HomeMy WebLinkAbout5 - Town Center
AGENDA NUMBER:
PREPARED BY:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
INTRODUCTION:
BACKGROUND:
HERITAGE
1891
COMMUNITY
1991
20J1
~J.5fY- ./t/'
5
KAY SCHMUDLACH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
RECEIVE PETITIONS FOR LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS TO
TOWN CENTER
AUGUST 6, 1990
In February 1990 the Prior Lake City Council
requested the Economic Develo~ment Committee
to particiJ?ate in the initiat10n of a Town
Center Rev1talization Program. The Economic
Development Committee has been working with
the Town Center businesses to identify the
needs for a revitalized downtown and a plan
for the necessarr improvements. The Economic
Development Comm1ttee will be presenting an
update on the Town Center Revitalization
effort. In addition, Bill Packer will be
submitting petitions to the Cit~ Council
requesting local improvements to Ma1n Avenue.
To address the City Council's charge, the
Economic Development Committee pre~ared an
Action Plan and created a subcomm1ttee to
implement the Action Plan. The subcommittee,
Chaired by Darcy Running, hosted several
lunches with Town Center property owners and
merchants to discuss in an open forum the
needs of downtown merchants. The lunches were
attended by a core of 8-10 merchants most of
which supported some type of revitalization in
the downtown district.
The Town Center needs identified include
additional parking, better signage, improved
building facades and landscaping Main Avenue.
The Economic Development Committee with the
assistance of the Engineering staff prepared
preliminarr costs for basic street and
landscaJ?e 1mprovements. The cost estimates
were d1stributed and discussed by the
merchants. Although the support has not been
unanimous, there are a core of supporters who
4629 Dakota St. S.E., Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245
3. The City Council can initiate the project
as a City initiated project and direct
staff to prepare the necessary Resolution
to be considered at the next meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:
City staff recommends that the Citr Council
follow alternative number 1 rece1ving the
petitions and directing staff to certify the
property representation. staff is looking for
Council direction on your interest in the
project.
ACTION NECESSARY: Motion to receive the petitions and direct
staff accordingly.
DISCUSSION:
ALTERNATIVES:
have lead the drive to request a feasibility
study for improvements to Main Avenue.
In July, Bill Packer of Scott Rice Telephone
Company, Frank Wicker of Frank Wicker and
Associates, and Steve Nielson of Main Avenue
Video and Express Gas aPJ?roached all downtown
business persons to see 1f they would su~port
a feasibility study to provide a cost est1mate
for a Main Avenue improvement project. A
significant number of signatures have been
received on a petition representing
approximately 24% of the Main Avenue property
owners. This figure may sound low, however,
the City owns 30% of the property along Main
Avenue. The Council should discuss whether or
not they want the City to partici~ate in the
signing of the petition, thus eas1ly bringing
the percentage of land owners over 50%. In
addition, several petitions have been sent to
non local property owners. At least two of
the non local property owners have indicated
they will be returning the signed petition.
Bill Packer will be present at the August 6
City Council meeting to submit the petitions
to the Cit~ Council and discuss the City's
participat10n in the Town Center
Revitalization effort.
City staff will be available to briefly
J?resent the improvements that have been
1dentified for Main Avenue.
Staff has identified the following action
alternatives:
l. The City Council can receive the
petitions and direct staff to certify
their property representation. If the
property represented in the petition is
at least 35%, staff should place this
item on a future agenda for consideration
of adopting a Resolution ordering a
feasibility study. (Consideration should
be given here to the City's position on
the petition.)
2. The City Council can receive the
petitions but take no formal action on
them.