HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-02-09 Special Joint MDC MeetingJoint Meridian City Council - Meridian Development Corporation February 9, 2016
A joint meeting of the Meridian City Council and Meridian Development Corporation was
called to order at 6:10 p.m., Tuesday, February 9, 2016, by Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Keith Bird, Joe Borton, Genesis Milam,
Luke Cavener, Ty Palmer and Anne Little Roberts.
Others Present: Bill Nary, Jaycee Holman, Bruce Chatterton, Caleb Hood, Brian
McClure.
Item 1: Roll-call Attendance:
Roll call.
X _ Anne Little Roberts X _ Joe Borton
X __ Ty Palmer X_ Keith Bird
__X___ Genesis Milam __X___ Lucas Cavener
_X Mayor Tammy de Weerd
__X___Jim Escobar – Chairman ___X__Keith Bird – Member
__X___Dan Basalone – Vice-Chairman ______Kit Fitzgerald – Member
__X___Dave Winder– Secretary/Treasurer ___X__Callie Zamzow – Member
__X___Tammy de Weerd – Member
__X___Eric Jensen – Member
__X___Calvin Barrett – Member
__X___Todd Lakey – Counsel
__X___Ashley Squyres – Administrator
De Weerd: Thank you for joining us. We appreciate your patience while we tried to
organize up here. This is a lot of people and we appreciate you all joining us and thank
you to staff for organizing this. So, for the record, it is Tuesday, February 9th. It's five
minutes after 6:00. We will start with roll call attendance, Madam Clerk.
Item 2: Adoption of the Agenda
De Weerd: Thank you. Item No. 2 is adoption of the agenda.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we approve the agenda as noted.
Cavener: Second.
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De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to adopt the agenda as noted. All those in
favor say aye. I would have thought there would have been more noise when you have
all these people say aye. Let's try that again. All those in favor say aye. Ah, that's
great.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Item 3: Idaho Avenue Placemaking Project: Caleb Hood
De Weerd: Okay. Item No. 3. Idaho Avenue placemaking project. We will turn this
over to Caleb.
Hood: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Members of the MDC
Board. It's my privilege to present to you a little bit of an update here on the Idaho
Avenue placemaking project. Before I get into some of the -- the most recent steps, I
wanted to just give you a little bit of background information on this project. As I'm
speaking there is going to be a couple of handouts, too, that will help you kind of track
along with this presentation. Again, this is background information. Idaho Avenue was
identified as a prime candidate for the lighter, quicker, cheaper this last spring. In the
summer we had a similar meeting, although the setup was a little bit different, you all
were down on the floor here in the peanut gallery and discussed that report that was put
together in association with Idaho Smart Growth and decided that Idaho Avenue should
be one of the top priorities to do a lighter, quicker, cheaper project and I sat in this very
chair and you guys said go do something on Idaho and so we are back to kind of tell
you where we are at at this point in time. Again, a little background information. This
section of Idaho is a relatively low volume roadway, has a large public right of way. The
last count we got from ACHD there is about 600 cars per day or so on this short block of
Idaho Avenue. So, the project was, essentially, to see if we could reclaim some of that
space used for cars for nonmotorized uses. The goal being to create opportunities for
the public for activity and for business awareness and investment. This lighter, quicker,
cheaper project allows us to kind of test what an ultimate configuration may look like for
Idaho Avenue longer term and it is, obviously, a joint partnership, not only between the
city and MDC, but also our business partners, the MDBA and in particular businesses
along this block. The goal is to install what we are going to talk about here today in the
spring of this year, so just in a couple of few months here, with option to keep it up until
ACHD does some maintenance on this road right of way, which right now is planned for
FY-2019. So, what I'm going to be asking for tonight is some concurrence from both
boards on the scope of work, if you will, and, for lack of a better term, a cost sharing of
these terms. I want to go through those elements and the spreadsheet -- you have a
spreadsheet and a presentation and that spreadsheet -- it's kind of a hierarchy of what
staff would recommend that we do. So, the first item in that spreadsheet is painting and
striping, again, to reclaim a portion of the right of way. So, most of these options, like I
said, that I'm going to run through that are on the -- the spreadsheet have, at least at
this point, multiple bids or options on them. None of them are must haves, but this is
staff's recommendation. I should probably point out before I go too far, I have consulted
with Ashley Squires on this presentation, I think she's in agreement on -- on this and
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what we are proposing to you, basically, is a 50-50 split. Both of our agencies have
budgeted in our current fiscal years up to 15,000 dollars for this project. I would also
like to just thank -- Marty Schindler has been real instrumental and done a lot of the
door knocking and e-mail writing, as well as Joe Kozlowski and the MDBA as well for
their participation thus far in this project, so -- and, then, Brian also in my office has
been very helpful with a lot of what you're going to see here tonight with the graphics
and whatnot. So -- anyways, so let's jump into kind of what we are requesting we cost
share this evening. So, the paint and striping is one element that, again, is very high on
the list. If you're going to reclaim the area we need to, essentially, push the parking
back towards the center of the street, which allows about seven and a half feet of area
to be used for other purposes and we will talk about what those other purposes may be.
I should point out, too, if at any point on any of these elements there is questions,
clarifications, comments, please, feel free to interrupt me. I don't really have a great
graphic to show what the painting would look like. I do have a cross-section and maybe
before I go too far with getting into the paint too much, just kind of show you what the
overall section would look like and that maybe shows the paint a little bit better. So,
today the parking is along -- you know, is adjacent to the curb in this area on both sides
of the street. With the proposal what we would do is restripe the parking lane, so you
can see the tick marks here for the relocated parking stalls and, then, striping a new, if
you will, a faux curb. This would act as the curb line, although not a physical barrier
here and, then, that really gains that active use and business awareness area and this
would come -- it looks like paint to me on this diagram. This -- this realm. So, that's
kind of what -- what we are talking about here with the paint, would be to repaint
-- instead of a bike lane in this case, we would be repainting this at least a base gray
and there will be a little bit more on this towards the end of the presentation, but this,
again, I emphasize the base part of that, with the idea that over time we either come up
with activity or design or something else that goes over the top of that gray paint,
whether it be more paint or a stencil or an activity or whatever, kind of TBD at this point.
But the grey makes a nice -- it still calls it out as something different, but it's not the end
all, be all is kind of what the discussions -- and, again, we will talk about that nearer the
end of this presentation as well. And, then, again, the striping and decorative patterns
potentially there in the future. So, that right now -- what you have in the spreadsheet is
an estimated cost of about 1,900 dollars for the -- and that's the low estimate that we
had two people respond -- two paint suppliers respond and that was in the lower of the
two. So, about 1,900 or so dollars for that. Any question on the paint or striping or why
we are doing that? Okay. The next element is a temporary curbing and this isn't very
exciting, but it is something we need to do to, basically, protect those cars that are on
the end caps of the relocated parking. So, you have the bulb outs -- I should probably
go back to the -- the diagram here. Today you have the -- the curved line and the bulb
outs that protect the last couple of cars from someone turning the corner and rear-
ending them. So, what you see here -- and I realized it's kind of hard to see, but
someone northbound on Main Street turning eastbound on Idaho -- so, they don't run
into this car parked here, this is where your temporary curbing would go. It's a candle,
basically, that delineates the lines, so someone doesn't track, again, in the back of that
car. So, again, not a very exciting element, but something we need to do to, basically,
show the cars where they need to be and to delineate where nonmotorists can be, so --
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going back to that. So, what we are proposing is this top curb kit in what's called out
there. This bollard is similar. This is more of a -- Brian likes to call them lick and stick.
It's something that's -- it's more of-- it's an interim -- you know, it's a glue, basically, that
goes down. So, it's relatively easy to install and relatively easy to remove, doesn't do
any damage to a car if a car were to hit over it -- you know, maybe it makes -- scrapes a
little paint, but it's not a concrete bollard that really is firm. So, that's what we are
proposing at this point in time. So, any questions on that element?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Maybe I'm the only one that doesn't know, but what's a -- what's a waddle? I
see it here on the -- on the -- there are not costs, so it looks cheap, but I don't know
what it is.
Hood: So, it really is meant more for stormwater, kind of quantity if you will. I mean it is
-- it can be I think multiple material, but, basically, a hay bale that is -- you know, could
be strung together to do the same thing. I'm not explaining that very well, but you have
probably seen them on construction sites to keep things out of storm drain inlets, that
type of stuff. That really helps to -- again, most of the applications I'm aware of it's more
for stormwater quality, but you can also use it in a curb-like manner to do that and we --
that looks cheap, I mean just quite honestly. This isn't, again, very exciting or sexy, but
that looks very -- yeah. This doesn't fit this application in an urban environment.
De Weerd: Okay. Any other questions at this point? Okay. Thank you.
