Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.5 DwntwnSpecPlnTskFrceRpt (2) " . . 't CITY OF DUBLIN AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: January 27, 1992 SUBJECT: status Report on Downtown specific Plan Review Task Foroe Work program ~(prepared by: Paul S. Rankin, Assistant City Manager) EXHIBITS ATTACHED: 1. / summary survey Results 2.~ Proposed soope of work 1. Review proposed soope and provide input and authorize the Task Foroe to prooeed. Confirm that Task Foroe participation is not restrioted to businesses in the specifio Plan Area. Authorize the Task Force to be referred to as the Dublin Business Task Foroe. 3. RECOMMENDATION I ~2. FINANCIAL STATEMENT: All of the ourrent activities will be undertaken with existing resources. In the event that oonsultant services are required, City Council approval will be obtained prior to proceeding further. Financial oontributions by the City beyond staff and support services are undetermined at this time. DESCRIPTION: Approximately one year ago, the city council approved- the formation of a special Task Force. The objective of the Task Force was to review the Downtown Specifio Plan to identify whether it was appropriate to pursue strategies which have not been implemented. Further, the Task Force was directed to consider any other issues of interest to the business oommunity. These goals were also stated in the progress report presented to the city counoil on May 13, 1991. The previous progress report identified that the Task Force was proposing to operate with subcommittees which would study issues in three areas: . special Programs . Traffio/Land Use/Circulation . Urban Design Improvements Since last spring, the subcommittees have met to develop a Scope of Work, whioh focuses on specific goals for eaoh subcommittee. A copy of the proposed Scope of Work is attaohed. The Task Force also utilized input from a survey conducted by the Special Programs Subcommi ttee to identify perceived needs in the business community. A copy of the summary results is attached as Exhibit 1. This information has been shared with all businesses who included identification information on their survey response. ScoDe of Work The attached Soope of Work (Exhibit 2) provides a very detailed description of aotivities to be undertaken by the subcommittees. The following provides a summary of the proposed activities to be undertaken by the Task Force: . Special programs: The specific Plan suggested that the city consider the development of an Association to promote businesses. The subcommittee plans to research information on this type of organization and the procedures used to implement an Association. The Task Force will convene a forum inviting all businesses to discuss ideas on joint promotion and to share information obtained by the Task Force Subcommittee. The final phase will involve developing a recommended implementation strategy for business promotion. ~~~----~-~---~------~~~~~~-------~~-~~-----~~-~~---~-~~---------~~---~----- COPIES TO: Task Force Members ITEM NO. .s.? CITY FILE ~~ . . . . . Circulation/Transportation/Land Use: The first task will be to review planned transportation improvements and outline the importance of these projects from the perspective of the business community. The findings will be used to highlight the importance of the proposed improvements. The second area to be reviewed was identified in the specific Plan as a need for the city to communicate with automobile dealers to assess any change in plans for future operations or the use of their property. The final area to be considered is the long term development needs and consideration of potential for redevelopment or other improvements. . Urban Design: This subcommittee will focus on a review of two programs included in the specific Plan related to signage. The programs involve consideration of a Project Entry or standard pylon for use at retail centers. The specific Plan also suggested that the city may wish to consider a Signing and Graphics Improvement Program. The subcommittee will review these concepts and provide recommendations on the feasibility of implementing the programs. staff would recommend that the city council review and provide input on the Draft scope of Work. Participation on Task Force At the city Council meeting on May 13, 1991, the city Council approved the Task Force request to increase the number ot participants from the business communi ty. The City council has never explicitly discussed criteria tor participation on the Task Force. The approved direction relied upon participation from a variety of representatives in the business community. Current members have included representatives whose businesses were located outside the designated Specific Plan area. The Task Force would like the city council to confirm that participation is open to businesses in all areas of the community. Identification of Task Force The Task Force members have also requested that the city Council refer to the organization as the DUblin Business Task Force. Due to the fact that the Task Force is charged with considering all issues of interest to the business community, some Task Force members expressed a concern that reference to the specific Plan in the name may be perceived as excluding businesses outside the specitic Plan area. Therefore, it has been suggested that the Task Force be identified as the Dublin Business Task Force. The Mission Statement continues to reflect the primary goals as addressing the issues in the Downtown Specific Plan as well as other issues of importance to the business community. Staff recommends that the City Council review and provide input on the proposed scope of Work, contirm participation by all businesses regardless of location, and identify the group as the Dublin Business Task Force. PSR/lss a:L127Task.doc.agenda#8 The following summarizes key information obtained from a survey of businesses in the Downtown Specific Plan Area. The City received a 33% response rate with 121 businesses represented. . Over 90% of the responding businesses were categorized into three sectors: Retail (40.34%) Services (38.66%) Restaurant Food & Drink (11.76%) . Nearly two-thirds (64.71 %) of the businesses have been in Dublin for more than 5 years. . 