for "service specialty retail".
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 12:05 p.m.
Respectfully-submitted,
Elizabeth Conlon, Assistant Planner Adopted