City Council - Regular Meeting

All right. Thumbs up. Still almost in the way, but it chair. So we get everybody.

We got still here. Oh, sorry. I call the North Queen City Council work session order at 601 and I'm going to turn over to

Thank you, mayor, and good evening, councilors. Uh this week we are going to be discussing uh a plan that was adopted back in 2023 for North Plains downtown improvement. Uh the North Plains downtown improvement plan uh is a comprehensive plan to improve the downtown area both economically and for uh the built uh improvements to the built environment. Bill, if you would go to the next slide. Okay. Uh, and it looks like we had a little PowerPoint glitch on this side. So, don't mind that the text doesn't match, but uh, the downtown improvement plan is a uh, plan that was funded by the Oregon Transportation Growth Management Plan, TGM. Um, as we've discussed over the past several months, TGM is active in North Plains, funding several of our planning efforts. And this planning process took uh the course of uh two and a half three years uh and was ultimately adopted in June of 2022. The plan started with a study area of uh northwest Glenco to Gordon Road and uh on the south boundary that was cottage to the north boundary of Wasco streets. So this is a pretty large area um broadly defined as downtown. Ultimately, the study area was um brought closer in um really between Payburn and Hillrest and then from Glen Co to Main Street where the main focus is. We now define the downtown core area as really being between 313th and Maine and Commercial Street, the north side of Commercial Street included, down to Curn Street. Um, so we've uh over the process of developing this plan uh tightened the study area and looked at a lot of the uh

built conditions inside the study area as well as the possibilities for development inside the study area. Here on the screen you can actually see some great pictures from inside one of our existing developments. This is inside the downtown warehouses um where we had one of our community open houses for this project. Bill, if you could go to the next slide. Uh, so speaking of community engagement in the process, we had a large project advisory committee which helped shape the development of the project and provide feedback on the products. Uh, the project team comprised of city staff as well as a consultant team from a number of different agencies and uh, guidance ultimately by ODOT who runs the transportation and growth management program. Uh this was also a plan that was blessed by uh the economic development committee at the time now known as the economic development commission uh the north plains planning commission and then ultimately adopted by the north plane city council in 2023. Slide please.

Uh a bit about how we came to the final conclusions in this plan. Uh we had two community open houses which were some of our most well attended public engagement um that the city has done in recent times. It's a real feather in our cap. Um the amount of engagement we got both uh with the in-person turnout even though uh I wasn't here for that event but I am told that it was supposed to be a sunny day and it was not quite a sunny day but we still had really good turnout which is a great thing to see for any public process. U and we have really strong uh participation in online survey. You can view the results um in the appendices C and H for the downtown plan, but we also have a great infographic that's available on the website as well um that illustrates some of those results. Really, really strong participation there. Um there were several pack meetings that project advisory committee as well as stakeholder meetings going out to people who are going to be directly impacted by the plan and getting their feedback um on a one one-on-one or a small group setting. Several of those were held. and then going out to community organizations and sharing information with them as well. So, this was a really comprehensive project. Like I said, it took several years to come together. Um, and the crew here at the city as well as our consultant team um, put in a lot of time and effort in making sure that this was a project that reflected not just the technical needs of the downtown, but what the community wanted downtown to be. And that was actualized in the vid goals and vision of the downtown improvement plan. So this is the first bit of information that you'll see when you open the downtown improvement plan. Um you'll see the goals there being enhancing downtown as a destination for community and visitors alike. supporting business vitality, economic success, um and looking at, uh future development opportunities, improving multimodal connections. So, encouraging people to

get to downtown by walking, biking, transit, automobile, um all of those uh modes to get downtown being equally represented uh in the long run. Enhancing the look and feel of downtown. I think this is the most visible part of the plan. It's something that we all immediately can see. Downtown um has more of an industrial character at the moment. And that's something that the community uh reflected wanting to change, wanting to see wide sidewalks and narrower streets, things like outdoor dining or improved streetscape by having planter boxes, street trees or decorative lamps. Um so all of those elements are considered in the plan as well. Um and then probably the least talked about element then is going to be including more housing in downtown. Uh the state is in a declared housing crisis and so it was considered during the creation of the plan how we could accommodate housing downtown. What types of housing would be best suited for downtown and any uh if any publicly supported or public private partnerships would be feasible for downtown. Um and then ultimately they wanted to create an implementable plan and I believe we were successful with that plan has been adopted and we've already uh created some different code amendments um and create and completed some of the projects. Here on the side we have the vision statement and this comes from our comprehensive plan. I believe most of you are familiar with it. But some of the highlights being a vibrant walkable uh enticing place to shop, dine and gather. Commercial street retaining historic character um quality of housing um area being safe and convenient for people on all modes of transportation and then having that main street character. So, cohesive design, unique character, um, and different amenities for people visiting and for community

