Minutes Downtown Plan 12 1 03 MINUTES
DOWNTOWN PLANNING COMMITTEE
Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
Monday, December 1 2003
8:00 a.m. F
Conference Room 2, City Hall Annex
1300 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa
PRESENT:
ABSENT:
Chairperson David Rusk; Committee Members Jim Giesen. Doris
Hingtgen, Judie Fjellman, Dan LoBianco, John Walsh= Steward
Sandstrom, Jim Gibbs and Mike Ironside; Staff Members Laura
Carstens, Rich Russell, Bill Baum, Jerelyn O'Connor and Beth Conion.
Aisc present: Anne Ricker, Leland Consulting Group via conference
call.
Committee Members, Bob Felderman, Pam Jochum, and Ann
Michaiski; Staff Member David Harns.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 8:15 a.m. without a quorum.
CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE: Staff presented an Affidavit of Compliance
verifying that the meeting was being held in compliance with the Iowa Open Meetings
Law.
MINUTES: Approval of the minutes of September 30.2003 and November 10. 2003
was delayed until there was a quorum present.
Anne Ricker of Leland Consulting Group was contacted at 8:20 a.m via conference
call.
ACTION ITEM: Review Revised Draft Plan (Sections 1 throuqh 7):
The consensus of the Committee was that the revised plan met the uommittee's
expectations, and did not need a lot of revision. Photos for the final plan document will
be added later per Staff Member Carstens' recommendations. Staff Member Conlon
presented an audit and cross-reference of the April 11, 2003 to November 10, 2003
minutes with Sections 1-7 to assure that any prior changes made by the Committee
appeared in the final plan. Chairperson Rusk asked Committee members to get editing
comments to Planning Staff by the end of the day.
The Committee recommended the followin,q chan,qes in Section I -- Overview:
Page 1: Consensus was to rename this section to Overview.
Page 9: Add a sentence at the end of the first paragraph stating that Jackson St. is not
in the study area, but is a contiguous area of influence.
Page 16: The Committee discussed the City Manager's recommendation to include a
new Priority Action in Transportation for advocating for federal funds to build a multi-
modal facility in the Port of Dubuque including a parking garage and a transit hub. The
Committee debated the recommendation, and then decided to vote later when a
quorum was present.
Minutes - Downtown Planning Committee
December 1. 2003
Page 2
Page 18: Add a recommendation by the City Manager that collaboration with Dubuque
Initiatives be included in the Downtown is One Sub-Market... paragraph
Page 18: Add how the development of the Prescott Downtown School wilt impact the
downtown area in the Protect and Retain the Downtown "Infrastructure" paragraph.
Page 20: Add the City Manager's recommendation to Committed Ongoing Leadership.
The Committee recommended the followin,q chan,qes in Section 2 - Commerce:
Page 28: Bullet #1. change the word "that" to "of" - Perception of policy...
Page 23: Replace the list of employers with the top 20 businesses in order of the
number of employees.
Page 29: Rework the employment box. deleting the word "council" and the Post Office
Building and changing the spelling of "Koddingham" to Cottingham. as per Chairperson
Rusk's language, and add the asterisk referenced in Inadequate Promotion bullet #7 on
page 28 to the box.
Jim Gibbs arnved at 9:00 a.m. and established a ouorum.
MINUTES: Motion by Rusk. seconded by Walsh. to approve the minutes of the
September 30. 2003 and November 10, 2003. Motion carried unanimously.
The Committee recommended the followin,q additional chanqe ~n Section I -- Overview:
Page 16: The Committee again debated the City Manager's recommendation for a new
Priority Action. with input from Anne Ricker. Motion by Giesen, seconded by Walsh. to
adopt the recommendation from the City Manager without the 'reference to the parking
garage. Motion carried with the following vote: Aye - Giesen Hingtgen, Fjellman,
LoBianco. Walsh. and Gibbs; Nay -- Rusk.
The Committee recommended the followin,q chan,qes in Section 3 - Culture, Education
and Entertai qmen~:
Page 35: There was discussion of the case study of Providence, Rhode Island. The
consensus of the Committee was to leave the Providence case study in the final plan.