Hood: So, moving onto planters. So, now we are getting into some stuff that is a little
bit more exciting and I think, you know, dresses up that area a little bit more. So, the
proposal is to purchase 14 of these planters -- sorry for the back and forth here, but I
don't know a better way to do it. These are all down below the curb line. So, I know it's
hard to kind of see it. I think it's roughly proportionate. Is it seven aside? Yeah. It
looks like seven on each side and, basically, we place these planters midway in
between every other parking stall. The idea being that someone parked here, when
they open their door it isn't going to ding the planter. It's at where your bumper
essentially would be. So, it protects not only the car door, but it protects the planters
longer term. It also helps to, again, protect that area from -- it is a physical barrier for
where if some car is pulling up into here and trying to park against the curb. If the -- the
tick marks for parking didn't catch your attention and the solid white line, you know,
someone -- I'm not saying someone might not try to parallel park in there, but, really, it
really should help to delineate that a little bit better. So, that's what we are talking about
here is -- and these are planters -- what you see on the spreadsheet are planters from
the same manufacturer that parks currently uses in the downtown, so -- the color
scheme is not quite the same, but these concrete planters are the same -- there are the
Newport planters that is a city standard for downtown. One of the things -- and this ties
into the next part of this -- materials and maintenance. It's one of the conversations I've
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had with the MDBA. One of the expectations, at least to this point, is that either
adjacent business owners or the MDBA or some other force other than the city needs to
be responsible for watering these things. The initial installation is part of what we are
proposing tonight, but we need to talk more and make sure we get a plan of attack for
who maintains this -- if there is a failure to maintain it what happens, who is responsible
for replacing those materials or whatever. So, those -- those details haven't quite been
ironed out yet, but I did want to call that out. I think we are headed in the right direction
that way, we just haven't gotten there to really work out all the details of who maintains
these 14 planters downtown. We are going with -- we are proposing a shorter -- a little
bit shorter planter to allow a little bit more visibility into the street into these business
store fronts, so that they won't be as tall as maybe some of the ones in the Main Street
islands out here, but, again, they are in the same family as the rest of the -- the planters
downtown and I can ask the questions, but I'm going to just quickly go to plant material,
because they will go hand in hand. I wouldn't recommend you purchase the planters
without any plant material in them. So, this is -- that budget item kind of goes together.
Now, what you put in them -- you know, you could do something that is more low
maintenance, but at the end you may -- or at the beginning you may end up with more
capital improvement cost if you did something like a statue or something in there. So,
kind of what we are proposing is something that ties in with the rest of the landscape
pallet downtown, with more hardier shrubs that have a year around interest. So, some
of this, again, we can -- with Park's blessing and maybe some consultation from
business owners can play with that a little bit, but this is our rough ballpark cost of what
it would take to landscape those 14 planters with the landscape material. So, there I
will pause a little bit for plant material or planters comments if there are any. If not, I will
move right on to ramps. So, this one -- again, bear with me just a second. So, we have
-- one of the requests in hearing from one of the property owners was a request to take
-- currently there is an ADA parking stall down here next to Generations Plaza. The
request was to move it more mid block to be better accessible through some of the
patrons that frequent a business in mid block and so what you see, then, on the
proposed cross-section is a relocation of that parking stall here. Associated with that,
then, would be a curb ramp to get someone who is I assume disabled back up to the
curb height. So, that's -- that's what we are proposing with that is a curb ramp. The
reason -- if you look at the spreadsheet, the ramp we are proposing is here. It is more
expensive, but it is reusable and so after this demonstration project you could place this
other places where you had any other activities in the downtown or elsewhere will use
this module ramp. So, that is one of the reasons we went with that, instead some of
these other Handy Curb I think was the name of this one and this is your -- I'm sorry.
Handi-ramp -- Handi-ramp is one that the cursor is on. This is the Safe Curb. This one
I will also point out that ACHD did mention that they would like to review whatever we
put out there to make sure it is ADA compliant, so this isn't just something we can build
on site, it's something they want to review and have some oversight of. They didn't say
it in as many words as getting a permit necessarily, but they do want to -- they are
interested in how this is applied in the -- in the streetscape. So, that's that element. I
will move on. The trash receptacles. This is the one where we really don't have an
alternative. If we are going to put up a trash can we recommend that it be the standard
trash can that the city uses in downtown, so in this case we are recommending initially,
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but I will also point out we are moving kind of towards the end of the priority list, we are
kind of getting down there to the things that -- if you don't want a trash can it won't hurt
my feelings. If you say, you know what, we don't need another trash can. But we are
proposing one -- basically one mid block on the south side. There are existing trash
cans on the corners -- on all four corners, if you will, so -- and, again, Idaho isn't a very
long block, but we thought one mid block on the south side made some sense. So, that
is part of the proposal this afternoon. Any questions on curbs? Bike racks. This is
something -- I will probably just start out by saying the city does have a standard, but at
this point it's outdated and we need to probably come up with a new one, because it just
doesn't work. So, we are proposing a couple of different options. The multi-loop rack is
the one we have a yes by in the include column on your spreadsheet. Excuse me. So,
this is the one we are proposing be part of this project. In fact, there are two proposed.
An alternative would be this freestanding multi -- it's the last one under bike racks.
Again, same idea. This one would be -- these both could be reused. This one is more
of a pick up and relocate type of a thing. This one you would anchor into the pavement.
But those are kind of the two options, if you will. There are a couple of other options.
We do have the city standard rack shown on the -- on the spreadsheet, but, again,
that's not one of the ones I would recommend we go with in this instance. And this is
something we envision the Parks Department or city resources can help and put on the
ground. So, we can take questions, I'm going to put up I think the cross-section,
though, that kind of shows what the proposal is and so you can kind of take all that in.
Maybe before I get a question on that, this five foot clear zone isn't anything physical
necessarily on the exhibit. What that is meant to represent is whatever we do out here
between the face of building and where ever those parking stalls are, we have to keep
the sidewalk realm a clear zone for people to walk. So, we can't totally fill up the area
with planters and garbage cans and bike racks and whatever else, we have to -- with
whatever we do maintain a pedestrian zone. So, I think that's all I maybe wanted to
point out there. That's not the end of my presentation, but that is the end of the
proposal for this evening, at least at this point in time. So, if there are any questions -- if
not I will go into phase two of the presentation.
De Weerd: Okay. I would ask the MDC board or City Council do you have any
questions? Okay.
Hood: So, kind of the rest of the story -- and this is something, again, that we have
been working with -- with Marty, but when I say Marty, he's been the face and the one I
have interacted with the most. But in some of the dialogue I should -- Ashley has also
been part of that dialogue, too, but when we talk about, you know, the base coat gray
and what could go on next, we are certainly having that dialogue now. We are just not
ready to propose that to you at this point in time and say cut us loose, let us buy that
thing or whatever it's going to be -- that project in there and here we go. We are still
having that conversation. But I did want to plant a seed with you that more than likely
we will be back later on in this fiscal year, after we have had some time this spring to
see how this works and say, you know what, we really need some more planters or, you
know what, we need to buy a sandbox for the kids or we need to -- whatever it is. If
there is any money left we plan on coming back to the various -- your two boards with
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the business owners to say, yep, we want this, we want this, how do we want to activate
that area and making a pitch for that money and maybe even some more. So, I don't
know where it's going to go yet, but I just wanted to, again, plant that seed with you, let
you all know what that could potentially look like. So, there is some additional elements
that could be added. And this was intentionally put in front of these businesses here,
because that's where right now we think the most potential is for this boardwalk, if you
will. And that's below our proposal. So, it wasn't intentionally, just how the page --
pages broke. But the project total for this phase is on the top of page three, 23,000 -- a
little over 23,000 dollars. So, that's so that there is a little bit a contingency built into this
spreadsheet, but it holds true and it doesn't mean we have to spend all 30,000, but I
envision needing probably some more money to activate that base gray area and do
something in this area, whether it be in front of these businesses or these businesses --
or are all of these businesses on the block, some partnership. So, one of the options
that we have discussed is potential to -- at curb height add a boardwalk area out about
five feet from the curb and extend that to create that walkable zone. This is just
showing in front of Rick's Press Room. Again, it could potentially go in front of any
business that's interested in that partnership. Buy some outdoor tables and chairs and
an eatery area with -- with a, you know, wrought iron fence as kind of a concept. Well, if
you did that, between the tree and that -- and that railing, you can't get by there. Now, if
you're skinny you could probably turn sideways and get by there, but you can't eliminate
ADA requirements for being walkable. So, what we need to do, then, is come around
these trees to provide that safe passage along the sidewalk. So, that -- the only reason,
really, to build this boardwalk is if you do something in front of and adjacent to the
buildings and allow those businesses to really utilize that for other purposes. Here
again it's shown as outdoor seating for a restaurant. But, again, it's not exclusive to
that. You could do a similar concept here with just tables and chairs, which would be
open to, you know, anybody to come and sit down and enjoy a sack lunch or just hang
out with whatever. But, again, those could be installed pretty much -- you know, let your
imagination run wild. If we get a business owner that's interested in that partnership I'm
willing to talk about that -- to them about what this could potentially be, so -- and, then,
here are a couple more benches shown in this concept. So, in addition to those
elements, again -- this is the last time I will state it, but in addition to those elements or
activities that may go on kind of down below, if there is going to be chalkboards, you
know, maybe we do chalk art in the street or have, you know, art contests and
everybody gets a six foot area and you have -- you know, you vote on who did the best
chalk art in 30 minutes or whatever. I don't know. But that's kind of what we are
figuring out what to do with an area. But, again, back to your spreadsheet then. So, the
things -- the ledger are draw line items that you may or may not see in another few
months, but that's going to be done in conjunction with the business owners and the
MDBA and saying here is what we would like to do to take this to the next level. What
does that partnership look like? So, I think I highlighted pretty much everything.
Boardwalk. Benches. Table sets. Railing. And activation. Which could be graphics or
activities. So, that is pretty much both parts of my presentation then. I failed to show --
because we are using a cross-section so much, but one of the companies that we have
been looking at is Bison Decking. It is expensive, but similar to the ramps and some of
the other things. We can reuse it and it doesn't take a whole lot of coordination with
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ACHD, because we are not drilling into the face of the curb or we're not going down in
the asphalt. It's a platform that's put up with these feet that you can adjust the height to
get it to the level and you just level it up with the curb and you place down the decking
panels and you can put -- in this example, you know, tables and chairs are shown here.
