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Minutes - 01/19/2006 - Commercial Revitalization Task Force1. 2. S MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 19, 2006 COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION TASK FORCE OF THE VILLAGE OF OAK BROOK APPROVED AS WRITTEN ON APRIL 12, 2006. CALL TO ORDER The Commercial Revitalization Task Force was called to order by Village Manager Richard Boehm in the West Wing Training Room of the Butler Government Center at 6:08 p.m. ROLL CALL Village Manager Richard Boehm called the roll with the following persons PRESENT: Trustees Jeffrey J. Kennedy, Robert G. Sanford, Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Champ Davis, Plan Commission Chairman Lexi Payovich and Community Development Director Robert Kallien. ABSENT: President Kevin Quinlan. IN ATTENDANCE: Richard B. Boehm, Village Manager. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Consultant Interviews Village Manager Boehm explained that this special meeting was a continuation from the January 17, 2006 Task Force meeting to interview consultants. Greg Flisram from Vandewalle & Associates gave the first presentation to the Committee and introduced their project team members to discuss their areas of expertise. Team members explained the projects they have developed in the metropolitan area of planning /urban design, architecture /landscape architecture, site design/development standards and transportation planning. They discussed consensus building /public relations, economic development and real estate development /project financing, corridor planning experience and implementation that they have provided for private and public clients. They discussed organizing segments of the community including highlighting Salt Creek that runs through Oak Brook that could be a major recreation and open space. They discussed considering the repositioning of some retail along the corridor, redevelopment of some areas to maximize land use by creating walkable sub - districts within the area. Oak Brook has a regional image because of the shopping mall and the I -88 research and technology development corridor. They recommended to further Oak Brook's image by presenting a niche for these types of firms in Oak Brook. a. Commercial Revitalization Task Force Page 1 of 5 January 19, 2006 Minutes They would inventory the existing land uses and analyze what it means for developers. Their traffic experts would quantity traffic congestion areas with a goal toward identifying solutions and safety issues. He indicated there is a website called the Regional Transportation Asset Management System that shows Oak Brook's traffic signals and the type of transportation system throughout the area. It is a great asset for usage by consultants and the Village. They would consider what appropriate funding methods are available to Oak Brook to assist in expansion of 22nd Street and the I -88 overpass involving the Tollway Authority, State of Illinois and the Village of Oak Brook. They would consider methods to build synergies along the corridor with businesses, sub -zones that drives the land use and how to convince developers to maximize the land to build density in the area. They would identify and prioritize what projects should be positioned economically for Oak Brook short and long term. They then discussed municipalities that their firm has been involved in redeveloping commercial areas and what concepts they would consider for Oak Brook. Trustee Kennedy asked if they would help the Village with funding from state agencies. They would identify those resources within the county and state to assist in funding. The firm has worked with the federal government in obtaining federal funds for a redevelopment area. He further asked what traffic concepts they would have for Oak Brook. They indicated resolving intersection congestion by creating separations such as Highland Avenue. Manager Boehm recessed the meeting briefly. The meeting reconvened with the Lakota Group's presentation. The Lakota Group gave their presentation to the Task Force. The team members outlined their scope of services of assessing the state of the corridor, developing land use strategies, commercial repositioning strategies and developing community leader focus groups in the community. They would develop minimal concepts to show a change in Oak Brook, create development concepts for key sub -areas that contribute to the Corridor revitalization while respecting adjacent residential neighborhoods, improve corridor land use and physical conditions, create a vision of the corridor's future, create an action strategy to move the plan into implementation and create guidelines for future development. They discussed redevelopment areas that their firm developed in metropolitan areas. Chairman Davis asked if they thought any new residential development could occur along the corridor as similar to the Palatine corridor they developed. They responded that the land could be repositioned in the shopping area and developed into a mixed use town center. Condos and townhomes could line the drives around the shopping center and explore the opportunity to offer people the concept of living, working and shopping in the area. Trustee Sanford asked how one implements from the plan stage to having agencies 4. a. Commercial Revitalization Task Force Page 2 of 5 January 19, 2006 Minutes invest funding. Visioning must occur and working with a collective group of owners and marketing the plan. Consider press releases to get the word out soon and hold workshops explaining the concepts. The community leaders must be involved in taking their plan through the process and have everything in order through the Plan Commission and that zoning issues have been addressed. Then the developers know they can come in for redevelopment to implement their plans. Trustee Kennedy asked if they would have an addendum to the Village's zoning ordinance for these changes. They