Page 36: Add Diamone Jo Outdoor Concert Facility to Les Obvious, But Part of the
Infrastructure list.
Page 37: Delete phrase "despite the fact...." in the first paragraph.
Page 37: Add a reference to NlCC's Continuing Education Program and its impact on
Downtown before Barriers to Investment.
Page 38: Bullet #4 - Delete reference to artspace web site, and include in a footnote
The Committee recommended the foIlowin,q chan,qes in Section 4 -- Historical Features:
Page 39: Change "unprecedented" to "unequalled" in last paragraph.
Page 43: Move the Historic Preservation Homeowner Grant Program and Historic
Preservation Revolving Loan Fund information to the Glossary.
The Committee recommended the followin,q chan,qes in Section 5 -- Public Space and
Open Areas:
Minutes - Downtown Planning Committee
December 1. 2003
Page :3
Page 48: Bullet #3 - H ~ghlight the need for a downtown park with outdoor play space
for children that is accessible to the downtown for active recreation and suggested
collaboration with the downtown school and with other projects as they develop.
Page 49: :Bullet #1 - Add a reference to the Streetscape Guidelines document.
Steward Sandstrom arrived at 9:40 a.m.
The Committee recommended the followin,q chan,qes in Section 6 - Residential Livin,q:
Page 57: The Committee reviewed the additional information for the appendix on
Downtown Housing Supply. The consensus was that Ms. Ricker would summarize the
conclusions drawn from the summary table following her September 26, 2003 memo on
Downtown Housing Supply, and to insert the summary table in the Residential Living
section. The Committee discussed that the map should be in the appendix. LoBianco
requested that Planning Staff re-do the map to separate park/open space from parking.
Page 55: Committee Member Sandstrom wanted to revisit demographic information,
specifically the assumptions in the table regarding decline in household size. Ms.
Ricker commented that the State shows declining households and she discussed how
that trend cou Id be reversed. The consensus was to add a disclaimer stating that some
people may feel that there would be an increase in population because of economic
activity and they would hold a more positive view than the demographics indicate.
Page 64: In Priority Actions change "mayo" to "mayor"; "Council" to City Council.
Page 66: In Financing Incentives, "HOPE VI" should be "HOME."
The Committee recommended the following chan,qes in Section 7 - Transportation:
Page 69: Copy the sentence, "As downtown continues to attract destination venues for
residents and visitors, it is crucial"., to the beginning of the section in the italicized
paragraph.
Page 69: Change Highway 51/161 to 611151.
Page 71: Third paragraph, last sentence, should read. "Keyline has procured two
diesel-powered trolley buses...."
Page 74: Second paragraph should say, "capital" rather than "capitol."
Page 76: Bullet # 2 under Priority Actions should say, "Incorporate the findings of the
Downtown Transit Alternatives Analysis Parking Study."
ACTION ITEM: Review Section 8 Action Matrix
The Committee reviewed the new General Strategies action matrix and the revised
action matrices for Sections 2 through 7. Chairperson Rusk suggested global changes
to change the date to December 1, 2003. delete footer that says "DRAFT" and delete
all the asterisks after Downtown Advocate. Committee Member Sandstrom commented
that he wanted to delete the CVB from the Chamber of Commerce/CVB. and for all
references to the Chamber to say Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce throughout
the plan.
Minutes - Downtown Planning Committee
December 1, 2003
Page 4
The Committee recommended the following chan,qes in the General Strategies Act on
Matrix:
la: Contact: Add Dubuque Initiatives.
lb: Contact: Add Dubuque Initiatives.
lc: Contact: Add Dubuque Initiatives.
ld: Contact: Add Dubuque Initiatives.
2a: Contact: Add Dubuque Initiatives.
3a: Time Frame: should be "ongoing."
The Committee recommended the following changes in the Commerce Action Matrix:
12a. Contact: Add Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce.
12b: Contact: Add Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce.
12c: Contact: Should say Housing and Community Development Department and add
Economic Development Department
16d: Resources: Add Budget Decision Item.