members who are here on a day-to-day basis. Bill, if you would. Okay. And so, this is the meat and potatoes of the plan where we get into the implementable actions. Uh, we broke down the plan into five recommendations. at the board here being retaining and growing small business. Then favoring fossil and uh fostering a favorable environment for investment uh public and private, establishing a civic center with vibrant public spaces. Those are opportunities for people to engage civically as well as be involved in public events. Uh building appropriate infrastructure for downtown. That's getting into that streetscape element and creating future opportunities for housing. All of these goals are broken down into subactions over the near, medium, and long term. And this plan really looks at the next decade from 2023 to 2033. So near-term actions being 1 to two year, medium-term being that 2 to 5 years, and long-term being that 5 to 10 year mark. Um, we're now in 2026, but we're looking at a lot of medium-term and prepping for long-term project goals. Bill, if you would. And these are some of the priority actions that we've pulled out from the downtown improvement plan. There's a lot listed in there. Um, and I would be remiss to not say that you should be considering all of those actions, but we don't necessarily have all the time to go through each one um, in minute detail today. So, these are some that uh, staff have been calling out as uh, really our priorities. In the near term, that's conducting outreach to businesses, attracting businesses with marketing, um, and then updating the zoning code and updating our, uh, transportation system plan. Uh, in the medium term, that looks like helping to establish a Main Street program. I believe several of you are familiar with Oregon Main Street, um, and the benefits that having a Main Street organization can bring to uh, the town. That's uh, a really big

draw for the community. um establishing a storefront improvement plan. I know this board as the URRA board has been uh mulling over different options for storefront improvement and other uh grant programs and then facilitating reuse of key properties. So that looks like working with property owners as well as considering properties that the uh URRA maintains control of through ownership um or uh the city as well. own several properties downtown. Uh long-term, it looks like future acquisitions by the UR uh opportunity sites identified in the plan uh facilitating the redevelopment of our currently city-owned properties such as the library and library annex site. Um and then rebuilding Commercial Street uh from Northwest Gleno all the way to Main Street. Bill, if you would. And this here uh illustrates the intersection between URA projects and downtown improvement projects. And I like to highlight this. There is a lot of intersection between what downtown improvement looks like and what URRA looks like. Downtown Streetscape and rebuilding commercial street is a huge project for both the downtown improvement plan and the URA. One of the most costly in both of those. Um Twin Valley Fire and Rescue safety improvements. that looks like both um supporting Talson Valley Fire and Rescue in their station renovation efforts as well as making sure that our street improvements are safe for their operations. um a new civic center and public plazas supported by our recent uh uh recent funds from USD USDA rural uh courtesy of Senator Bonamichi and is a priority project uh both in the URA and downtown improvement plans and then grants and loans ways for us to

support business um in improving and expanding their operations. uh things that fall more on the URA side, railroad crossing improvements, um improvements to streets that are outside of the downtown core for but still periphery like us. Um and then things like multi-use trails that will filter into downtown but are not directly included in downtown as well as storm drainage and water system updates. Those are big projects, expensive projects. they are going to impact downtown but they are not within the purview of the downtown plan itself. Um and then things that fall more on the downtown side maybe not the responsibility of the URA are those marketing activities and business recruitment creation of new events um and then updates to city code as well as supporting main street organization efforts and then we get into implementation. Um this is the fun part. this where staff gets to really put boots on the ground um and start doing things. So, uh up top under both accomplished and near future, you'll see zoning code updates. We have done some but not all of the zoning code updates. There's still work to be done. Um, but we now have a uh completely new downtown design standard section um that really supports the development of a character um of a unique character in downtown that's distinct from the rest of town. Uh we have completed an inventory of uh properties and we maintain regular contact with those property owners and we have completed uh additional signage in 2024 at the intersection of Glen Poe and Commercial uh to draw people to downtown. some of the things that are in progress. Uh Main Street organization, which I just talked about, um we did were able to get