indicated they would address the zoning issues. Trustee Kennedy indicated that the Comprehensive Plan would need to be updated. Lakota Group suggested that the Community Development Department usually handles this or they could do this also. Trustee Sanford asked who take the lead in marketing the plan. The Village's website could host the plan and developers could peruse this for information. They have developed owner training programs to explain to the owners how they could revitalize their property. They indicated that relationships need to be built between the county and state for assistance in funding roadway improvements by obtaining grants. Streetscapes could be developed along the corridor and around the shopping center to make a noticeable impact to the public. The Village Manager briefly recessed the meeting. The meeting reconvened with the final presentation by HNTB Corporation. The final presenters were HNTB Corporation. Philip Hanegraaf introduced the team members to the Task Force. They discussed their streetscape designs and context sensitive solutions they developed in metropolitan areas. They discussed their process of urban design, architectural guidelines and code requirements for Oak Brook's project. Their deliverables included early citizen involvement, coordinating meetings, community workshop, developing corridor driver's vision, revitalization alternatives, drafting a program and implementing strategy. They recommend organizing a steering committee involving representatives from the business community, major property owners, citizens, local officials and representative from the park, school and library for the project. Their strategy includes soliciting early public input which is essential to a successful planning and revitalization program. They discussed how they funded various projects they have developed. Chairman Payovich asked if they deliberately did not stress the traffic congestion. Mr. Hanegraaf indicated that those problems are so obvious that they play out in the form of infrastructure financing as there is a large amount of funding involved. They are concerned of the level of investment involved would be costly issues to access to Oak Brook. They would provide the traffic engineering for the revitalization project and work toward improving accessibility. Trustee Kennedy asked if they could help the Village get the financing. HNTB would be 4. a. Commercial Revitalization Task Force Page 3 of 5 January 19, 2006 Minutes an advocate in leveraging the agencies between the counties, IDOT and Toll Authority to solve mutual problems within other corridors to advance those projects. They would identify different approaches in value engineering that might interest these agencies and advance Oak Brook's project. Trustee Kennedy indicated that the biggest obstacle the Village has is the major congestion caused by expansion. Trustee Sanford commented that HNTB is a large firm and he has concern that this may be a small project for them and would they address such a project. Mr. Hanegraaf indicated that they are committed professionals and the Village may contact their clients to confirm that they are committed to their projects. Community Development Director Kallien asked why their approach would be different than the Lohan approach. They will need public input and from staff of the affected properties along the corridor. There has to be partnership of leveraging the benefits of this development. The vision is long term but many pieces have to be prioritized and funded. There has to be open environments and obligatory meetings to explain the project early in the process and why it is important to the key stakeholders. Several meetings should be held to those affected to understand why it is important and they can ask questions in order to get them engaged in the process. Trustee Kennedy recommended having the twenty -five homeowner presidents involved in this project is crucial in order to have the project move forward. Mixed uses in the shopping center could include entertainment such as indoor sports recreation, theme oriented entertainment or cultural venues catered to the daytime visitor. The Village's market plan, vision and community input makes the plan realistic and can be implemented. Community Development Director Kallien indicated that most of Oak Brook's successes are due to zoning. Would HNTB recommend changes to the Village Code in order to obtain some of these concepts they recommended. Mr. Hanegraaf explained that they have hired a new staff member for this purpose of density control and compatibility in districts. They and Village staff would need to consider what new districts could be created and how would they be managed. The Committee discussed the presentations and what firms they felt were best fitted for the revitalization project. Director Kallien noted that HNTB understands what the Village wants and their approach of funding are imperative in the project. Houseal Lavigne and HNTB both have the capability to do this. It was a consensus of the Task Force that these two firms were considered the best fit for the Village's commercial revitalization project. The Committee recommended that a scope of services proposal be obtained from Houseal Lavigne and HNTB. Director Kallien will create a detailed matrix of these proposals so that items could be added or deleted. Motion by Director Kallien, seconded by Trustee 4. a. Commercial Revitalization Task Force Page 4 of 5 January 19, 2006 Minutes Kennedy, to request scope of services proposal from Houseal Lavigne and HNTB. VOICE VOTE: Motion carried. 5. NEW BUSINESS —None presented. 6. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Trustee Kennedy, seconded by Trustee Sanford, to adjourn the Commercial Revitalization Task Force at 10:20 p.m. VOICE VOTE: Motion carried. ATTEST: Linda K. Gonnella Linda K. Gonnella, CMC Village Clerk Commercial Revitalization Task Force Page 5 of 5 January 19, 2006 Minutes