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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 7.2 Downtown Improvement Study r .. 14"),0-30 CITY OF DUBLIN AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: April 8, 1985 SUBJECT Downtown Improvement Study and Committee EXHIBITS ATTACHED 1 ) General Plan Downtown Intensification Area 2 ) Planning Commission recommended study area 3 ) Excerpts from General Plan on downtown development rJ 4) Memorandum from Planning Commission re Commission' s �\ participation in study RECOMMENDATION See below FINANCIAL STATEMENT: $50, 000 has been budgeted for this project during Fiscal Year 1984-85 . i DESCRIPTION During the City ' s 1985 Goals & Objectives Study Session, the City Council identified the development of a Downtown Improvement Plan and Ad Hoc Downtown Improvement Committee as a goal which the City should pursue . The City Council also allocated $50,000 in the 1984-85 budget for the purpose of securing the professional services of a contract urban designer to assist in the development of a plan for the City ' s downtown area . In order to accomplish this goal , the following issues should be addressed : 1 . Area to be included in Plan The City Council should determine what area is to be included as part of the downtown study area . The General Plan identifies the area bounded by San Ramon Road , Amador Valley Boulevard , I-580 and I-680 as the City' s downtown intensification area (See Exhibit 1 ) . The Planning Commission, at its meeting of April 1 , 1985 , recommended that the downtown study area be expanded as shown in Exhibit 2 . Those commercial areas which were excluded from consideration by the Planning Commission include : 1 ) the area west of San Ramon Road ; 2) the area east of Starward Drive and north of Amador Valley Boulevard ; 3 ) the retail area east of Clark Avenue . 2 . Formation of Ad Hoc Downtown Improvement Committee During a previous City Council Goals & Objectives Session, the City Council discussed the desirability of forming an Ad Hoc Downtown Improvement Committee in order to obtain additional .input in the development of a downtown plan. At its meeting of April 1 , 1985 , the Planning Commission indicated that the Commission should somehow be involved in the development or review of the downtown plan. The Commission indicated that either the Committee ' s report should be reviewed by the Planning Commission prior to consideration by the City Council , or a representative of the Planning Commission should be appointed to the Committee ( see attached memorandum) . It would seem appropriate that the Council form a blue-ribbon committee which would remain in existence until the downtown improvement plan had been adopted by the City Council . There are two primary options with respect to the formation of this committee . The first option would provide for the appointment of committee members solely from the business community . The second option would provide for an even distribution of appointments between representatives of the business and residential community. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- COPIES TO : ITEM N0 . . z AGENDA STATEMENT : Downtown Improvement Study and Committee Page 2 3 . Suggested Study Issues Staff believes that the committee , once formed , should have some degree of latitude in developing and identifying issues that should be undertaken as part of the downtown improvement study . However, it would seem that certain issues should be suggested as appropriate for review. These issues can be identified in two groups . Group 1 Issues Group 2 Issues 1 . Circulation 1 . Intensity of Development 2 . Pedestrian Amenities 2 . Land Use Alternatives 3 . Street Furniture 4 . Public Landscaping 5 . Parking The complexity of the study and the cost for services rendered by a professional consultant would increase greatly if the issues in Group 2 were undertaken in addition to the issues in Group 1 . Most of those issues identified under Group 1 involve primarily public right-of-ways , although circulation issues could also affect private property owners . RECOMMENDATION It is Staff ' s recommendation that the City Council take the following actions : 1 . Identify the area to be studied as part of the downtown improvement plan. 2 . Form a blue-ribbon ad hoc downtown improvement committee . It is recommended that this committee consist of 10 members. The method of appointment suggested would be for each City Councilmembers to appoint two members to the committee , one member from the business community and one member from the residential community. The appointments to this committee be made at the first City Council meeting in May. 3 . Staff be directed to work with the committee in developing a scope of services for a project consultant . The scope of services should be presented to the City Council for its approval prior to entering into the contract with the consultant . 4 . Upon completion of the committee ' s report , that report would be reviewed j and acted upon by the Planning Commission and subsequently by the City Council . 5 . Identify those issues which the City Council believe should be considered by the committee as part of the plan. WELLS SCh.,�SIR •�:;��. /` 4` \��°• �} 1 � \.\ \lam ly 1 \ 1 \ s PLAN *ELL �OOL st ----------- - ------------- AA PLAt4Nlt46 CoMM155joJ4 1�ECOM MEN PR> VOWNTOWN 5TU PY AREA jI Implementing Policies B. The location, extent and density of residential development will be determined when municipal services can be provided and through General Plan refinement studies. C. Approval of residential development in the extended planning area will require determination that: - Utilities and public safety services will be provided at urban standards without financial burden to Dublin residents and businesses. - Proposed site grading and means of access will not disfigure the ridgelands. - Timing of development will not result in premature termination of viable agricultural operations on adjoining lands. - The fiscal impact of new residential development in the extended planning area supports itself and does not draw upon and dilute the fiscal base of the remainder of the city. 2.2 COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL LAND USE Dublin's central location has made it the Tri-Valley's commercial center, with more than 600 retail businesses and a wide variety of distributors, business service provi- ders, builders and building subcontractors, manufacturers, and region-serving offices. The City's ability to provide municipal services depends on the income generated by business. 2.2.1 Downtown Dublin i I Guiding Policy A. Intensify Downtown Dublin. . . 1 The present collection of adjoining shopping centers can become a downtown with the variety, convenience, and visual prominence that is rarely found in communities built since the automobile became dominant. (See Downtown Concept Sketch.) Implementing Policies B. Provide a downtown BART station that will serve customers and workers with and without cars. Add offices and apartments within walking dis- tance — and eventually over BART parking. / C. Encourage mid-rise office/apartment buildings and parking structures with ground floor retail space. Create store-lined pedestrian connections between existing shopping centers. D. Make downtown more understandable to the first-time visitor by instal- ling standardized identification signs and directories soon. -10- M E M O R A N D U M TO : City Council FROM: Planning Commission SUBJECT: Participation in Downtown Improvement Study DATE: April 1 , 1985 At the April 1 , 1985 Planning Commission Meeting, the Planning Commission reviewed recent developments in the downtown area . The Planning Commission expressed an interest in participating in the proposed Downtown Improvement Study. Since the format of the study has to be determined , the Planning Commission would like to participate either: 1 ) by reviewing the recommendations of the Downtown Ad Hoc Committee , or 2 ) if the recommendations of the Downtown Ad Hoc Committee are not going to be reviewed by the Planning Commission, then by having a Planning Commissioner as a member of the Downtown Ad Hoc Committee . With so little land remaining , and the high level of development activity and interest , the Planning Commission feels it is important to establish clear directions for high quality developments and land uses in Downtown Dublin. The Planning Commission suggests that the study examine alternative uses and mixed uses .