Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency
65th STREET
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Meeting Minutes Thursday, November 3, 2005 6:00 P.M. Hiram Johnson High School Little Theater 6879 14th Avenue, Sacramento, CA |
I. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Chair J.D. Stack at approximately 6:05 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Roll call was conducted.
RAC Members Present: Mel Billingsley, Chandra Clady, Gary Little, Betty Lopez, Marcia Maleske, Maggie O’Mara, Scott Rasmussen, Dave Sikich, Linda Shafer, J.D. Stack
RAC Members Absent: Matthew Altier, Taiwo Jaiyeoba, Steve Jones, Christopher Wilson
Staff Present: Lisa Bates and Chris Pahule
III. INTRODUCTIONS
Members in attendance introduced themselves.
IV. APPROVAL OF RAC MEETING MINUTES
The minutes of the October 20, 2005 meeting were approved by a unanimous vote on a motion by Mr. Rasmussen and seconded by Ms. Shafer.
V. REDEVELOPMENT ITEMS
A. Utility Infrastructure Improvements Planning
Mr. Pahule stated that, a few months ago, the RAC approved the submittal of a City loan application to the State of California’s Infrastructure Bank for funds to complete the 65th Street Detention Basin. The loan was to be repaid with tax increment funds, once they became available.
Mr. Andy Hunt from the Utilities Department discussed the flooding issues in the 65th Street area. He mentioned that the detention basin project is moving forward, and they expect to acquire two parcels for a conjunctive use basin/park in the next few months. He said that the park planning process for the site has begun and Parks staff is looking at soccer fields, a tot lot, and a bike trail. Mr. Billingsley asked for maps showing water runoff patterns in the South 65th Street area and in the Transit Village area. These would identify where flooding conditions exist and help when evaluating infrastructure projects. An update on plans to update the Oak Park combined sewer system (CSS) was requested, as well, to better understand how water runoff in S. 65th Street and Transit Village areas is drained by CSS hookups.
Mr. Pahule concluded the presentation by saying that an agreement between the Department of Utilities and the Redevelopment Agency should be presented to the RAC in December.
B. Draft Station Block Report
A copy of the draft Station Block report was included in RAC member’s agenda packets. Mr. Pahule discussed a few of the major recommendations of the report, which was prepared by the Leland Consulting Group. The major recommendations are:
· transform 65th Street and Folsom into Main Streets with on-street parking, wide sidewalks, and, bike lanes;
· create a new entrance to CSUS from 65th Street by tunneling under the railroad tracks;
· rethink the circulation plan in the area by looking at the location for an Elvas Avenue connection to the Station Block, relocating RT’s Bus Transfer facility; and,
· establish a grid pattern in the Station Block.
Mr. Pahule noted that the report made a strong recommendation that the Folsom Boulevard improvement project be put on-hold until a new circulation plan could be completed for the redevelopment area.
Discussion included comments about what to do with the report and if a final recommendation would be made by the RAC. Mr. Pahule noted that the City’s Department of Transportation is currently working on a feasibility study to connect 65th Street to the CSUS campus. Following completion of the study, Agency staff will come back to the RAC with next steps and a final recommendation on the Station Block Plan.
C. Transportation Planning Issues
Mr. Sparky Harris with the City’s Planning Department discussed the various planning efforts and transportation projects that impact the 65th Street Redevelopment Area. Mr. Harris discussed the previous South East Area Transportation Study (SEATS) and the more recent 65th Street Transit Village Plan and 65th Street South Area Transit Village Plan. The CSUS Masterplan was also described.
Mr. Harris indicated that all of these plans direct transportation projects in the area, including current projects like the Folsom Boulevard improvement project and the 65th Street/Highway 50 interchange project. He stated that the transit village plans did not seek to change the transportation mitigation projects identified in SEATS. Therefore, those projects continued to be mitigation measures under the transit village plans. The recent Station Block study identified these as serious obstacles in fully realizing the goal of transit village plans.
Mr. Harris explained that as a result of the Station Block Plan discussions, the City is seeking out SACOG Community Design funds to pay for a circulation plan and Transit Village Plan amendment to determine the best way to move people and vehicles through the transit villages while also achieving other transit village urban design objectives. Mr. Billingsley asked that the circulation plan’s scope be expanded to include study of the potential to reduce the width of 65th Street from 14th Avenue to Folsom Boulevard.
D. Redevelopment Area Update
Mr. Pahule gave an update on current redevelopment activities in the 65th Street Redevelopment area, including:
1. Staff has included a memorandum in their agenda packets that will keep the RAC updated on follow-up from items they have requested.
2. Redding Avenue land dedications
Mr. Anis Ghobril from the City’s Development Services Department stated that at the time the Jefferson Commons (Verge) project was planned, there were no plans to include parking and bike lanes on Redding Avenue. Therefore, the developer was only required to construct frontage improvements that met the City’s standards for a local road. Future development on Redding Avenue will be required to dedicate/construct improvements that include parking and bike lanes.
3. Target Corporation Development Site (formerly Golden 1 Credit Union)
Agency staff has spoken to Target representatives in Minnesota about their plans for the 65th Street site. They are attempting to incorporate City Planning and Council comments to include other uses in the development before submitting a planning application. There was some discussion about other Target prototypes, e.g., West Hollywood. There was a suggestion that Target be invited to make a presentation to the RAC regarding alternative store designs for urban settings.
4. Jackson Properties Development Site (formerly the “Barn” site)
Agency staff has met with the new developers of the site, who want to construct two hotels on the site, totaling approximately 160,000 square feet and 248 hotel rooms. Audience members expressed concerns about the operators of the hotels and a desire that other commercial uses be included in the development. Staff confirmed that new entitlements would be required for the hotel concept. RAC members expressed concern that the proposal be consistent with the 65th Street/University Transit Village Plan’s objectives, including mixed-use retail along street frontages.
5. Former Jefferson Lofts Site.
Agency staff has met with the new developers of the site, William Lyon Homes, who are interested in building single family and condo-units on the 13.5 acre site.
VI. COMMUNICATION FROM RAC MEMBERS AND PUBLIC ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Ms. Maleske mentioned that she was very satisfied with the current month’s minutes for the RAC. Ms. Clady stated that representatives from Hiram Johnson High school should be invited to participate in the RAC meetings.
VII. ADJOURNMENT