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Housing and Redevelopment Minutes Page 5 <br />February 6, 2023 <br />----------------------------- <br /> topsoil, and seed. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Wagner stated there has been some discussion with the downtown <br /> businesses, the desire for a public restroom, and green space versus parking and one of the <br /> Downtown Business Association members suggested the idea of a park-type setting. She felt <br /> that if the HRA does a demolition and puts down asphalt, it would signal the job is done, <br /> and the HRA did not achieve anything more. She stated she is not a fan of asphalt and if <br /> they did asphalt, would require parking reconfiguration to prevent confusion and expressed <br /> that she felt the decision on grass had already been made and that additional decisions <br /> needed to be made on the site. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Cannon thought she understood the space was going to become a public <br /> restroom with the Parks and Recreation department. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Wagner stated the Parks and Recreation Commission did discuss the project <br /> at a very high level and then stalled due to the question of whose project is it and who is <br /> paying for it. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Larson-Vito was in support of seed and grass. She also thought about the <br /> timing and asphalt could affect the farmer’s market, depending on the timing. She felt by <br /> adding parking and then taking it away would cause confusion. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Wagner asked if a fence would be around the grass. She asked how to move <br /> this project forward. <br /> <br /> Mr. O’Neil stated there would be no fence once the project was completed and the soil <br /> would be stabilized to make it somewhat usable. <br /> <br /> Mr. O’Neil stated the first step would be to bring the contract forward for HRA approval. <br /> He stated a separate conversation should also be had to hone in on a single concept of <br /> a downtown restroom as there are differing ideas on the concept, would it be incorporated <br /> with the Rivers Edge area, do the restroom but in a different spot than the meat market site, <br /> or was there a public/private partnership that could be explored. <br /> <br /> Mr. O’Neil stated due to recent discussions and feedback there is momentum to kick this <br /> process into high gear to determine where the site would be and who is paying for it. He <br /> stated the research he and Mr. Mollan completed put costs for an institutional-quality <br /> restroom for this size site in excess of $400,000. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Larson-Vito agreed and felt they should focus on this spot and get design <br /> ideas and details for a public restroom. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Ovall stated because the HRA had already reviewed some restroom ideas a <br /> few months ago in a work session, he didn’t want to spend money on a consultant and <br /> wanted the HRA to sketch this and take it to an architect. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Wagner stated the Park Master Plan placed restrooms in the lower level of <br /> the park. Feedback indicates a restroom located by the river doesn’t serve the shoppers, <br />