Mike Ironside arrived at 10:00 a.m.
The Committee recommended the followin,q changes ~n the Culture, Education and
Entertainment Matrix:
Page 1: Add the word "and" in the header after Education.
la: Contact: Add City Manager: Resources: delete Existing Staff Resources and
add Budget Item Decision.
lb. Contact: Add City Manager: Resources: delete Existing Staff Resources
and add Budget Item Decision.
lc. Add "c": Contact: Add City Manager: Resources: delete Existing Staff
Resources and add Budget Item Decision.
3d. Add tax abatements.
6c. Contact: Add Housing and Community Development Department.
Page 5: At the bottom of the page, add Dubuque County Fine Arts Society; change
CVB Festivals Committee to Chamber Festivals Committee. and delete
www. artspace~nc, com.
The Committee recommended the following changes in the Historical Features Matrix:
lb: Resources: Add Budget Decision Item.
lc. Resources: Add Budget Decision Item.
ld. Resources: Add Budget Decision Item.
3a. Resources: Add Design Consultant
3b: Resources: Add Design Consultant
3c. Resources: Add Design Consultant.
4a. Contact: Add Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce.
4c Contact: Add Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce.
4d. Implementation: Delete state representative and add legislation: Contact: Add
Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce.
6b. Contact: Add Housing & Community Development Department.
Minutes - Downtown ?lanning Committee
December 1. 2003
Page 5
6c. Contact: Add Housing & Community Development Department.
8c. Contact: Add Human Rights Department [ADA).
The Committee recommended the fotlowin,q changes ~n the Public Spaces and Open
Areas Matrix:
In general, adjust timeframes as recommended by the City Manager.
6a: Should have a X for in progress.
7a: There should be a X for in progress.
The Committee recommended the followin,q chan,qes in the Residential Living Matrix:
3a: Contact: Add Housing & Community Development Department
3b: Contact: Add Housing & Community Development Department
3c: Contact: Add Housing & Community Development Department
3d: Contact: Add Housing & Community Development Department
6c: Implementation: Add retail market analysis to the first sentence.
9c: There should be a X for in progress.
The Committee recommended the following chan,qes in the Transportation Matrix:
3a. Contact: Add America's River Corporation
4a: Contact: Add Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce
7b. Add Implementation Tasks: Add new Priority Action for multi-modal facility
recommended by the City Manager, as modified by the Committee's vote.
Sa: Contact: Add America's River Corporatior~
8b. Contact: Add America's River Corporatior~
8c. Contact: Add America's River Corporation.
Sd. Implementation: Add the new Southwest Arterial (IA 32): Contact: Add Dubuque
Area Chamber of Commerce.
Glossary:
> Header should say: Economic Development Tools and Strategies Glossary and
second line of header should say: Dubuque Downtown Master Plan.
> Wherever Dubuque Chamber of Commerce or Dubuque/CVB is listed it should
read Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce.
> Add Historic Preservation Items Programs to the Glossary.
> r~clude Glossary as new Section 9.
ACTION ITEM: Review Additional Information for Appendix
The Committee had no further changes beyond what was discussed under Residential
Living.
ITEMS FROM COMMITTEE:
The Committee discussed the completion schedule. Chairperson Rusk suggested a
media conference and asked that Downtown Planning Committee members be present.
The Committee decided on 10:00 a.m. on December 12th at Five Flags Civic Center.
Minutes - Downtown Planning Committee
December 1. 2003
Page 6
Ms. Ricker stated that she could send back the final plan and appendices with changes
made to Planning staff by Friday, December 5'". The consensus of the Committee was
that Ms. Ricker attend the January 5. 2004 City Council work session and the February
2 2004 City Council public hearing. She agreed.
Ms. Ricker left the conference call at 11:20 a.m.
The Committee meeting ended with a discussion on how the priority elements of the
action matrices could be funded. Committee Member Walsh suggested that a session
be scheduled as soon as possible with the Downtown Planning Committee members
and staff to discuss the strategy for the City Council work session on January 5. 2004.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 11:50 a.m
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Conlon. Assistant Planner
Adopted