together a group of business owners and organization representatives back in January uh to talk about Main Street organizing. Um becoming a Main Street organization is a private nonprofit. It's not a city or a URRA activity, but we can provide technical assistance, and that's really our goal. Um, so we will be supporting them in any ways that they ask for as far as technical assistance goes. Um, and then things that will be coming in front of this body soon, uh, storefront improvement, historic building programs. Um, those are grant and loan opportunities that can be set up by the URA to support our existing or future businesses downtown. Um, and then facilitating the redevelopment of city property. So, uh, developing plans for a civic center, um, supporting that development as it goes through the process in the near future. Things that we aren't quite ready to, uh, initiate, um, pursuing catalytic redevelopment. Um, so that can look like what we can do with the properties that we own, partnering with developers or uh providing technical assistance via grant or loan programs to investigate what sort of development could be catalytic for the city um for developers to pursue. Um, and then updating the transportation system plan for commercial street. Uh, I will get into much more granular detail on this later, but our current transportation system plan has an adopted cross-section and several references to Commercial Street that don't match up with the real conditions of Commercial Street. Um, so we do need to do some alignment between what the transportation system plan reflects, what the built conditions of commercial street reflect, and what the goals of the downtown improvement plan are. Um, and then future projects,

marketing available properties, creating new events and destinations has been a long-term goal of the city. Uh, something I personally worked on for a number of months when I was serving here as an Americanore. It's an exceptionally hard thing to get off the ground. Um, as events are incredibly labor intensive and very volunteer intensive. Um, and then the the big projects for the city rebuilding commercial street and the new civic center. Those are long-term goals um that we will be pursuing. Um, but we are looking many years in the future as we plan those out. Bill. Okay. Um, historic building improvements. So, uh, this board would have, uh, heard last council meeting, um, about some ideas for grant programs or loan programs. This is one that directly ties in with the downtown improvement plan. Um, so improving older downtown, uh, buildings to facilitate either an increase in the use or reuse or an expansion of the scope of the use. Um that can include extraordinary costs for um structural improvements, safety improvements, um changing the use of the building um are all things that this board can consider when developing a new grant or loan program um that's funded by the URRA budget and uh we can implement this very quickly uh depending on how the board approaches the new programs. So uh and then commercial street uh this is a lot of text on one fa on one slide uh but we'll try to make the best sense of it. Commercial street is going to be approached in phases. Uh immediately we are looking at some interim safety and functionality measures to make uh commercial street uh safer and more attractive to people who are shopping and dining and existing downtown. Um so

the immediate goals are addressing safety, functionality and usability and this is going to be hopefully funded by small cities aotment as being pursued by public works and engineering and we're expecting to implement this over the next 1 to four months. Then looking at 2027, we're going to address the transportation system plan and those discrepancies between the real conditions, the conditions in the plan and the conditions of the and the aspirational conditions of the downtown improvement plan. Um, and that is going to be uh either a city or grant-f funded effort to align, most likely bringing in some consultants to do that work. Um, and we can likely carry this out in 2027 or 2028. And then commercial streets reconstruction. That's the big project here. Um, that's going to look like fully repaving, improving the water system, potentially uh addressing undergrounding of utilities, um, and rebuilding Commercial Street from Northwest Gleno to Northwest Maine. This is a big project. um adjusted for inflation from the 2022 numbers were over $10 million not including the water system or undergrounding utilities. Um this is a project which is likely going to be addressed by a combination of URA city and grant funding. Um and it's a long-term project. We're looking at at least 5 to eight years to be able to accomplish this. Bill, if you would. Okay. I said I was going to get into granular detail here about that discrepancy between the transportation system plan, the built conditions, and the downtown improvement plan. So, what you'll see, and this doesn't show up great on the screen here, but um we'll try to explain this. The current adopted standard is this uh collector street cross-section that you see above the other two in white here. And this