So, it's just shown as an example. You could do a build in place, but you're probably
not likely to reuse that, so that's just an option. Here is our benches. And other. So,
again, some of this may be TBD, but these are just the things we have talked about to
date working with any business owner along that block that's interested. So, I will report
back -- or we will probably report back, however that works out. And with that I'd ask
maybe just quickly if Ashley has anything she wants to add and, if not, I would stand for
any questions and -- I guess the other thing is -- I'm not sure if it needs an official
motion by the various -- I have got -- as far as the city side, I have got a line item in my
budget. I need a head nod at least so I know I'm on the right track. I don't need an
official motion, but I would certainly take any feedback from the Mayor and City Council
on these elements, as well as the MDC board. Again I don't know -- I'd defer if MDC
needs a specific motion or not, but that's the proposal.
De Weerd: Thank you. Any discussion, questions, follow up?
Escobar: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: You want to pull that --
Escobar: Thanks for the presentation. I do have a question -- can you go back a
couple of slides to where it was showing the pedestals that were adjustable? So, in my
studies with safe planning, architectural design and where people like to sit and use
spaces, they want to feel safe and I wanted this slide to point out these long rectangular
planter boxes along that seating area. I think a situation like that would be critical if we
do have seating that occurs out on that edge to make sure that the people that are
using those tables feel safe and I wonder if our planters are easy to move and if we find
an area that is underutilized where we have placed planters, if we can pick them up and
relocate them to an area where a business owner might want to use that space or if
that's not an opportunity, if we could potentially look at the budget to add more planters,
so that we could have that flexibility to add it in when that situation arises.
Hood: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Mr. Chairman, Members of the Board, I
have talked to Parks a little bit about that and as to the first part of their question, no,
they are not easy -- they are pretty heavy and they are not easy to move and their
concern is moving it too many times and, then, the structural integrity of them starts to
get compromised. You pick it up and you set it back down and if you don't set it exactly
level you may crack it and they are okay with this, knowing that it's going to be a couple
of years and, then, maybe it finds its ultimate home somewhere else, but they aren't real
keen as an asset to picking it up and putting it down, moving it somewhere else,
because of that. They are not fragile by any means, but they are heavy and so, again,
when you pick it up and put it down there is stress that can be incurred on those and it's
not to say that maybe once or twice, but they don't -- again, they don't want to be
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picking them up every other month and moving them around, because you're probably
going to break one or two of them in that process. Is it doable? Yeah. It takes an
effort. But there is a concern there for that. I agree, though, I think some -- that feeling
-- that sense of security for protection, whether eating or just hanging out or whatever
ends up happening there, I think you're right, some protection, if you will, needs to be
part of that. There are other forms through that same manufacturer -- other planters
that maybe, again, is in the same family, that maybe we could do something that's more
a little elongated and kind of more in this realm other than the oval or round shape
planters. So, it's something we can further the discussion on, because I think if and
when we come back with the decking that will be part of the proposal.
De Weerd: Okay. Good question. Any other questions or comments? Boy, you guys
are awfully quiet. I guess I would ask Marty or Joe, any -- anyone have a comment on
this?
Kozlowski: How informal is this? Do I need to come up there?
De Weerd: You do.
Kozlowski: Okay.
De Weerd: And also if you would state your name. Either/or or both.
Kozlowski: Okay. My name is Joseph Scott Kozlowski.
De Weerd: Can you spell that?
Kozlowski: 580 East Moskee Street, Meridian, Idaho. I'm the president of the Meridian
Downtown Business Association and before I say anything I'm probably going to cry,
but if you look out here we have property owners on Idaho Avenue. We have
businesses on Idaho Avenue. We have -- I don't know, just -- a lot of -- just a lot of
support to show what's behind me and that is -- we are just a downtown business
association. We are not a business improvement district and I'm sure this fine panel
knows the difference, but for those of us that don't, a business improvement is a tax
district where businesses are taxed and that's how we can pay for these kinds of
improvements and that's what this is, this is -- these are improvements that we hope to
enhance downtown Meridian to bring in more people -- more businesses, make our
property values more, make our business better. You know, if we could we -- we would
do that, but we are just not that. What we are is a group of volunteers that have ponied
up a little bit of money and -- I mean half of my board is on your -- sitting in front of me
here, so I think that's kind of fun. But just to point out that -- what we are not and since
we don't have the funding to do something like this -- we do have a small budget and
that includes, you know, advertising and taking advantage of some events and doing
things like that. What -- what I see is coming to you for some additional funding on this.
And I was at the meeting last -- was it June? May? Or whenever that was and we were
looking over this report and, hey, Idaho Avenue is one of the -- one of the items on that
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report and we had no idea what lighter, quicker, cheaper really meant or what it would
cost. But it wasn't until, you know, Caleb and Marty have gone through and kind of
made some initial plans that we see what it's -- what it's going to cost and that initial
data that was just -- I mean it was grabbed out of the air. I mean we really have nothing
to base it on, but it ended up being, you know, 15,000 dollars from each of your -- of
your entities and when we sit down and look at this, we have done a pretty good job of
coming up with the lighter, quicker, cheaper side of it, but the question is what do we
really want to do and, you know, if we want to include some boardwalks and some
sponsors, some -- you know, make this enhanced, make this look like a destination,
maybe we should have come up with 25,000 for -- for organization. And I know we just
pulled that number out, but, you know, as we look at things and look at what this is
really going to cost, we realize that to do it the right way is going to cost a little bit more
and so I don't know if there is like a formal motion to say I need more money, but -- but
we need more money and -- and they can look at slides all day and if any of you have
any interest in what we can do, I just ask you to go to my favorite economic
development website. You guys may want to write this down. You got a pen? www --
no, you need to pick up your pen. Okay. www.google -- Goggle, you know, parklets.
Google, you know, streetscapes and look and see what other cities are doing and it
really is phenomenal and just from the support that we have here we have businesses
and we have property owners that are all behind us on doing this. So, I don't know what
other questions you might have, but to do it right we are going to need more planters
and in order to do it -- to do the planters right I can't build -- I can't build one in my
backyard, you know. What was the -- what was the -- what was the price on one of
those city approved planters? I'm going to miss that for all the support here.
Hood: Six hundred and eighty-five dollars.
Kozlowski: Yeah. So, like 700 bucks for a big planter. I mean I understand, but it --
when you're talking 14 of them and maybe even more, you know, that eats up a lot of
your budget. I think we can't -- I understand, you know, Caleb and -- you know, if there
is anybody that put a lot of work into this it's Caleb and Brian and we appreciate that.
But to do this right we need to combine phase one and phase two and we need to go
out and we need to have some boardwalk type areas with the planters and -- just to do
it right. Otherwise it's just -- you know, in the future when we find more money we are
going to add this here. I mean it's this constant re -- you know, remodeling of your
house that's probably never going to get anywhere. But to do it right and to show what
we can really do with Idaho Avenue, is going to make Idaho Avenue a destination. So,
that's what we want. We want that for an our -- and not just for Idaho Avenue property
owners, but for all of our downtown Meridian property owners and business owners, we
can say, hey, look, look at what we are doing here. Let's make something great. Let's
have the next -- you know, 8th Street fast block -- you know. Some day somebody is
going to mention Idaho Avenue and those -- those same types of discussions, you
know. We are going to have other cities going, oh, we need --we need our own Idaho
Avenue. Have you seen what they've done in Meridian and to do it right we are going to
need a little bit more and I don't know -- like I said, formally do I request that? Caleb,
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what's our -- I mean we know what we have. Fifty thousand? I mean what -- what is
that?
De Weerd: You don't have to answer that.
Kozlowski: I'm just saying -- if we combine phase one and phase two and we look at --
De Weerd: Plus you're putting my staff member on the spot.
Kozlowski: I don't mean to do that, but I don't think anybody is shocked that we didn't
have the right number at our meeting last summer and they are all just guessing. But
our guess it's going to provide paint and it's going to provide planters and that's good,
that's a good start. That's why it's phase one. But, you know, I was looking over what
Caleb and Brian have put together and we need phase two and we do phase two and
we are going to be -- not just the talk of the town, but we are going to have people all
over Idaho talking about it and I know from talking to Idaho Smart Growth that, you
know, they have seen it done on little bitty -- you know, like the parking stalls. We are
talking about a whole street. You know, it's going to be -- people all over the nation are
going to look and say, oh, look what Meridian is doing on Idaho Avenue and that's what
I want to see. You know, let's do it right, let's -- let's do something we can be proud of,
something we can get behind and maybe -- maybe when we -- you know, three years
from now whenever that chip sealing comes, maybe that's when we say, okay, let's
make it permanent. And if not, we sure got a good idea of what we can do, what our
budget is going to be and let's just say that we get another business that wants to add
planking or boardwalks, that they can do it and we can figure out some sort of
partnership for that. In order to initially do it we need to have the picture that Caleb has
up right now, which shows some parklets. I don't know if Jack's would like parklets.
Boardwalks? All the way to the -- to your side.
Hood: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Thank you, Joe.
Hood: If I can answer Joe's question now if I may. Because -- I mean I think that is part
of the issue and I don't disagree with a lot of the things he said, but I don't know where
the boardwalk goes. In this scenario I have not heard from Rick's Press Room that they
want to put up tables and chairs and until -- I would have no problem today saying let's
build this if I had some of those assurances. But right now it's a bunch of question
marks and so we would have a dollar amount, but I don't know how long this boardwalk
is. I don't know if it's on this side of the street or over here in bold or the whole length --
and that's where, again, I'm not -- I'm not opposed to coming back in a few months, but
right now the idea is we want to reclaim the streets so we can figure out what phase two
is.
Kozlowski: Yes.
