CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM

Department:	Planning & Development Services		Commission Meeting Date:  April 2, 2019
Staff Contact:	Amy Miller, Assistant PDS Director
Recommendations/Options/Action Requested:
Approve revised and expanded community engagement scope related to the development of the Downtown Master Plan and authorize the City Manager to sign the revised contract for professional consulting services with Houseal Lavigne Associates in the amount of $37,070.
Executive Summary:		Through the City’s strategic planning process, the City Commission identified a priority initiative of creating a Downtown Master Plan that includes identifying needed and desirable assets, identifying existing infrastructure and uses, and discovering potential uses and obstacles in response to the critical success factor of Economic Growth and Security. Staff developed a Request for Proposals (RFP) and through the selection process selected Houseal Lavigne Associates (HLA) as the firm that presented the most comprehensive proposal that fit the City’s needs. The City Commission approved a scope and timeline for the project, that met the $110,000 project budget approved in the 2018 Capital Improvement Program (CIP – Project# PR1918CIP) and a professional services agreement was executed with HLA.   The project kicked off in early November 2018 with data gathering and a November 1, 2018 Downtown Master Plan Steering Committee meeting. HLA worked with staff over the next few months to develop a project website, open an on-line survey and interacting mapping tool for input gathering and set up a week-long visit in early February that would include multiple workshops and group meetings to gather community input per the adopted project scope. The first of three community workshops were held February 4, 2019 and over 100 people attended. In addition, four of five focus group meetings were held to gain input on specific topics. Summaries and participants of the focus groups are located on the website. Inclement weather led to the cancelation of the fifth focus group and the remaining two community workshops. Issues regarding the transparency of the focus groups also came to light and city staff issued an apology and worked with the consultant to revise and expand the community engagement portion of the project based on community and City Commission concerns. The consultant, HLA, is proposing to reschedule the Community and Downtown Business Workshops, add outreach activities targeted to youth and college-aged community members, and create, facilitate and analyze Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Kits, that can be used by community groups to facilitate their own workshops. In addition, community engagement activities have been added in the form of a Downtown Visioning Workshop, a visual preference survey, a community open house on the draft plan and two City Commission level discussions before a plan is brought forth for consideration. This revised scope presents a more robust community engagement plan to facilitate the development of the plan and ensure that there are opportunities for all voices to be heard.
Strategic Plan Critical Success Factor		Economic Growth and Security
Fiscal Impact (Amount/Source):		The original fiscal impact to the City is $110,000.  This item is in the 2018 CIP-Project PR1918CIP. The expenses related to this additional scope exceed the original project for the budget. Staff plans to take the additional expenses in the amount of $37,070 from the Guest Tax Fund Balance.
Attachments:		Revised Project Scope Website with link to Project Website January 14, 2019 CM Report Update Steering Committee Resolution – October 2, 2018 CC Meeting Professional Services Agreement and Original Scope – August 21, 2018 CC Meeting

Reviewed By: (for CMO use only)

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