reflects a 70 foot collector street. and that's what most of our collectors are, but commercial 80 feet. So, we're working within an extra five feet on either side um that's not reflected in the adopted standard. So, what we need to do um is take the cross-sections that we got from the downtown improvement plan um and these were not adopted. They're in the plan, but they are adopted into our transportation system plan. So, they're they're living in limo, so to speak, right now. Um what we need to do is uh take another look at these, ensure that they are um aligned with all of our goals and then adopt them into the transportation system plan. Those crosssections reflect that 80 foot ride ofway and the goals of the transportation system or of the downtown improvement plan, excuse me. Um so that is the goal with that uh interim project happening in the next one to two years. Bill, if you would. Okay. And then the interim measures. So, how do we deal with this uh discrepancy in the meantime? Um, it has been identified that we have a compliance issue with the Americans with Disabilities Act uh at the intersection of Northwest 314th and Commercial and our TSP does require us to be compliant with the ADA uh for width, slope, and curb ramp design. Um this is also a location that is adjacent to an entire block of civic facilities and senior housing. This is a priority location for staff. Um it really needs to be improved. Um so this is what we're going to look to address primarily with that small cities a lotment and the interim um PL uh project this summer. Um it'll bring our downtown core closer to that adopted standard as it is right now. um and support the recent transit upgrades that we got, including a bike hub and an upgraded bus stop downtown.

So, we want to be respectful of the fact that our transit agencies are putting investment into downtown and make sure that we're holding up our end of the bargain um and making sure that we're uh adopting the right standards. And the uh goal outcomes here, slowing down vehicle traffic, improving pedestrian safety, and uh enhancing our bicycle facilities and and bike safety as well. Okay. And the new civic center. Uh so we are currently in the pre-planning phase. We just recently got that rule commitment. Um this will take another look at what our civic center needs are as far as uh area and facilities go. The last time we addressed civic center needs, we did not have the Kindle building over on West Union. Um, so that's a big facility ad and we will certainly be looking at addressing uh the change in needs there now that we have that facility. Um, and then we will be looking at the midterm goal planning and and assessing what funding sources we have for the civic center ultimately long-term going into the construction phase of that project. um which will likely be a combination URA grant and city project. Bill, if you um and that is a lot of information in a short amount of time uh but I am open for discussion and questions.

Thank you.

Thank you. Um, council lady for chair, this is a lot of great information. I appreciate your support for downtown businesses. I'm um interested in sequencing of these projects, particularly the expensive ones and make sure that we're all aligned on how the money is going to work. Is there a framework that we can share so that we all have a common understanding of the priorities of the sequencing?

Yes. So if you go into the plan, you'll find a table that shows you how the event how the projects are all sequenced as far as near, mid, and long term. Um, of course, we are not going to be able to address every single action item. Um that's going to be something that uh between staff expertise in this body um you determine which projects are the highest priority as we called out on um one of the slides there I believe it is slide seven um we have a list of sort of priorities that staff has been addressing um in in the short term that's outreach marketing and code updates TSP updates followed by mainstream programs, grant loan programs, and reuse. And then that and then looking at those long-term projects really um what staff has identified as being the rebuilding of Commercial Street and the development of a civic center public plaza being the top of of that list.

Thank you. Quick followup. So, I appreciate that and I just want to make sure that we have an opportunity to review them before we proceed on projects so that we're all in line. Of course. Thank you, Council. Thank you, Council Ver, and thank you so much for this presentation. Um, and just a quick followup as well. Um, just a couple quick questions. I was curious, um, one, is there still discussion to have the potential new civic center or the current library and library annexes? Uh I believe we are assessing multiple different uh locations but it'll come down to feasibility.

Thank you Rowan. Uh great question counselor. So it's never been finally decided what side of commercial street a city center needs to be on. Um we have we have brought to you know this has been a few years of discussing and planning including the downtown plan but it's never been decided what side of commercial street to do the facility when the time comes. Um, I expect that when we do get I'm going to scope in the scope of work of updating the civic center to get some finalized recommendations for what side of the street the facility should be on. Um, I think though that it's fair to say that we know that on the north side of commercial street where the big red house is and where the yellow house is, when the time comes for them to be bulldozed, there's enough space to have the civic center. The problem is is that if as the you know in the future if the city needs more space or it changes its mind about what's in the Kindle building versus civic center, the city would have to buy the houses on either side and bulldoze them to grow to grow the city facility. So there's far more flexibility to do it on the south side of commercial starting with where the ex where the current library annex former city hall building is. Ideally, that we'll hear from the architects, but I will not be shocked if they say yes, plan to bulldoze that building if you do this and then rebuild something bigger and probably go up two stories, have community space, council chambers. Um the things that we miss because, you know, we're anticipating that the project is actually a little smaller because we don't need police there. Um it's more about council chambers, maybe finance taking water payments there. Um, so less space mean and then maybe some more design for like a fountain or pavilion

outside to kind of give people more reason to come downtown sort of thing. So we'll hear from the architects about some of that.