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Hood: And, again, I don't have a problem if it's a budget amendment or an
enhancement for next year. You know, we will consult on that. But right now if we wait
we are going to miss this season. We are going -- it's going to be spring and summer
and we are going to be putting this thing in in the fall. And, then, it's wintertime and we
are not going to use it. So, I mean that's some of the thought process. I'm not
disagreeing, I'm saying this isn't the right time to say let's go back, because we don't
even know what that is.
Kozlowski: I know what it is and I know we can get the businesses behind it.
Hood: Well, no one's shared that with me. So --
De Weerd: Well, hello. I like this conversation, but -- thank you, Joe.
Escobar: I guess --
De Weerd: Yes.
Escobar: -- Corey wants -- of course Corey wants a piece of the floor.
De Weerd: I think I'm just going to turn this over to Joe and he -- he can run the
meeting.
Smith: Corey Smith. June 23rd, 1974. Done the video. As a business owner that
would directly benefit from this, I would have to say I appreciate all the work that's been
put into this. I don't think phase one without phase two is worth anything. I think that
phase one without phase two is going to be kind of a half assed approach and I wonder
how -- we got really excited about this, because it gave us an opportunity to have
possible client meetings outside of our office, have an opportunity for our staff to have
lunch, to have, you know, opportunities for people to come down the street and see
what we do. But just to have an extra seven and a half feet of roadway with a couple of
planter boxes doesn't seem to me like an approach that's really going to make a
difference. As a business owner that -- that takes up fair bit of his linear road space, I'd
say I prefer to wait a year to do it right than to -- and hopefully that doesn't offend too
many people here, but I prefer to wait a year and do it right than use the money now for
something that we might do in the future. When I think about those planter boxes, if we
are going to spend 700 times fourteen on those planter boxes, that maybe are moved a
year from now, it seems to me we probably ought to rethink that plan before we move
forward. That's my opinion as a business owner on that street.
De Weerd: Thank you, Corey.
Schindler: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Good evening, Marty.
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February 9, 2016
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Schindler: Good evening.
De Weerd: If you will, please, state your name.
Schindler: I'm Martin Schindler. I'm a property owner here in town and a resident within
the city limits. I own the building at 126 -- and I stood before you roughly nine months
ago and raised my hand in an effort to help Caleb Hood put this program together. And
since then, you know, I have bought a building on that street and I own now the 126, the
old Preece Chocolate, and when we talk about dollars and cents, you know, I
understand Corey's frustration and I appreciate Joe wholeheartedly, but I also want to
be recognized that the dollar amount that we are spending today or have proposed --
and we have talked about, you know, what is the bigger picture, because what we are
talking about is a commitment both from stakeholders, myself, Josh Everts, for instance,
you know, we are going to toss out a couple hundred thousand dollars here in the next
few months. He's already gone through 150. I have spent a hundred to buy the
building. I'm going to throw another hundred into it. That's 400 and some odd thousand
dollars between two businesses. Unfortunately, Steve is here tonight, the owner of 140,
which is a smoke shop. Rick and Julie are both in support of this. Tim Day. Tim, would
you stand a second? Tim Day is the Tribute Media building and he is here, too, in
support of this right sizing effort to make a place on Idaho Avenue. So, I do contend
that we -- you know, we need a bigger picture. Unfortunately, we try to work with the
budget dollars and these are the constraints that we have. But we -- we want to be -- to
present that to make any kind of presentation to the public and to be a success --
because that's what we want to be -- this is not just about our street, this is about DBA
being able to bring in commitment, find other supporting volunteers to help formulate
and activate and produce events on Idaho Avenue and we hope over the next year or
two years those events will, then, migrate to other parts of the city. So, this is really a
platform for a demonstration. Think of it purely as a -- a platform that we can continue
on through other areas in the city to begin these other placemaking events and maybe
they may be smaller and condensed, they will still unite this community and I think that's
today what we have lacked is, really, a strong intercity connected community and I have
had the pleasure of walking these streets the last nine months and I found people
happy, joyous and free and I have found some very discontent individuals and I think it's
our responsibility as community leaders and people that provide leadership and
fellowship, you know, to help bring and unit this -- our city together and I think this is a
place that we could do and I think it's a place where DBA can take this and leverage it
to become the organization it really ought to be. With that I thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you, Marty. Thank you for joining us. If you will, please, state your
name.
Day: Good evening. My name is Tim Day. We own the building at 136 Idaho Street.
Tribute Media Building. And I just want to make a comment about the economics of
what we are facing as a business and building owners, is that if we were to build these
buildings new and to lease them for a break even rate, we would be at 18 to 20 dollars
a square foot square per year. But we can't get that from out tenants, because they
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February 9, 2016
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can't -- because it's not a viable location for them to pay that amount to replace the
buildings at market value. So, what we have to do is lease our buildings down around
ten, 11, 12 bucks a square foot at the most and, then, they cry at that, because that
stretches them. This project that we are proposing would enable the value of our
location for our tenants to come up to where all of these old dilapidated buildings could
be replaced and remodeled with new construction that we can get the kind of rents that
you can get to replace -- to do quality downtown. So, your help will allow us to do this.
So, anything you can give us on the streets to do so will get downtown on par with
Eagle Street and -- or Eagle Boulevard -- Avenue and make it so we can compete -- our
tenants compete with the suburban sprawl that's going on around us and strengthen
downtown. So, it's just a --
De Weerd: You had me until you said suburban sprawl. Oh, my gosh.
Day: Do you want me to redefine that so it sounds better? Yeah. It's just that -- it's just
that, you know, you got to go pay big dollars to be on these really competitive streets.
We are limping along and Marty is buying these old buildings and these buildings cost
more to remodel than they do to build new and yet we can only get about two-thirds of
the rent that it would take to build them. So, your help will enabled the downtown
merchants to make more money for their square feet and that will allow me to recover
some of the cost we put in remodeling our building and it just makes an economic
model that provides growth in a downtown center to Meridian that will keep everything
from spreading out away from downtown and create a viable downtown. So, that's my
-- that's my thought.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you.
Day: Thank you.
De Weerd: Council, any questions or for board members? Is there anyone else who
would like to provide comment? Good evening, Steve.
D'Avanzo: Good evening. My name is Steve D'Avanzo. My address is 5708 North Fox
Run Way, Meridian, Idaho. 83646. It used to be 83642, but I'd like to talk about getting
a new post office, but that's a whole different story. Just know I'm going to wait in line
occasionally. I would like to think that I was one of the first people to see the potential
of Idaho Avenue. Rick, Julie, myself and my wife bought the building back in 2007 and
remodeled the building and I will tell you what I would ask you go past Idaho Avenue
look to your right and tell me if that's an inviting place that you would want to spend time
at. It's dark, it's dreary, and we have to do something to -- to fix that. We have to make
it inviting for people to come down there and want to stay. You know, the City Council
-- Meridian has done a great job of developing Eagle Road. One of the new projects is
going to be Ten Mile. Okay. And a lot of us downtown or business owners are very
concerned that the core of the city will be left wanting. Okay. So, it's really important
that we take these baby steps to make sure that we remain vibrant. Okay. So, yeah,
you know, I would like to see one and two together, but I will take one and hope for two
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February 9, 2016
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when they were asking how much. Obviously, these are not business people, because
what you do is you ask for a hundred thousand and settle for 50. Okay. Or 40. But you
have got to start at some point in time. You know, I look at it from a slightly different
perspective, because not only am I a property owner, but I'm a business owner also.
So, I'm not leasing out the space. What I want to do is make it a more inviting
atmosphere to get people down here so they can look and see and do things and spend
money. Okay. So, these are the things that I want to do. You know, we talk about the
base gray coat. I don't want anything gray on the streets. Okay. Gray is dreary. Okay.
We want to make it vibrate. We want to make it alive. I would much rather take light
boxes and have a concept for all the schools in Meridian to give them a six or an eight
foot space and let them come down and do a mural of some sort and have 15 to 20 to
30 different murals that each school can participate in. Let them have a -- and that
would bring the kids downtown, it would bring the parents downtown, it would create
energy. Okay. When I first moved into 132 East Idaho I talked to Parks and Rec about
doing a chalk concept from -- on the sidewalk. I thought that would get people
downtown walking around seeing what's going on. That's what we need to do and we
do it to a degree with the carnival and with the days -- Dairy Days. We do a lot of things
right. We don't do everything right. And I'm not asking you to do everything right, but
we have to do more. Okay. And we need to understand -- the city doesn't understand
what the property owners and business owners want and that's partly our fault and
that's partly your fault. Okay. We -- we need to have open communication. Marty has
done a great job of being a liaison between the city and the business owners, because
they still allow those business owners that are alienated and don't want to participate,
because nothing has ever happened. Okay. So, it's really important that something
happen. Okay. Even if its phase one, something has to happen. We have -- a journey
of a thousand miles starts with the first step. Let's take the first step. Okay. And other
than that thank you very much for your time.
De Weerd: Thank you, Steve.
Haxton: Good evening.
De Weerd: Good evening.
Haxton: Scott Haxton. I am a building owner on Idaho Avenue. 124 Idaho Avenue.
And also a commercial appraiser. Just -- there has been some great comments tonight
on -- on what to do and what not to do and I look around the valley and look at Caldwell,
Nampa, Boise, Eagle -- everyone has done a great job in their downtown. Caldwell
rejuvenated their downtown. It looks great. Nampa is doing the same. It looks great.
Eagle has done the same. It looks great. Boise has Bown Crossing. Hyde Park.
Downtown Boise. They all look great. Meridian is one of the, what, second largest
cities in Idaho. We don't have anything that looks good, except new shopping centers,
and they look like new shopping centers and I think we need to do what every other city
around us has done and I think we need to spend the money to -- and do it right, as
opposed to some temporary fix, which to me looks really cheap. It doesn't look good.
