HomeMy WebLinkAbout10 - Hill Business Plan Input and consideration of motion regarding recommended next steps~'i~~
Downtown and University
City of Boulder
Hill Management Division
and Parking Services
Down[own Managemen[ Commission • University Hill Geneca] Improvement D~strmt • Parking Services
Memorandum
TO: UHGID Advisory Committee Members:
Bill Curtis, Kazen Harbor, Yong Cho, Dave Rodgers, Mary Street
FROM: Molly Winter, Director
RE: Hill Business Plan Next Steps
DAT'E: November 11, 2004
At the September UHGID meeting, we discussed and reviewed a next steps phasing plan
for the Hill Business Plan fmal draft. It included distribution, communicauon and
feedback, assessment, plan adoption/recommendation and implementation phases. Over
the last several months we have completed the first three phases, and at the meeting on
November 17`h will host a public hearing for final public feedback and then discuss the
next phase, that of implementation.
Earlv Phases
The first three phases - distribution, communication/feedback and assessment phases -
actually stazted with the presentation of the preliminary results by Tom Wootten of the
Ross Consulting Group in May at Grace Lutheran. The final draft report was distributed
in September to a vaziety of organizations and individuals, including Hill Alliance
members, UHNA, property owners, city staff, Economic Vitality Board members, city
council and the press. (Please find attached articles about the Business Plan from the
Colorado Real Estate 7ournal, Daily Camera and the Colorado Daily). On October 11
UHGID hosted a public presentation of the final draft by Mr. Wootten at Grace Lutheran.
The meeting was attended by approximately 40-50 people with representatives from the
residential neighborhood, hill commercial area business and property owners, azea real
estate brokers, local developers and city staff. Attached is a copy of the minutes from
that meeting. The feedback was mixed. While the report was praised by the
development community, there were concerns expressed by the hill neighbors about the
accuracy and value of the report, and whether the Hill is a regional draw. There was
support expressed for mixed use - retail, commercial and residential - redevelopment.
Please find attached written input and response to Jan Otto as well as a redlined copy of
the Business Pian based on Mr. Otto's comments.
In addition, city staff and Mr. Wootten met with a representative from the University of
Colorado, Paul Tabolt, who expressed an interest in further discussion. Bill Curtis, Jen
I500 Pead, Suire 3(12 Phone: (303) 473-7300
Bouldec, Colorado 80302 Pa,r. (303) 413-7301
Korbelik and I met with members of the University of Colorado Student Union tri-execs,
who expressed interest in becoming more involved in LTHGID including serving on
LTHGID and providing a student vision of what the hiil commercial azea could be.
Outreach to the hill commercial area property owners has proven very successful at this
initial stage. The Hill Alliance members discussed the plan with individual property
owners. The Alliance held a meeting with Tom Wootten and an unpreceden[ed number
of hill property owners who indicated their interest in hill redevelopment and the
potential oF combining properties, and but also expressed concerns about the viability of
an historic district, effectiveness of TDR's. There was universal support for additional
pazking (though different ideas about the location) and a lack of support for permanently
closing 13~' Street. I have attached all written feedback that I have received.
Overall, I feel that there is a healthy dialogue that has created a curiosity for pursuing
further ideas about redeveloping the hill, in particulaz from the property owners;
however, the how and the what is still undefined as a cohesive vision in many people's
minds but worthy of further reseazch, analysis, discussion and exploration. An unspoken
goal of the project was to engage a greater number of hill property owners; in this I
believe we, through the efforts of the Hill Alliance and in partiwlaz Mazk Heinritz, have
been very successful.
Implementation Phase
I would propose a three-pronged approach to our next steps based on the
recommendations within the report and the feedback we have received:
• Commission a parking study
• Develop conceptual design scenarios to illustrate concepts presented in the report
• Develop a process(es) to continue to engage the property owners and other
stakeholders to further define the vision for the hill commercial azea.
Parking Study
UHGID has already commissioned a pazking utilization study. A first draft should be
ready within a week's time. Parking has emerged as a key issue - one unifying the
property owners - and will be central to any further discussions of hill redevelopment;
not only from the point of view of new pazking to accommodate additional growth, but
also because the three targeted redevelopment azeas all include surface pazking lots - 2
owned by UHGID and 1 owned by CU. Additional analysis would be necessary to
anticipate parking demand necessary with future development and would be integrated
with the work on the conceptual design scenarios.
Conceptual Design Scenarios
I would propose working with the planning department to engage a team of architects and
physical planners to illustrate through a conceptual design the redevelopment scenarios
presented in the Hill Business Plan. Based on budget considerations, several sites would
be selected for review based on pre-determined criteria, i.e. benefit to UHGiD, benefit to
the district as a whole, willingness and ability of property owners to participate. A
program of uses would be outlined to be accommodated on the site, and the design team
would work on massing studies. Also required would be an economic analysis of the
proposed concept. If UHGID supports this approach, stafF will work on a more detailed
plan and develop a budget. Funding would need to come from the fund balance.
Process
Involvement of our stakeholders - businesses, property owners, students, CU, residents,
etc. - is a very important component of the future of the hill redevelopment; both in terms
of refining the vision for the hill, and providing input for the different redevelopment
scenarios. Creating an efficient and effective mechanism for input, discussion and
decision making is crucial. I would propose working with a sub-committee of UHGID to
develop options for such a process involving stakeholders and return to UHGID for its
input.
Ouestions for UHGID:
1. Based on the process to date, does iJHGID support proceeding with the
implementation phase of the Hill Business Plan?
2. Does LTHGID support the three-pronged approach to implement?
3. Would 2 UHGID members be willing to participate in a sub-committee to work on a
stakeholder involvement strategy and plan?
Thank you.
Attachments:
Newspaper articles
Comments fmm October 11, 2004 meeting
Feedback from the public
Red-lined Hill Business Plan