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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOCTOBER 5,1993 I I 0110 - ';-0 IOOC93, cc: 35:0261 CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS ARE TAPE RECORDED AND ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ROLL CALL M I NUT E S CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA and the ARCADIA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 5, 1993 The City Council and the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency met in an adjourned regular meeting on Tuesday, October 5, 1993 at 5:30 p.m. in the Conference Room of the City Hall Council Chambers. The primary purpose of this meeting was to consider a special presentation of Downtown Revitalization design concepts and timeline by Michael Freedman. PRESENT: Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, Lojeski, Margett and Ciraulo None ABSENT: DOWNTOWN Michael Freedman of Freedman, Tung and Bottomley, designers of REVITALIZA- the Downtown Revitalization Project, presented a review of the TION design elements for the downtown core area of Huntington Drive PROJECT between Santa Anita Avenue and Second Avenue. Mr. Freedman eM. Freedman) introduced his partners, Gregory Tung and Terry Bottomley. O;;'iSo-o,;) Council requested that Mr, Freedman review the proposed decorative signal mast arms and the ornamental street lights. Council also considered a selection of the manufactured street lights proposed to be placed along the sidewalks. Mr. Freedman indicated this meeting will help his organization stay on schedule by obtaining Council direction which will enable them to return to Council with the final design. This is also an opportunity to present a general progress report as well as a schedule report. In addition to presenting photographs of selected ornamental street lights, Mr. Freedman invited the Councilmembers to step outside to the front of the Council Chamber where a scale model of an ornamental street light and pole were set up for Council's consideration. Consideration was also given to the "acorn" globes which are in use in a number of cities. Mr. Freedman explained that the lighting should complement the landscape and the fixtures must relate to each other. Councilmembers agreed that they were pleased with one of the designs in the brochure. Mr. Freedman proposed to obtain two more light standards and set them up for Council's further consideration. Mr. Freedman suggested including permanent brackets to hold large scale banners, although this is not in the cost estimate. Mayor Ciraulo suggested that flag holder brackets also be included, since American flags are displayed in the City on certain holidays. Mr. Freedman went on to describe his concept to create a garden like environment which would tie in to certain design elements of the race track. At 150 feet increments there will be decorative trees to provide shade or large planters with flowering shrubs, kiosks, etc.; something different at each point, without blocking central store front views. Mr, Freedman will avoid putting too much in any given area, so that pedestrians will be able to see items for sale in the shops. A powerful element will be the white fencing which will also ensure that pedestrians cross the street at the corner open areas. The fence will look like a white wood fence, but will actually be galvanized steel. The principal colors along the street will be green and white which will be similar to the Santa Anita race track colors which are cream and light green. Colors and materials will be reviewed again as the project progresses, 1 10/5/93 35:0262 Discussion ensued regarding the parking in the downtown area. There were concerns on the part of the Councilmembers that motorists will drive right by on Huntington Drive because of lack of convenient parking. This is of particular concern to merchants on the south side of Huntington Drive. Mr. Freedman pointed out there is a large reserve of parking behind the businesses on the south side of the street which is not accessible because they are not well signed or because some of the small lots are being used for private parking. With cooperation between the south side merchants, some of these small lots could be combined and used for public parking and everyone would benefit. With proper signage. drivers will learn to park behind the south side businesses or in the north side parking I areas. Mr. Freedman felt that protected angled parking as opp~sed to parallel parking could be installed at the City owned property on Huntington and Second Avenue. Council was concerned that there might not be sufficient depth for angled parking. If the City takes more frontage, it could render that property undesirable. Mr. Freedman described how "protected" angled parking could be made available at that site. This type of parking will leave space for drivers to back out without backing into the line of traffic. He said that the change to angled parking will immediately benefit the area and with the revitalization, probably as many as four or five times as many people will be coming into the area. There was also some discussion of underground parking, especially with the possibility of future structures with businesses on the street floor and residences on the upper (loors. For the lots that extend to Alta Street there could conceivably be four story structures on the Huntington side tapering down to two or three stories on the Alta side, with a developer purchasing as many parcels as he could get. There is a proven market for this kind of high density housing. Mr. Freedman pointed out that underground parking is not feasible for customer parking because they won't use it, but it is feasible for employees or residents. Councilmember Harbicht expressed his concerns about tying the downtown design into the Santa Anita race track design. He feels that horse racing is a dying business. He questions that a large number of people will come to walk around Huntington Drive just because there are a lot of trees and kiosks. There are thousands of cars going by on Huntington Drive, and it is not the kind of atmosphere in which people will wish to sit outside and have coffee. If we look at the downtown area, there is nothing wrong with the median nor with the street trees. The buildings are unattractive. Mayor Ciraulo noted that the downtown revitalization has been approved, and Council is now addressing specifics of that plan. Mr. Freedman said his firm is moving this project along as fast as possible, and a great deal of expectation has been built up in the community. If Council is not happy with some of the I details, they can still be changed. Council did not feel ready to approve the light fixtures; more options will be provided. Aside from doing the angled parking or not, Council likes the plan and a precise plan will be prepared ... land use, parking, sign guidelines, etc. and he will bring it to Council at a study session. In addressing the progress report and schedule, Mr. Freedman said that he has assembled a working team of firms including architecture, landscape architecture, civil and electrical engineers, lighting design consultant, horticulturist and irrigation engineer, geotechnical, structural and traffic engineers. Six of these firms are Arcadia firms. They will coordinate the process with the City. The City has moved swiftly to accomplish all the contractual items necessary, and has contracted separately with ASL engineers for a street survey 2 10/5/93 1 1 CITY MANAGER (Utility Tax Cellular Tel.Access) ADJOURNMENT ATTEST: . -':11 ". 35:0263 which was completed and delivered to Mr. Freedman October 4, This was a major benchmark in beginning the project. A project schedule was recently presented to the City, and is currently under review by City staff and the other design and engineering firms, October 15 is the cutoff point for finalization of the schedule. Mr. Freedman said the proposed schedule is doable, Any necessary changes in the schedule will be reported to Council at once. In response to a question from Councilmember Fasching, Mr. Freedman indicated that if the contracts are awarded according to the schedule in May of 1994, and anticipating a six to eight month construction period, the project should be completed the early part of 1995. In response to questions from Council regarding flow of traffic on Huntington Drive, Mr. Freedman does not recommend turn lanes or turn pockets. The signals on Huntington Drive will be synchronized. He does not recommend any pedestrian push buttons because it is necessary to get rid of any bottleneck between downtown and the track so that more cars can pass through and businesses will have more visibility. This will also help to get rid of a regional bottleneck. There will be more places to cross, but pedestrians will have to wait their turn. This whole concept will only work if there are no push buttons. During racing season the Police Department may wish to change the timing of the signals, and that option will be built in. It will be possible for the signals to be manually controlled as they are currently, and the timing can be changed as desired. Some discussion ensued regarding a design to improve the railroad bridge and provide an attractive entry way into Arcadia. The design originally presented was that of the Santa Anita race track horse racing motif on one side with the COMMUNITY OF HOMES and City seal on the other. This original concept was estimated at $180,000. Councilmember Fasching suggested a less expensive design. Originally there was a possibility of the railway bridge being remodeled or replaced within a four or five year time period. More recent information indicates that it will be a longer period of time before any changes may be implemented. The City Manager informed Council that two people have called expressing opposition to adding the utility tax to telephone cellular service. This is to be considered at a public hearing at the regular meeting this evening. At 6:53 p. m. the meeting ADJOURNED sine die. ~,.~ /~ ~~ J . Alford, Ci Clerk ~, 3 10/5/93