Doesn't add value. Doesn't really help the tenants out or the property owners. I think it
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February 9, 2016
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just looks like we don't have any money. We don't -- the more we do as far as an
infrastructure in one location, that will spread and that will grow, but if we do the first
thing wrong and cheap and premature, it won't spread. It will take us ten more years to
get back to the place where we want to do it right and, then, we will have missed our
opportunity in the next ten years and I think it helps everyone to do it right and Idaho
Avenue is the only place at this stage to do it. So, I think we should do it right and, you
know, I don't know -- I should have asked some more questions early on if we could do
things like instead of a temporary wood boardwalk, if we could do brick, you know,
something permanent. But that might be -- involve a re-engineering of the street, so I
don't know how that would work, but -- so that might be off the table. But I would like to
-- I would prefer to see that done, something permanent, if that's possible. But,
otherwise, if it's not, something that looks good. I'm with Steve and I think that's just a
temporary gray paint -- I think it looks worse -- and put those bumpers up, I think it looks
temporary. I think it looks like Meridian doesn't have a vital downtown core. And we
are not going to draw the businesses we want to draw in that location. That's all I have
to say. Thanks.
De Weerd: Thank you. Is there anyone else who would like to provide comment? I
guess we are looking at Josh. Josh, do you want to talk?
Everts: I'm Josh Everts. I guess the patriarch I feel like, everybody looking at me. So, I
felt like my responsibility in this whole project was to do the two things that I took on.
Number one, Heritage Building bringing in -- getting Cody and these guys to believe in
downtown Meridian, make substantial investment to build out that space, bring them in.
The second thing is the vault -- doing the work on the opposite corner of what we are
talking about here and look to bring experience and events and things that are going on
there. I'm a -- I'm a profiteer, so I do believe that there is a really, really tough decision
in front of you guys. I agree with my brothers here that to do a phase one in the
absence of a real strategic plan for phase two, could be problematic, could be
premature. I agree with Caleb that we have no idea, to be quite frank. I mean those
conversations haven't taken place with exactly what we want to do, so I think it's
premature to say, hey, authorize money when we haven't presented a real clear budget
and plan for how those dollars need to be expended and so I think it would be
appropriate to go back and look at that. But I will say is that doing nothing is not an
option. Like I would rather see a half ass plan that at least let's -- let's go do something,
because I think that you have got some committed businesses that are willing to
partner. So, you know, whatever you would be asking of us, we are all in. To Marty's
point, I mean we are spending dollars now that's improving our buildings, our
businesses, so I'm not going to, you know, be false in saying that I'm a philanthropist. I
don't -- I'm not that. Well, at least not in this setting. So, yeah. So, I would just
appreciate you guys just -- I don't see any body language here that you guys aren't
interested in the same thing we are, so I would just thank you for supporting and being
behind that and certainly MDC has been a part of the projects that I'm taking on and will
continue to be a partner and so will the city, Mayor, thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
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Everts: Questions? All right. Thank you.
De Weerd: So, I appreciate everyone's comments and -- and certainly I think all of us
sitting up here have a passion for Idaho Avenue and what the opportunity and potential
is. When you compare us to other cities make sure you compare us on an even playing
field. They are taxing themselves. They have a business improvement district and they
are reinvesting their own dollars into the events and the landscape in that area, for
leveraging the dollars of the urban renewal district and the city to make their
environment better. So, as we are going to compare ourselves with someone else, let's
make sure we are comparing apples to apples. I don't think there is anyone up here
who does not want to see a vibrant downtown. The city has put considerable effort into
bringing events downtown. It has been really painful trying to get downtown businesses
to become involved. They are slow to see that there is a downtown business
association, because we have always thought when we made this major investment
that you're sitting in right now, is that we would be your partner. So, we would work
together and that we wouldn't do it all for you. So, I'm sorry I'm a little bit angry right
now, because when we are told that you need to do this, I thought this was a
partnership. So, I want to do it right. I think if we are going to do a pilot project we need
to do it right. We owe it to our downtown, not just Idaho Avenue, but Idaho Avenue I
think will be a catalyst project, but we have got to have the involvement of the
businesses that are down here. If we are going to compare ourselves to The Village I
can tell you that those business owners pay monthly for an association fee. They pay
someone to do all the organization of those events that are down there. So, we are not
your -- your party or event planners, we want to be your partners, but it has to be equal.
I appreciate those of you that have reinvested in your buildings and as Josh has pointed
out, there is a business reason for that and we sure have some responsibility for the
public space and those are your sidewalks, your roads -- I'm not a road or a sidewalk
agency, but we are committed to this downtown. So, let's lock arms and talk about how
we can work together and do it and when we are giving a hundred percent I hope you're
giving a hundred percent, too. That's not necessarily your dollar, it's your time as well,
because I know who has been involved and we need everyone involved to make Idaho
Avenue really a catalyst project. So, I would say I think that we still have work to be
done to really put some firm numbers to it and I can tell you one person up here is very
committed to it. If I wasn't committed to it I wouldn't have talked about it in the State of
the City, because I want people to get excited about what there is to come in our
downtown and to give them every reason to come down here. But we need a full
partnership and I don't know -- I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have started. But tell me
when to shut up. But I would ask for any other comments and get your thoughts. Mr.
Basalone.
Basalone: Thank you, Mayor. Yeah. First of all, I'm pleased to see that we have our
Downtown Business Association involved in downtown Meridian. This is the goal that
we have been shooting for for a year and a half, two years now. We talked about it. It's
happening. All of you out here this evening. And that's very heartening. And I agree
with what Josh said, you know, and whoever said a thousand -- a journey of a thousand
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February 9, 2016
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miles starts with a single step, phase one is the single step. MDC has committed
15,000 dollars for this project. The city has committed 15,000. That's 30,000 dollars.
Phase one is $23,571.50. To do part of phase two or to do all of phase two would be
an additional 12,600 dollars. You still have 6,500 dollars from the 15,000. It would take
an additional 6,171 dollars to do that boardwalk configuration. But as the Mayor said
where would it go? Would it go in front of Rick's? Would it go in front of the 127 Club?
Would it go in front of the Denning's Insurance Agency? Where would it go? That's the
decision that I feel the Downtown Business Association has to come up with in terms of
its members and where it should go and where it should be placed and how it should be
situated, because we definitely want the involvement of the businesses. We also have
before us as MDC potentially a facade Improvement program where something we
have been wanting to see happen where four or five business owners along that street
are going to ban together to do façade improvement, because I'm not for tearing down
those old buildings, I'm for restoring them. They are part of our historic walking tour.
We want to keep the historic nature of downtown. So, as part of façade improvement
you can certainly improve the public access areas of the street as well. So, that's
another funding source. So, we do need to be creative and I do think we need to start
and I don't just believe in throwing money out there and saying what can we do with it. I
think you have to have a plan. Phase one is a plan. Phase two is a plan. Facade
improvement is a plan. And businesses investing is a plan. These are all the things we
want to see happen. But let's not hold this up and Caleb was saying -- Caleb was
saying, let's not hold this up until the fall and not get anything done for the spring and I
do agree with -- and, you know, I really -- I know Julie and Rick and I'm sorry I keep
forgetting your name, sir. Steve. I agree with Steve that it has to be as colorful and as
attractive as possible and I don't believe in dullness either. So, I think that we all agree
on all of these. I think what we are going to have to decide on is that we need to start
somewhere, get it going and, then, as we add to it let's make these permanent
improvements as we go along and as we have the investment in it by both the
businesses and the public.
Escobar: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Escobar.
Escobar: I think I have been on the MDC board for about eight years now and not once
in those eight years have I seen this level of interest in anything we have been doing
and, trust me, we have begged. I have knocked on people's doors. I have spoken with
people trying to get them involved and interested in something. I am just so excited to
see we finally have a project where everybody is excited and interested. Now, I noticed
that we have one half of the street sitting in this building. Do we have representation
from the other half of the street? So, I bring that up, because right now we are in -- in a
design world where are in the schematic design design development phase. So, we are
painting a picture, putting some budgetary dollars to a project and that's what we have
identified here today and now we need to dive into further development, that design
development portion, to be able to paint the picture, develop the drawings, the dollars
associated to the picture and the picture comes from your guys' group on telling us
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February 9, 2016
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exactly what it is is the best use of these dollars towards this project. So, I guess
everything here is super positive and I just encourage you guys as a group to develop
what the picture is. Not the idea of what the picture could be. We are there. Let's
figure out what the picture actually is. Figure out what the actual dollars are associated
to it and, then, let's take the action to move forward and make this thing a success.
De Weerd: And maybe you even bring it back that you do the north side first and work
with the budget that we have and -- you can't -- Joe. Joe. Just a second. I know you
want to run this meeting, but you can't. I will ask you for your thoughts in just a
moment. Are there any other comment at this point?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: A brief comment. I think I have got a very unique perspective, because over
the past five years I have been a city employee representing the city. I have knocked
on your business doors and asked you to be involved in parking projects. I have
knocked on your doors say be involved in community programs. On the MDC. We
knocked on your door to talk about façade improvements as a way to get involved and
the city when I was running for office to knock on your door for support and what I have
been sitting here thinking about is so many times I have been on their door knocking
and what I'm really enthused about is that we have got a group that's coming here
knocking on our door and saying this is what we want. Not this is the city or MDC or a
concerned citizen saying this is what we think you should want, this is them telling us
what we want. Mayor, I think you've got so many strong points, especially when you
look at the collaboration that you see in The Village and you to see in downtown Boise,
but I think that we are seeing this collaboration here today and to Mr. Escobar's point, I
think you should take tonight as a call to action to come together and say this is what
we want, start to finish, and work within the budget that we have set aside to do this,
noting that it's not a period, that's a comma, and that we I think as a group are here
committed to saying we are hearing you, you're coming to us and this is what we want
and we want to help make that happen, but I think because many of us have been here
before we say this is what I want to have happen, but the person next to us says, well, I
don't want that or the person across the street says that's not for me. So, we really
need you to come together as a group to say this is our plan, now let's go and
implement it.
