02-02-2004 HR MIN - Laserfiche WebLink

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HRA Meeting Minutes February 2,2004 Page 3 • 5.1. Downtown Property&Business Owner Feedback Director Catherine Mehelich stated that fifteen"one-to-one"meetings with approximately thirty downtown property and business owners took place during the month of January. The purpose of the meetings was to gather additional input on the Downtown Revitalization Project and parking options. Ms.Mehelich stated that the list of property and business owners who participated in the interviews was provided in the staff report to the HRA. She noted that ten property and business owners did not participate in the meetings due to a lack of interest or no response. Ms.Mehelich reviewed a summary of the thirteen findings generated from the meetings,as listed in the memo from Jim Prosser of Ehlers Associates dated January 27,2004. She then reviewed the nine recommendations from Mr.Prosser regarding parking issues,pedestrian crossing timer for Highway 10 and Jackson Avenue,and improvements to the rear entrances of businesses. Chair Wilson stated that in response to Mr.Holmes question,John Houlton of the First National Bank has offered use of the bank parking during construction. Ms.Mehelich stated that there has been numerous discussions with the business owners regarding options for parking during construction. Mr.Holmes stated that he feels additional parking must be provided before construction begins and that the City needs to promote the commuter parking across Highway 10. • Cliff Lundberg,400 Jackson Avenue NW,stated that the parking on the east side of the Jackson Block needs to be reviewed. He proposed a joint ramped parking project by the City,the developer,and the Bank of Elk River. Mr.Lundberg stated that Nadeau's and US Bank's parking would be lost,and that there would be no customer parking for the new businesses. Commissioner Thompson stated that Nadeau's and US Bank's parking areas are for their own customers,although he is aware that US Bank does allow some public parking. Mr.Hanson stated that the proposed plan does address the parking. He explained that when the existing three curb cuts are removed from the Bluff Block project,the new parking nearly doubles what is currently there. Mr.Hanson noted that there will be some parking stalls on the east side of the Jackson block and that underground parking will be provided for the tenants of the Jackson Block. Ms.Mehelich stated that as the plan is developed,it will go to the Planning Commission and ultimately,to the City Council for approval. Marcy VanValkenburg(business owner,Elk River Travel) stated that she was not contacted for a meeting. Ms.Steinmetz stated that the property owners were contacted first,and asked whether they wanted their tenant(s)to meet with them or separately. The HRA directed staff to proceed in also contacting business owners. Ms.Mehelich stated that staff will follow up with additional meetings with business owners. •