Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout[02] Vision for St. Joseph Downtown Footprint Administrator Date: May 30, 2012 Judy Weyrens Memo To: Mayor Schultz and Members of the City Council Mayor Members of the EDA Rick Schultz Planning Commissioners Park Board Members Councilors City Administrator Weyrens Steve Frank ,� Bob Loso Memo From: Joanne Foust, MDG, lnq �l Renee Symanietz Dale Wick RE: Vision for the Footprint of Downtown St. Joseph EDA Larry Hosch The EDA requested a joint visioning session with the City Council, Planning Commission and Chad Davey Park Board to develop consensus on the future footprint of Downtown St. Joseph including its Steve Frank physical make -up, connectivity to parks, trails and residential areas. Tom Skahen Dale Wick Enclosed is information to assist with the discussion and visioning process. This includes: 1. A map illustrating the "Downtown" as described by Ordinance and its relationship to the Central Business District included in the official zoning map. 2. The Minnesota Design Team visited St. Joseph in April of 1995, or 17 years ago. As a part of that visit, a team of architects, land use planners and urban designers prepared 18 concept illustrations for the development of the community. These focused on the downtown, parks and trails and transportation. Enclosed are these illustrations. 3. In 2007, the City adopted Design Guidelines for the Downtown, incorporating common design elements and a list of short-term and Tong -term recommendations. These recommendations are attached. 4. In 2010 Scenic Specialties Landscape Center created a Landscape Plan for various sites in the downtown. A copy of the illustrations is enclosed. 5. Finally, enclosed is a marked up map created by the Rental Housing Task Force illustrating ideas generated by the Task Force, the Minnesota Design Team, and the street/landscaping plan created by Scenic Specialties. Action. The group will be asked to provide input on the documents already in place and discuss if these accurately reflect the vision and goals for the city at this time or if these need to be updated. Options: If the consensus of the group is to update information and /or add to the data already in place, there are a couple of recommended options to proceed: 1. The Minnesota Design Team accepts applications on a bi- annual basis. Cities that have participated in the past are eligible for a new visit. The cost is $4000. This is a grant eligible request through the Initiative Foundation. This process requires considerable volunteer time and effort, including providing housing for volunteers and attendance at several meetings over the Design Team visit weekend. If the group finds it desirable /necessary to update the vision and illustrations, this is one option. 2. An alternative option would be for the EDA to utilize the information obtained to date and update data with new input provided by the joint group. A landscape architect could be retained to assist in the design elements of the downtown design. illi\7vD S IE 1.111-11111111111 II I r[:{ vow . _ t - As, E 111 giii....t_ lik s lig ':, fi Ili ir 0 MS - .. rri IIIIIIL 1 1111 Ilia zimil L 10, , - 11'. iiii Oil i le * „ ' , „ , %- , , •::,:„ t.t.„-,,14..', ot IIII . „ Imo ii 0 �'d woe 1 a Zoning Map — Downtown = Red