De Weerd: Anything from this side? Okay. Joe, did you have an observation?
Okay. But you have to come to the -- we do all our business on the public record.
Kozlowski: All right. Public record. Joseph Scott Kozlowski. 580 East Moskee Street,
Meridian, Idaho. I would just like to point out that the -- the picture that Caleb has up
shows -- that was envisioned being our first boardwalk. I mean it's not really -- go back
to the drawing board, we have already drawn it, you know, but I wonder what that
boardwalk might cost, but the problem is, as Jim pointed out, hey, those people want to
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February 9, 2016
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feel safe for walking on the boardwalk, so we have to add some planters to the
boardwalk and so it becomes more than just a 6,000 dollar difference, it becomes a 15
to 20 thousand dollar difference. So, that's what I'm saying is that we are pulling
numbers out of the air that are just a little off is all I'm saying to do it this way. Thank
you.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, could I ask Joe a question?
De Weerd: Joe.
Kozlowski: Yes.
Cavener: Joe, a question. I have been sitting up here -- I was involved with a church
relocating and our church said we are going to build the building, but we want our
congregation members to buy their seats and so as a church we all raised the money to
buy our seats and I guess my question is do you feel in working with the downtown
business owners that you guys would be willing to buy some seats and buy some
planters and I have ownership of that piece?
Kozlowski: That's what we're talking about already with them is if they want -- for
instance, in front of Rick's, you know, we are not coming to you for money for their
tables and their umbrellas and their chairs. That's what we are saying, hey, let's have
some -- let's have some involvement. We are talking about how many total planters,
Caleb?
Hood: Fourteen in phase one.
Kozlowski: And, then, if we did some more on the -- you know, we are looking at -- I
mean I don't know how many planters, but somebody has got to water those and that's
going to be a total pain. But I'm willing to oversee watering the planters and making that
happen somehow. Also we are turning to our -- I mean I don't have the funds and the
MDBA doesn't have the funds, but, by golly, we got a lot of people and we got a lot of
passion and that's what's going to push this over the top. You know, what I love about
the MDBA is for one it's not you guys. I mean it is, but we are that voice between the
businesses and these other entities and -- and I love that. I want to be that voice. I
want somebody -- instead of coming here with a complaint, come to an MDBA meeting
and say here is my problem. You know, now we can get somewhere. So, that's what --
I see the need for, hey, let's -- you know, what's your commitment. What are you willing
to put up. But as an association we can't put up much dollars and as the Mayor pointed
out, we are not a business improvement district. If we were it would be a different
discussion. So, I'm not saying we won't be someday. But for right now this is what we
are and I think we can -- we can get the Idaho Avenue business owners and property
owners behind whatever we feel is needed. I mean if you want, we can point out here
is where we would like those initial platforms to be put. If we want those initial platforms
to look right now we are talking just more dollars and more people to come and water
them and --
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De Weerd: Joe.
Kozlowski: Yeah.
De Weerd: I think at this point what I have heard coming from the two bodies is we
have 30,000 dollars. How best can we invested it in placemaking on Idaho Avenue. If
it's on one side of the street and you moved the seven planters from the south side to
the north side and you use the money that would have painted that to put some
decoration on top of -- not the gray, but the pink -- whatever. But, you know, if you use
some of it to create a park contest for the elementary schools --
Kozlowski: Absolutely.
De Weerd: -- to paint the planter boxes, I think all of that is -- has a lot of value and
that's what we would ask the Meridian Downtown Business Association to work with our
staffs to come back with a solid proposal for that lighter, quicker, cheaper -- it's cheaper
for a reason. Not lighter, quicker, more expensive. Thirty thousand dollars that we can
best spend --
Kozlowski: Right.
De Weerd: -- to create a sense of place and a launch pad for Idaho Avenue and we will
turn that over to our property owners on the north side that showed up tonight and said
work together and bring us back an exciting plan, because this is going to knock the
socks off our community? Right?
Kozlowski: Ideally.
De Weerd: Ideally. You're supposed to go right.
Kozlowski: Yes.
De Weerd: Yes.
Kozlowski: Here is my problem with excluding the south side of the street is this is
going to look like Meridian Road. I know we are all proud of Meridian Road, but when
you drive down Meridian Road there is anti-lighting on one side. We basically told the
other side of the street they don't count, that we don't care about them.
De Weerd: Well, whatever you do come back with a proposal for 30,000 dollars.
Kozlowski: For 3,000 dollars. So, we weren't able to grab anymore money. So, you
have released the 30,000?
De Weerd: No. We need a proposal. We know you will work it out in your MDBA.
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Kozlowski: Marty will make it happen. But that's my only concern is if we do half a
street we have now excluded half of our property owners and I would just like to see
them all on the same boat, same page. I'm mixing my alliterations here and I apologize.
De Weerd: No. I think we -- I think we understand.
Kozlowski: Okay.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Joe, have you had much interaction with the south side of the street?
Kozlowski: They are in favor. They are in favor. They are not opposed. I mean they
are --
Milam: There is no excitement coming from -- the way that there is on the north side.
Kozlowski: The north side is here, but -- but we have certain -- we have certain
businesses on the south side that are -- that are in favor. They are excited. Can I
share names or -- the barbershop -- we would love to have -- you know, extend that out
and have a spot for people to gather. The photography studio, the same way. The 127
Club is not opposed, but I think that when they see what -- hey, look what's happening
at Ricks -- trying to figure out, well, hey, maybe I can do something more on a Friday
night or a Saturday night -- I mean that -- they are in favor of what we are doing, but
they are not --
Milam: They feel left out?
Kozlowski: What's that?
Milam: They feel left out?
Kozlowski: Maybe they feel left out if I don't paint their sidewalk.
De Weerd: Maybe they are phase two. So, what alls we are saying is I think you re-
huddle and look at what -- what you can get the biggest bang for the budget you have
and look at it as phase one and see how we can start moving this project forward. You
have a short window.
Kozlowski: We have real short window. When is our next time to make a proposal?
De Weerd: We meet every week. But I think first you guys need to huddle and then
just --
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February 9, 2016
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Kozlowski: I mean we will huddle. I mean I'm not worried about that, but you tell when
the next huddle is.
De Weerd: Joe. Okay.
Kozlowski: I mean a date. I need a deadline.
De Weerd: Okay.
Kozlowski: Next Tuesday.
De Weerd: Next Tuesday.
Kozlowski: So, one week from today.
De Weerd: Yes.
Kozlowski: So, we will have a proposal to you.
De Weerd: Okay. That's awesome.
Kozlowski: Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Kozlowski: You're welcome.
De Weerd: Okay. Anything further, Caleb?
Hood: Yes, Madam Mayor. Based on the last conversation a little bit. And I just -- and
I'm not quite sure if -- what the action is going to be from this group if it's phase one and
he's coming back next Tuesday with a phase two proposal or if it's nothing tonight
until --
De Weerd: It is for the budgeted amount and -- unless anyone says different. I didn't
hear that. And I would also suggest -- see if you can find other pricing for the
rectangular planters, rather than the circular ones, because I agree with Mr. Escobar's
comments that that would bring a better sense of creating that place and security.
Hood: So, Madam Mayor, just a couple things. We can look at the planters a little bit.
It is a little bit different here in this scenario with the parking and having the planters and
built in there. I don't know if we can -- we will think creatively with the business owners
about what may happen there, but there is very limited space to add planters to extend
that out, so I don't know if that's going to be possible or not, but we will look. My point,
though -- or the question was going to be Council on next Tuesday. I don't know what
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February 9, 2016
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happens with MDC, though. And, again, the 30,000 isn't the city's, it's half the city's, so
what's the process, then, on MDC's side -- that's why we had you all here together is to
say go, so it's like --
De Weerd: So, Caleb -- but I'm not hearing go yet. And I think you bring it to Council
next week and we will put it on the MDC agenda the following week. So, it gets a
follow-up, a deadline for Joe, because Joe is deadline driven and it will give some
feedback if we need to put it on the agenda, then, the following week to City Council,
the day before you go to MDC, it gives us some wiggle room or if you're not ready next
week, we will continue it until the following week. So, we're just trying to build in some
flexibility. Does that work?
Hood: Yeah. I just want some clarification if we are all getting back together or how it
was going to play out. So, thank you.
Item 4: Pine Avenue Roadway Project: Brian McClure
De Weerd: Okay. Anything further from MDC or City Council on this item? Okay. We
will move, then, to Pine Avenue Roadway. I -- I am assuming this one is going to be a
little bit shorter.
McClure: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council and Members of the MDC board, this
is going to be quick. I am mostly providing this opportunity for you guys to ask
questions. I will briefly read my memo and, then, open it up. So, the Ada County
Highway District, Meridian Development Corporation, the City of Meridian are working
together to bring improvements to Pine Avenue from Meridian Road to Locust Grove.