40.34% have been in Dublin for more than ten years. . 21% have been in Dublin for less than 3 years. . 75.63% of the businesses define their customer base as the Tri-valley. . Over 90% (90.82%) consider the Downtown Dublin Area as a good place to locate a business. . A majority of the businesses (67.23%) have never participated in a joint promotion, however, nearly a like amount (70.91 %) are interested in looking at possible joint promotion activities. . Of the 14 potential activities approximately 3 received nearly half (46%) of the votes: "Shop Dublin" Promotion Joint Advertising Downtown Directory . A significant number of respondents (94%) feel the condition of the public streets is either Excellent or Good. [Question 11(e)] . When asked to rate 15 characteristics of the Downtown Area on all but 3 characteristics over 90% of the respondents identified them as Fair to Excellent. . In the 3 areas where less than 90% rated Downtown Characteristics as Fair or Better, the numbers remained well above a majority. Special Sale Events - 87% Visibility of Business Signs - 73% Adequacy of Business Signs - 67% . Businesses identified that a majority of their competition (45.8%) are located in Pleasanton, followed by San Ramon (19.85%) and then Dublin (14.50%). Based on strategies identified in the Downtown Specific Plan, it appears that several areas may warrant further study. . The survey results appear to support further evaluation of opportunities for joint promotion of the Downtown Area. . There appears to be some level of concern with internal traffic flow in retail centers. [Question 11(b)] Of those responding, 35% ranked this characteristic as Fair or poor. This area may warrant further analysis to determine whether there are particular centers which are affected. A similar response was received on the perception of how easy it is to get into the retail centers from the public streets, with 37% considering this characteristic as Fair or Poor. [Question 11(c)]. The Downtown Specific Plan suggested two specific programs which may address the perception of visibility of businesses and the adequacy of their signs. . project Entries Program: Identify ways to provide greater unity through working with property owners to develop a standard pylon design to mark the entires to retail projects. . Signing and Graphic Improvement Program: This program envisioned the use of a graphic design consultant to evaluate signing and potentially developing signing guidelines for the area. Also, the Specific Plan suggested that the City evaluate the potential for limited signing and graphic design assistance. EXHIBIT L .. . . MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of the Business Task Force is to address proposals which have not been implemented and are identified in the Dublin Downtown Specific Plan (adopted by the city Council, July 21, 1987). The Task Force shall also consider other issues of importance to the business community and provide recommendations to the city Council. PROPOSED DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN TASK FORCE SUBCOMMITTEES SCOPE OF WORK WITH MODIFICATIONS SUGGESTED BY THE TASK FORCE STEERING COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 6, 1992 AND THE TASK FORCE ON JANUARY 16, 1992 Special Proarams Subcommittee Subcommittee Goals: . Promotion - Identify opportunities for joint promotion which may include a variety of formats; i.e. advertisement, special events, City business efforts to market the Downtown area, formation of a business association, etc. . Communication and Education - Identify and develop methods by which the business community can become better informed about issues of interest. In addition to general communication efforts, identify whether training or other educational opportuni ties exist which may be jointly undertaken to assist businesses in being more successful. 1. Subcommittee members shall obtain additional information regarding the benef its and process used to develop a Downtown Association. A. Staff will prepare an outline reviewing the requirements and process. legal B. Staff will invite at least one person from a Bay Area city to discuss their experience with an Association. C. Staff will obtain a video presentation from the State Department of Commerce on this topic. 2. Based upon the background obtained in item #1, the Subcommittee will identify appropriate topics and format to be discussed at an open forum for all businesses. The following outlines a summary of the elements to be addressed: A. Forum will be sponsored by the Task Force - Focus will be to educate and obtain feedback. B. Forum will be open to all businesses in the city. EXHIBIT ~ . . Proposed Scope of Work Downtown Task Force C. staff will investigate the potential to invite representing professionals and businesses who participate in an Association. a panel currently D. Possible use of a brief state Department of Commerce video. E. Forum will provide opportunity to share with businesses an overview of the Downtown Specific Plan, and the Retail Promotion Survey Results. F. Forum will solicit ideas on promotional opportunities, including the interest in forming an Association. G. Provide a brainstorming session to solicit as many ideas as possible regarding issues of interest to the business community. 3. The Subcommittee will review and consider information from the business forum and consider a recommended policy for the city to pursue in the area of business promotion. The recommendation at a minimum should address the proposal presented in the Downtown Specific Plan suggesting that a Business Association be formed. 4. Develop an implementation strategy for business promotion. Provided that the Subcommittee has identified a recommendation to pursue business promotion, the Subcommittee should evaluate options of how to recommend that such an organization be started. The Subcommittee would need to estimate staffing or Consultant resources required. This evaluation would include but not be limited to identification of costs and funding options for the program. 