Second Street Planning Project Steering Committee

Meeting began at 5:40 pm

Present: Dave Edmonson, Marcia Marcoux, Geoff Martin, Brad Lahr, Doug Knott, Dennis Cowley, Charlie Quigg, Richard Freese, Sean Allen, Chris Flood, John Slack, Jeff Ellerbusch, Dave Rossman

Members Absent: Jose Rivas, Phil Wheeler, Tammy Greenwood, Karel Weigel, Chris Batchelder

Blenker introduced Dennis Cowley to the group. Blenker announced date and location of April 30th community meeting.

Discussion ensued regarding the format and details of the Open House.

Other introductions. Martin reviewed the purpose of the meeting. Marcoux questioned when a good date would be to do a City Council presentation. Marcoux suggested that the council be provided materials prior to the community event but to do a COW presentation following the April 30th event.

Martin reviewed items that were of concern/interest to the committee at the previous steering committee meeting.

Slack presented revisions to prior concepts. Concept A, Concept C Gateway District.

Quigg asked for clarification on the SF, unit and parking stall calculations.

Allen asked what the current standards are for parking in the city. Ellerbusch stated that current requirements for parking demand one parking stall per 400 sq ft of office space anywhere in the city regardless of zoning.

Knott suggested that intro remarks at open house consider the feelings of current property owners. Freese questioned Edmonson regarding the zoning of homes behind McDonalds. Edmonson stated that the Land Use Plan now shows those homes as commercial land use. No re-zoning has occurred. Quigg requested clarification on the difference between land use and zoning. Freese suggested that a slide in the community presentation clarify this.

Lahr questioned the financial viability of the mixed-use project shown between 15th and 16th Avenues. He questioned when in this process does that question get asked. Martin stated this plan represents what people have suggested they want to see. There are multiple opportunities that could be possible. Discussion ensued regarding the results to property owners and zoning changes.

Slack continued presenting revised concepts in the Gateway District.

Discussed ensued regarding the financial feasibility of 2-story buildings. Marcoux questioned whether we could determine the proportion of people flying in versus driving in to the hotels in the area. Cowling stated that a much greater percentage of guests staying at the Courtyard drive than fly. Those numbers could be made available if necessary.

Martin responded that the density could vary a lot. He stated the buildings could be anywhere from 2-10 stories and still accommodate the sense of place and human scale.

Slack presented the third Gateway District revised concept.

Discussion ensued regarding which concepts allow for more developable square footage.

Martin suggested the committee narrow in on a preferred concept. Freese suggested that the committee not decide on any of the concepts at this time but do so after the open house. The committee concurred with Freese.

Martin presented the building massing and street cross sections in the Gateway District concepts.

Discussion ensued regarding the possibility of an HOV or Bus Only lane. Rossman shared that there are currently 143 bus trips per day going in each direction in the East District and slightly fewer in the St Mary's and Gateway sections. Bus lanes would not be justified at the current time with these trip numbers. Discussion ensued. Marcoux questioned the option discussed at the last meeting—no peak hour parking. Freese questioned whether the St. Mary's District should maintain the on-street parking currently available. He questioned whether the building concepts included in the alternatives make use of the on-street parking or if the structured and surface parking is meant to accommodate all of the parking needs.

Allen suggested that the committee make a recommendation on whether on-street parking or a left-turn lane would be the most important use of the ROW in the St. Mary's area. Discussion ensued. The committee concurred that the on-street parking was most important and that bulb-outs should be included in the drawings to indicate protection for pedestrians.

Martin presented Gateway options.

Discussion ensued regarding the possibility of a landscaped median in the St. Mary's District.

The committee agreed that the possibility of a landscaped boulevard should be studied. The committee agreed that the concepts should provide for taller building heights in the Gateway area and throughout the corridor.

Martin presented concepts in the East District. Knott questioned whether or not the parking structures shown near the 11th Ave intersection would be feasible. Lahr stated that Mayo has identified the 11th Ave intersection (lot #33) as a possible parking structure, but that a detailed study has not been performed. Lahr stated that he and Weigel would be meeting with the leadership of the Rochester Facilities Committee to share some of the ideas from this study.

Quigg stated that the 9th Ave link is important for bike-pedestrian access but doesn't feel there is any value in continuing the vehicular connection through the north half of the block. Martin stated that the revised concepts take this point into consideration.

Martin reviewed the PIE data and the revised plan. Blenker suggested that an explanation of the PIE data be provided to the committee. Flood stated that the PIE data is essentially a rating system that the Kutzky Park neighbors used to rate a homes' preservation value and its current condition. Freese suggested that old homes that have preservation value be moved. Flood stated that moving homes down the street is much easier than moving them elsewhere. Discussion ensued regarding which homes are able to be preserved.

Martin questioned what the recommendation of the committee is. Freese stated that the community meeting should present a variety of options. Marcoux suggested that the Land Use Plan be considered and shown on the concept maps, especially for the April 30th meeting.

Discussion ensued regarding the feasibility of development possibilities in East distric--using new Kutzky Park zoning.

Allen suggested that the consensus of the committee is to have higher density in the East district.

Discussion ensued regarding streetscape concepts. Knott suggested that sidewalks could be narrowed in alternative 3 to allow for parking and driving lanes. Freese stated that the off-peak parking option is feasible.

Freese stated that all concept plans should include a roundabout at 11th Ave and 2nd Street.