You can see that on the slide above. This project will resurface the roadway, repair or
install new sidewalks, enhance or create new landscape parkways, complete a number
of bicycle lanes gaps and include a ten -- a new ten foot pathway from the Five Mile
Creek pathway all the way to Locust Grove. Within downtown this project will also
include a new sewer and water lines along portions of Pine. All dilapidated water lines
in alleys will be abandoned and new connections provided to impact of stakeholders --
homeowners. Outside of downtown and as part of this project the Five Mile Creek
bridge will be rebuilt and turn lanes added to Stonehenge Way to Locust Grove. This
project is well within the design phase and tentatively scheduled to begin construction in
2018. Since the last update to City Council, MDA has approved a landscape design
and enabled Meridian Parks and Recreation Department to begin design work on the
landscape parkways. MDC has also approved budget for a lighting design consultant to
look at historic lighting improvements from Pine Avenue to -- along Pine Avenue from
Meridian Road to East 5th. I will also add that as of the previous Council meeting
tonight, City Council agreed to a memorandum of agreement and Parks and Recreation
has been given the budget they need to pursue the design. With that I just -- the
graphics there -- or the bullets here. I'm open for questions if you guys have any
comments or need further clarification or haven't heard about this project yet, happy to
answer any and all questions.
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De Weerd: Thank you, Brian. Council or MDC board, any questions for Brian? It's an
exciting project. We appreciate the -- the partners at the table on this. ACHD, MDC,
and the city. I believe the MDA -- MDBA has also been involved in the conversation.
This is going to be a great project for our downtown in making it easier to get down
here. So, no further information needed? Okay.
McClure: Thank you.
Item 5: Presentation of Eligibility Findings for the proposed Urban Renewal
District at the Ten Mile Interchange: Bruce Chatterton
De Weerd: Thank you. Okay. Item No. 5 is a presentation that I will ask Bruce
Chatterton if he wants to kick us off.
Chatterton: Madam Mayor and Council Members, Chairman Escobar, MDC board
members -- please, don't make me say all that again. It's great to see so many and if
we can't solve the problems before us with this group -- I don't know. We may as well
give up, so -- I appreciate this joint session. Mayor -- she mentioned with me is Phil
Kushlan, so when it comes to urban renewal in Idaho he really is the expert's expert and
we are very glad to have him on the project. So, in considering an urban renewal
district at the Ten Mile interchange, just a few brief points and I will turn it over to Phil.
Just a little bit of history. We have an interchange completed at the cost of almost 34
million dollars. In 2007 the City of Meridian created the Ten Mile interchange specific
area plan, that effort involved extensive outreach. We hired a consultant -- a design
consultant -- extensive work with the property owners affected by that specific area
plan. So, there is a lot of public investment in this area. A lot of interest. What's
happened since in the area -- little to nothing I think as everyone knows and I think
there are really some reasons. Now, however, we have the opportunity to attract one or
more employers and employers that pay family wage jobs. We have an issue, of
course, in Meridian, we have an imbalance in our land use. We have got some of the
highest quality -- maybe the highest quality retail in the state of Idaho. We have got
very high quality residential, both multi-family and single family and still growing. What
we need more of are employment centers. The Mayor touched on this in her State of
the City speech as well. It's important, through, when we look at these opportunities to
remember this is not the same as our downtown urban renewal district. A downtown
urban renewal district really is, by necessity, a different kind of animal. Here we are
talking about more of an emphasis upon economic development, as is appropriate
under -- under Idaho statute. So, we have an intent for economic development here.
We have an opportunity to do a very targeted and specific urban renewal district and we
don't envision this really as being a 20 year plus urban renewal district financing plan.
The intent is to get in, pay it off, retire it ideally within five to seven years. Now, that's
hard to say, because we haven't actually written the plan yet, but that would be certainly
the intent ideally. So, our ask tonight is to -- for you to approve or at least comment on
the eligibility report. Does the -- in your view do you agree with the report that this --
proposed district qualifies and if you do approve give MDC the okay to prepare an
urban renewal plan. That plan, of course, has not been created yet. We also need you
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February 9, 2016
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to confirm the urban renewal district boundaries. We will put that graphic up in a few
minutes after Phil give his presentation. We also have a board of it. But that's
important. So, far those boundaries haven't been exactly confirmed. Then when that
plan has gone back to MDC and it's passed muster with the MDC board. When it is,
then, reviewed by City Council you get another bite of the Apple. You can either
approve the plan, send it back for modification, or decide not to move forward with an
urban renewal district at all. So, we are far from done, but we had a milestone right now
with the eligibility report. We want to hear what you think. I'll turn this over to Phil.
De Weerd: Thank you, Bruce.
Kushlan: Thank you, Bruce. For the record my name is Phil Kushlan. My address is
Post Office Box 8463, Boise, Idaho. For a personal credibility, my mother was born in
Meridian in 1918, so --
De Weerd: Well, that makes it so much better.
Kushlan: I thought that --
De Weerd: Thank you.
Kushlan: I think Bruce really mostly stole my thunder here. I think he gave a good
background of how we got here. The issues that are before you we are going to talk a
little bit about how this comes together and where we go from here. As I promised the
MDC board when I met with them, I'm not going to read the document to you, we
assume that you have had the opportunity to consume it. I have had the opportunity to
discuss it in some detail with the MDC board and, then, I have had the opportunity to
discuss it with two council members who had questions and they took their time from
their schedule to meet with staff and myself to go over this since this has come before
the group. So, hopefully, you are getting your questions answered, but we are here to
go the rest of the route and make sure that whatever you do this evening you're going to
have all the information that you need to proceed one way or the other. Again, what we
are talking about here is your consideration of the eligibility report. Bruce discussed the
consideration of the Ten Mile urban renewal plan -- or urban renewal area and if we
were going to move ahead we are probably going to modify the name to call it Ten Mile
A, just in case there are other areas out there within the strategic planning area or the
specific area plan area that comes back at some point that we can respond as
appropriate at that time. A little history. The agency was created in 2001 by the City
Council. It was -- again, they are all established by state law. The City Council
activated the powers that -- in 2001. The downtown district was created in 2002. Last
year the City Council basically created the study that we are talking about here this
evening. Then in November we presented this document, it's final form, to the MDC
board and they took action to approve it and forward it to you and this is how we got
here this evening. Just for reference, this is the map showing the existing boundaries of
the district that you have in place. It was, then, placed in the 2002 and just for
reference, the steps that we have to go through in creating this district, if you decide to
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approve it. One is the designated study area for looking at the area to see if it qualifies
for urban renewal. Eligibility report is conducted, which is the first phase you have
before you now. The URA board considers it and concurs and, then, forwards it to the
City Council, which is -- they have done that. Then the City Council discusses it and if
you concur, then, you direct the plan be prepared -- the URA prepares a plan and
forwards it back to the City Council and if they are approving of it, then, the City Council
receives it and, then, we have to do some more machinations and if they have to refer it
to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a finding from that group that is the plan is
consistent with the -- the adopted Comprehensive Plan of the city. They have to refer it
to the various taxing entities that levy property taxes in this -- in the area. They have to
comment. They don't have to concur, so the discretion is at the hands of the City
Council, which you have to give them a 30 day period in which to comment on the plan
if they choose to do so. And, again, if anybody else has questions and they want to
stop me, we are going to make this a conversation, rather than a lecture, if that's okay
with you. The planning commission needs to determine if the plan is consistent, comes
back to the City Council, you hold a public hearing on it, and, then, after that the Council
-- it's at the discretion of the Council to proceed or not. It can be -- everything is green
lighted if you want to go, but it's totally up to your discretion as to whether or not you
want to proceed beyond the -- this consideration. The other thing that -- in that plan
development we will have to demonstrate that the plan is financially feasible and so we
have to look at the -- the cost of the infrastructure that's going to be required in the
implementation of the plan, look at the private investment that will be anticipated out
there and the schedule for that private investment, so we can understand the -- the tax
yield from the revenue allocation, compare that with the -- the cost demands of your --
your infrastructure and see if they balance or not and if they don't balance, then, that's a
different conversation. If it does, then, it's certainly at your discretion to proceed beyond
that. We also have to determine that the area in question, base value added to the
base value of the existing district does not exceed ten percent of the city's assessed
value. We did that in this initial look and you're a long ways away from the ten percent,
so you're clear under that. The other thing that is very important in this case is normally
the people -- the property owners are included in the new district don't really have a
veto power over it, but the fact of these properties are agricultural property under the
definition of state law, they have the -- the property owners have to give their consent to
be included within an urban renewal district before they can be included and so we
have had conversations with the various property owners, they have been with us all
along, but at some point we are going to need affidavits from them officially giving their
consent that they will be in and that's a document that would have to be brought to you
with the plan when it comes back. So, that's -- we don't have to have that, but we have
had conversations with all of them and I think we are okay so far, but, again, they
probably want to see the details. Again, the history -- the properties northerly and
southerly portions request creation of the district. Again, you concurred and asked us to
move ahead and, then, what we did is we focused primarily on the fact that this area
was in the specific area plan that Bruce talked about a minute ago, that these -- not the
entire specific area plan, but it's the area south of -- of Franklin and east of Ten Mile that
seem to be ready to move and that's why we proceeded to include that area in
consideration. Again, that was the area that was designated. Again, redundant here.
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It's primarily agricultural land. The study area includes about 314 and 13 individual tax
parcels and it's divided into four different sub districts for analysis and the ability to have
a little flexibility in pulling parts in or out and that was particularly important if one of the
major property owners concluded that they did not want to give their consent, we
wanted to be able to pull that out and not take the whole district down with it if it didn't
proceed. So, that's why the document that you have as a bit of redundancy in it and I
apologize for that, but I think that was important in order to give you the flexibility to
respond to whatever situation that might come before you. So, again, I think -- we
concluded and the MDC board agreed that the area in question does, in fact, move the
criteria for most of it. The one small area up in the northeast corner, which we have
designated as study area four, we felt did not meet the criteria that was in the -- in the
statute. So, if you wanted to include that we could include it in a larger area, but as a
stand alone district it probably could not pass muster. The other significant issue --
when we started out one of the major portions of the property -- or the area in
consideration was in unincorporated Ada County, the area that’s primarily in green up
here and if, in deed, the property -- an incorporated property can be included in a
district, it would take an inter-governmental agreement between the city and the county
to do that. But a bit of a complication, but we were able to avoid because the property
owners basically came in, petitioned for annexation and that had been completed, so
generally the -- most of the area in -- in the green is now in the city. The area that was
not part of the annexation -- there are two lots up on Franklin that were not part of the
annexation and so we think that that -- bringing them in creates an unnecessary
complication and so probably they should be left out. I think it's up to you for whether or
not you want to include the -- the purple area into the -- appended to the green area,
which we could certainly do that at your discretion. We have not heard from them that
they have any interest in being included, but, again, it's at your discretion, because that
area is not subject to an exemption. So, that's a lot of stuff. I don't have as much
enthusiasm behind me as for the previous issue, but I would be happy to stand for any
questions that you might have, because I'm sure there are probably plenty.