5. Communication/Education In the event that a Downtown Association is formed, this entity may be an appropriate entity to carry out some of the goals of addressing communication and education programs. One opportunity might be a Newsletter which focused on issues particularly of interest to the business community. The Subcommittee will evaluate opportunities for a Newsletter including identification of potential funding or resources. Circulation/Transportation/Land Use Subcommittee Subcommittee Goals: . Identify and discuss transportation improvements which improve access to the City of Dublin. Attempt to identify opportunities which would assure that transportation improvements enhance the -2- ~. . . Proposed scope of Work Downtown Task Force Downtown Area. Identify business related perceptions of the benefits for planned improvements. . Identify whether options need to be developed for alternate locations for automobile dealers. . Evaluate the use of redevelopment to address long term needs and provide a direction for secondary uses in the event that current uses relocate in the extended planning area. 1. Several proposed transportation improvements in the downtown area would improve access to the retail area. Some of the proposals are preliminary in nature and Staff has provided review comments to the lead agencies proposing the improvements. As an initial step, it would be important for the Subcommittee members to have a general understanding of the scope of these proposed improvements, the current status and proj ected timing, and the status of proposed funding. Following receipt of this information, the Subcommittee could prepare a report to the Task Force. The report would attempt to outline the importance of these proj ects from the perspective of the bus iness community. It is intended that this report could potentially become a document for use by officials in pursuing grant funding and highlighting for the array of agencies involved in the process the importance of the proposed improvements. 2. Identify automobile dealer land use concerns. As identified in the Downtown Specific Plan Implementation Strategy, the city recognizes the importance of existing automobile dealerships in terms of their attraction of regional shoppers to Dublin and their contribution to the City's revenue base. The Specific Plan's implementation section suggests that periodic City contacts with property owners would be made in order to remain appraised of the auto dealers future plans. It is suggested that this Subcommittee approach this issue in the following manner: . city staff will make contact with the dealers and their landowners as recommended in the Specific Plan. Staff will report to the Subcommittee on any relevant information related to potential relocation considerations. Based upon the information obtained, the Subcommittee will consider whether additional study of issues related to automobile dealers is warranted. -3- ic . . # Proposed Scope of Work Downtown Task Force 3. Long term development needs. (a) Prepare a workshop for the Subcommittee on issues involving redevelopment. This would be intended to be an informational seminar in which the Task Force members could obtain information regarding how the mechanics of redevelopment and potential issues which would need to be addressed. Staff would review the proposed agenda with the Subcommittee and may suggest the use of professionals in the field of either redevelopment agency managers or consultants to identify the various options available. (b) Based on the information received in the redevelopment workshop, the Subcommittee would consider whether further analysis should be pursued by the city to address the long term redevelopment needs. In the event that this is deemed appropriate, the Subcommittee would need to identify the issues to be addressed. i.e. whether it should be considered for a specific area of the city or a specific sector of businesses. A recommendation to the City Council to obtain the services of a consultant to further evaluate the issues may be warranted depending on the findings of the Subcommittee. Urban Desiqn Subcommittee Subcommittee Goals: . Project Entries Program - Work with property owners and managers to develop a standard pylon design to mark the main entries to retail projects. . Signing and Graphics Improvement Program - Consider whether a survey should be conducted by a competent graphic design consultant to evaluate properties where significant improvements could be made and whether this type of professional signing and graphics improvements might be of a benefit to the businesses in the Downtown area. Consider whether signing guidelines specific to the Downtown area would be an appropriate way to identify the commercial core and develop an improved business climate. 1. Staff will work with the Subcommittee to research how multi- tenant center signage is handled in other communi ties. The Subcommittee will review and discuss examples from the other communities. 2. Staff will provide the Subcommittee with information on the process required to develop an entry pylon program. For example, it would be appropriate to identify the scope and type of signage changes being requested, a recommendation on the potential locations, and a request that the city Council initiate a change to the Sign Ordinance to accommodate these changes. -4- ~ . . " Proposed Scope of Work Downtown Task Force 3. Convene a meeting with property owners and tenants of the larger commercial centers in the Downtown specific Plan area to initiate discussion on the concept of the major entry pylon program and obtain feedback. 4. In the event that there is sufficient interest in this type of program, consider whether a consultant is needed to prepare some conceptual schemes for consideration. A potential draft scope of work by the consultant would need to be approved by the city Council prior to proceeding with the City Council's selection of a consultant. 5. In the event that a consultant is utilized, consider whether there is overlap between the entry pylon program and the signing and graphic improvement program. 6. Prepare a recommendation for consideration by the city council. The report should specifically address the concepts included in the Downtown Specific Plan and any recommended modifications. PSR/lss a:Nuwkscop.doc.taskforce#2 -5-