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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 23, 2006 Work Session 590 40th Avenue N.E., Columbia Heights, MN 55421-3Hn (763) 706-3600 TDD (763) 706-3692 Visit Our Website at: www.ci.co!ul1lbia-!zcights.l1ln.us Mavor Gary L. Peterson Councilmembers Robert A. Williams Bruce Nawrocki Tammera Ericson Dielun Bruce Kelzenberg City Manaqer Walt Fehst CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS ADMIN/STRA TlON NOTICE OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING ************ to be held in the CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS as follows: Meeting of: Date of Meeting: Time of Meeting: Location of Meeting: Purpose of Meeting: COLUMBIA HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2006 6:00 P.M. CONFERENCE ROOM 1 WORK SESSION AGENDA 1. Activity Center Advisory Committee update 2. Liquor Store update The City of Columbia Heights does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities. Upon request, accommodation will be provided to allow individuals with disabilities to participate in all City of Columbia Heights' services, programs, and activities. Auxiliary aids for handi:apped persons are available upon request when the request is made at least 96 hours in advance. Please call the City Council Secretary at 706-361], to make arrangements. (TDD/706-3692 for deaf or hearing impaired only) THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN EMPLOYMENT OR THE PROVISION OF SERVICES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER City of Columbia Heights Memo To: Mayor, City Manager, and City Council Members Kirsten Partenheimer, Community Development Specialist Robert Streetar, Community Development Director 1 0/17/2006 From: Through: Date: Re: Activity Center Advisory Committee Update In March of 2006, the City Council proposed the idea for an advisory committee to help obtain public input and assist the Council in establishing the need for a new community facility and reviewing different options for any proposed facility. The Council followed through in April by appointing a number of Columbia Heights residents, civic leaders and business owners to an Activity Center Advisory Committee (ACAC) (see attached list). The Council also retained the services of Ehlers & Associates and JMS Communications to handle the public participation process. During the first stage of the process, the ACAC established the need for a new facility that would meet the needs of a diverse community. It mailed a newsletter to the entire community and its chair hosted a cable news segment to introduce the process. An invitation to attend an open house, where community members had the opportunity to talk with committee members and share their thoughts on the need and the process, yielded a large turnout. The next stage of the public participation process calls for the committee to retain an architect to produce a feasibility study, which entails site evaluations and preliminary building conceptualizations, as well as capital cost estimates. In preparation for this process, the committee prioritized amenities they would like an architect to include in the feasibility study and narrowed the number of sites to be studied to three. They include: N.E.l., the high school and Heritage Heights. Victor Pechaty from BKV Group will assist the ACAC in the next stage of the process. Pechaty was the lead architect on the Andover YMCA Community Center project and has extensive experience with public projects in the region. He plans to meet with the ACAC on November 9, 2006 to present an initial draft of the concept plans and obtain feedback from the group. While the architectural team finalizes the concept plans and capital cost estimates, the ACAC will prepare for the second open house, where the community will have the opportunity to view the building alternatives and cost estimates and learn about the opportunities and constraints of the three sites. As with the first open house, every household in the Columbia Heights School District will receive a newsletter before the open house, which is tentatively scheduled to occur in February or March. 1 Chronology March 6, 2006 - Consultants from Ehlers & Associates and JMS Communications present the Activity Center Public Participation Process; Council proposes idea for a citizen advisory committee. April 10, 2006 - Council appoints members to the Activity Center Advisory Committee (ACAC). April 26, 2006 ACAC meets to learn about the public participation process and their roles as committee members; nominated Dan Thompson as chair and Denny O'Connell and Gerry Herringer as Co-Vice Chairs; discussed a market research report; discussed the advantages and disadvantages of several proposed sites. May 6,2006 - Tour of the Andover YMCA Community Center and the New Brighton Family Service Center. May 24, 2006 Recapped the May 6 community center tour; discussed the advantages and disadvantages of including a library in any recommendations for a community center; reviewed the draft communications plan and timeline; began planning for first open house. June 5,2006 - Dan Thompson, ACAC Chair, updated Council on the committee's work to date; Council directed members to continue with the activity center study process. June 20, 2006 - ACAC reviewed drafts of the presentation boards and comment sheet for the first open house; reviewed draft newsletter; finished preparations for open house; a member of the Columbia Heights School Board reported that the School Board would like to be viable partner in study process and a potential financial contributor. July 26, 2006 - First open house is held in Murzyn Hall; nearly 100 community members attended. August 24, 2006 - ACAC discussed impressions of the open house; reviewed the open house comment forms; group discussed the pros and cons of including each proposed amenity for further study. September 13, 2006 - Prioritized amenities and sites for further study; group agreed on two options to be studied for feasibility on three sites: former site of the N.E.I., the high school and along Central Avenue in Heritage Heights. September/October 2006 - List of amenities and sites passed along to an architect to test feasibility. October 11,2006 ACAC learned about city and school financing options and restrictions. November 9, 2006 - Architect to meet with ACAC regarding feasibility study. December/January - Architect to meet with ACAC to review feasibility study and obtain feedback. January - ACAC plans for second open house. January - Council update on feasibility study. February/March - Second open house. . Page 2 Activities Center Advisory Committee - Member List - Name 1 Anabel DeJuan Gomez 2 Aurora Johnston 3 Barb Goodwin 4 Barb Miller 5 Bob Lyndes 6 Bob Surbrook 7 Brian Harper 8 Catherine Veslev 9 Christina Dobon 10 Dan Thompson (Chair) 11 Denise Gordon 12 Denny O'Connell (Vice Chair) 13 Dorothv Pen ate 14 Gary Maver 15 Gerry Herringer (Vice Chair) 16 Jeff Bahe 17 Jessie Hart 18 Joe Wolney 19 John Gordon 20 Joseph Sturdevant 21 Kay James 22 Kay Maver 23 Keith Windschitl 24 Kellv James 25 Kim Trombley 26 Leland Stauch 27 Liz Brav 28 Lynette Thomson 29 Mark Corless 30 Marsha Stroik 31 Matt Schoen 32 Matt Townsend 33 Michael Laabs 34 Mike Peterson 35 Shirely Barnes 36 Steve Craiq 37 Ted Landwehr . Page 3