De Weerd: Thank you, Phil. Council or MDC members, questions?
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Phil, how is -- yeah. I think so. I'm not talking into it. How is URA district out
there going to add or keep this development going? Is it the financing -- the chief
financing, the bonds, or when we haven't had any interest to speak of up to this point?
Are we -- are the developers wanting the cheap financing by the public taxpayers of a
district? I know it's within the district. Explain to us how this can help us economically.
Kushlan: Okay. Council Bird, excellent question and I think the -- the fact that in recent
years the maximum life of urban renewal districts have been reduced to 20 years, that
question has been more important now than it had been before and one of the driving
factors behind this consideration is some of the property owners are, basically, ready to
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February 9, 2016
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move ahead with development -- private development on the site. Generally what has
happened in the state recently is you moved away from the issuance of bonds and
moved to something called owner participation agreements. The classic is Twin Falls
and Chobani and Clif Bar where basically the private entity, through a line of credit,
would fund the installation of the infrastructure that is funded by a note back to that
private entity and, then, when the private investment comes online and starts to
generate the property tax yield that comes in the allocation formula, that research
comes into MDC and that OPA basically defines how much of the annual income from
the agency goes back on an annual basis to the -- the private entity to ultimately satisfy
that note and retire it. If you can find a financial institution to issue you a bond you
might be able to pursue that based upon the anticipated development of this -- the
private, but it's generally a more costly approach in terms of, you know, issuance cost
and registration and in keeping track of the bond. So, there has been a movement
toward the -- particularly this kind of environment where you're not doing a downtown
development, you're doing a specific focused project here that has an identifiable
source of resources and that generally has been the way that we have moved. Does
that answer your question appropriately?
Bird: Just one clarification, Phil. And I think I misunderstood you. Basically what -- like
Twin did is the private developer did the infrastructure and, then, they was paid back
through the taxes from the urban renewal district.
Kushlan: Yes, sir.
Bird: Is that right?
Kushlan: Yes, sir.
Bird: Okay. That's what I thought.
Kushlan: Yeah. Basically, the nuances of the mechanics of it, but that's basically how it
works.
Bird: That's how it -- yeah. Okay. So, in other words, the URA is -- is -- the taxes are
paying the infrastructure.
Kushlan: Yeah. The public --
Bird: The tax is for everybody.
Kushlan: That's --
Bird: In the district.
Kushlan: Yes.
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Bird: Yeah. Okay.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Just to add a couple extra words to that. With interest.
Bird: Oh, yeah. With interest.
Kushlan: Yes. Absolutely. It would be someplace between improper and illegal to
provide it without compensation to the public entity.
De Weerd: Yeah. And I think that Chobani is just getting ready to -- to get the last
reimbursement; right? And I thought they were pretty close to retiring that district.
Kushlan: Well, that gets to be interesting. I have been spending some time down there
in the last couple days and that gets to be a Ph.D. course in funding redevelopment and
economic development. Clif Bar kind of at the next stage where they are almost
finished with the infrastructure installation, about to open their plant in April I think and
so, then, the property tax will start to flow from that investment going into that process.
But Chobani had started to generate significant resources in addition to what was
anticipated. So, while they scheduled this -- and this might be a good example. They
scheduled this on a 20 year payout, but the money coming in is coming in at a faster
rate than the scheduled retirement is provided for and so, really, about the only thing
you can do is advance pay the debt and there is no -- there is no call prohibition or
penalty for that and so at some point -- I think probably maybe in eight years they might
be in a situation where it's totally paid off.
Weerd: Okay. Other questions? Okay.
Kushlan: I will sit down and stay sat down. Thank you.
Bird: Thank you, Phil. Nice job.
De Weerd: Thank you, Phil. Bruce, anything further you would like to add or Brenda?
Chatterton: Madam Mayor, just to point out the obvious, that, again, if this is -- you
want to proceed with -- and give approval to MDC to prepare this plan, we do have it in
the budget, we have taken care of -- in terms of the dollars for Phil to continue the
development of that plan, working with Public Work Department, with ACHD, with the
various property owners. A lot of moving parts to it, but moving forward with the
development of that plan you have before you a resolution that accepts that eligibility
report and authorizes MDC to proceed.
Meridian City Council - Meridian MDC - Special Joint Meeting
February 9, 2016
Page 31 of 34
De Weerd: I just want to make sure -- Keith wants to make sure you all received your
eligibility. I know it's in the City Council packet. MDC received it. But do you also --
okay. He was concerned you need a paper copy. Good. Okay. So, what you need
from Council is an indication on whether to start the next steps.
Chatterton: Madam Mary, one of the things that -- really there are two things. The
resolution covers most of it, but if you agree with the boundaries, which are down, those
proposed districts that are shown on the graphic up before you, we would also like to
indicate that that's -- that's our study area for development of the plan. So, did I say
that correctly? In particular this purpose area -- just speaking from staff's standpoint, I
really don’t see a big reason to leave it in. It does complicate things. So, we would ask
you to confirm the TM-1, 2 and 3 as being the subject for the urban renewal district
plan.
De Weerd: Yeah. I don't see any reason to include four if that owner hasn't been
someone that's been eager or interested. It doesn't make sense.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Mr. Nary, the district -- or the districts that we are improving should be within the
resolution, shouldn't they?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, they do not -- they are part of the plan.
There are in your plan.
Bird: Oh, they are in the plan that comes back. Okay.
Nary: They are just saying to move forward with the next phase.
Bird: Okay.
Nary: And, then, they would know from your motion what you were wanting to do.
Chatterton: So, Madam Mayor, if we could include in that motion the inclusion of TM-1,
TM-2 and TM-3, that should cover us. Right. We also have an -- I don't know how we
reference that. I mean if we took the --
De Weerd: I think if you take TM-4 out it's -- it's just part of -- it doesn't create an
enclave. Do you follow me?
Item 6: Resolution No. 16-1119: Resolution Accepting the Eligibility Report
for the proposed Ten Mile Interchange Urban Renewal District and
authorizing the Urban Renewal Agency to prepare an Urban Renewal
Plan: Bruce Chatterton
Meridian City Council - Meridian MDC - Special Joint Meeting
February 9, 2016
Page 32 of 34
De Weerd: Okay. Council, if there is nothing further, I would move to Item 6 then.
Yes? Okay. Resolution 16-1119. And I would look to you for your action.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes. Mrs. Little-Roberts. Did I hear our Madam Clerk just call you Ms.
Roberts?
Little Roberts: She did.
De Weerd: Okay.
Little Roberts: I will forgive her.
De Weerd: What can we call you? Can we just call you Mrs. Roberts or Mrs. Little?
Bird: Little Roberts.
De Weerd: Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Little Roberts is what I use, but I forgive people -- if forgive people that
call me Little or Roberts. It's okay. Anne works, too.
De Weerd: Ms. Anne.
Little Roberts: I move that we accept the proposed -- if I'm saying this right --
16-1119, the resolution accepting the eligibility report for the proposed Ten Mile
interchange urban renewal district and authorizing the urban renewal agency to prepare
the urban renewal plan, including study areas TM-1, TM-2, TM-3.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. I have a motion in a second. Do we have any discussion?
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Just so when we get to the vote that I don't look like somebody that is just
saying no to say no, I met with Bruce, I met with Phil, and I have studied this a lot since
that meeting before the meeting on what to do, where to go on this -- I mean I
understand we are still months away from actually making the decision to do it, but just
wanted everyone to be aware that I have been studying, I'm not just throwing a no out
there, so -- that's all I have.
Meridian City Council - Meridian MDC - Special Joint Meeting
February 9, 2016
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De Weerd: Thank you. Any further discussion? Okay. Madam Clerk, will you call role.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, absent; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, nay; Little
Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: Okay. The ayes have it.
MOTION CARRIED: FOUR AYES. ONE NAY. ONE ABSENT.
De Weerd: That is the end of our agenda. I would like to extend our appreciation for
MDC for joining us here this evening and we really appreciate working together with you
and making good things happen in our downtown. So, do I have a motion to --
Winder: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes. Oh. Sorry.
Winder: May I add one thing?
De Weerd: Mr. Winder.
Winder: I'd like to acknowledge the accomplishment of our administrator Ashley
Squires. Excuse me. She was selected as a finalist for the Idaho Business Review
Women of the Year and there is a dinner later this month, the end of February I believe
it is, and she's a finalists. We will, I guess, find out if she's the big winner, but she at
least made the list of top 50 I think it is that they select. So, just wanted to congratulate
her and thank her for all her work that she does for our agency.
Milam: Congratulations, Ashley.
De Weerd: Thank you. And with that do I have a motion to adjourn?
Bird: So moved.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:01 P.M.
Meridian City Council - Meridian MDC - Special Joint Meeting
February 9, 2016
Page 34 of 34
(AUD170ECO DING ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
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