Thank you for that. Um, just a couple other quick things. Um, I I really like the idea of really prioritizing that civic center public plaza. Um, just thinking how we can draw foot traffic to that downtown core. Um because I think about all the ingredients we hold here at Jesse Mays and even though it's you know a tenth of a mile down the road just being one away sometimes um you know a consumer might not think oh we just had a really great chili dinner and let's go get some pilgrim snacks. Um so I think being close in proximity would be really really beneficial. um as well as that multi-use trail. Um thinking through like Bino Trail and how um some of those businesses really capitalize on the foot traffic especially on the weekends. Um and just the last question I had was you know thinking about the Gleno and West Union intersection project with those mist funds from the county. Is there any sort of cost savings that we can capitalize on from that project carrying forward to the commercial student improvement project?

Uh yes. So the the short answer is that impro the county improving the intersection now does save us some cost um because we won't have to rebuild Marshall Street all the way to the intersection. Um, what I would say is I wouldn't count on it being a significant difference. Um, the reconstruction of Commercial Street between Glen Co and 313th is much more um, superficial than what's happening between 313th and Main Street as the plan is today. Um, so there's less work that needs to be done in that section. um it's much more intensive work in the downtown core area. Um so that's where we're expecting a majority of the costs to be borne out. Um but yes, it is it is always a benefit to have the county undertaking transportation upgrades in in the city and bearing those costs.

Absolutely. I think I think just a followup I have is, you know, while while that improvement project is underway with the county, is there any cost savings that we can capitalize on as a city? say, "Hey, you know, you already have the ground ripped open because you're improving, you know, fiber optic, I don't know. Um, let's go ahead and make this water line replacement while the ground is there." Is there anything like that that was typically done as a best practice for cities or That is something that I will have to defer to public works on. Okay, no problem. Thank you.

All right. Well, so I have a couple questions um on the transportation system plan. Sorry, I couldn't remember the back um on the TSP. So, we have public transit in there, but in plan it is listed as Wave and West Link. So, I'm just clarifying that's what we're referring to when we say public transit. We're not talking about bringing Metro out. Oh, when we talk about public transportation, um so public transportation, uh under both of our plans, there's no plans to bring Trime out here. I do not believe Try's interested. if there's not enough writers who try to just wanted to clarify that I was reading that correctly. That's what I read, but I don't

our our local transportation providers are Ride Connection, which is a nonprofit operating in western Washington County. Um and then we have a regional connector wave. Yes. Um comes between Portland and the coast and ODOT now operates a connection regional connection through here as well. Right. and we have the course volunteer network. Um, okay. So, my other one was on housing choices. I assume that will come out of planning commission as part of the updates as well because that was one of the things we had referred to planning commission was standards design standards on the apartments and and housing.

Yes, that that will be going through planning commission and then come to this body. Okay. So, that that's all part will be already sent to We don't need to like be like, "Hey, specifically focus on this because we've already told them that, right?" I'm just clarifying that I understood. Uh, as far as housing zoning codes updates go, yes, that's going to be wrapped in with existing projects as italics on the I thought so, but it's always better to ask. Who else?

Oh, and if you can please state your name so everybody knows even though we know, but Council War. Uh, thank you for the presentation. Well done. Um, just a couple of questions. Was the presentation that we saw dated 2023 or had you updated it since then? The the plan the presentation that you just presented it was dated 23. Right. Uh, no. This this presentation was drafted last week. Oh, okay. The date on says 23. So, the the plan is 23. Correct. The plan was adopted in 2023. Yes.

Okay. It's confusing. So, uh, all right. Um, so, um, lost my train. Sorry, I had a headache. Uh, so since, and I hate to bring up this topic because it's sensitive, but in the plans that we just saw, uh, for commercial street for all the traffic, there isn't a loading zone area. So, I'm assuming that's going to be added to this plan. So uh as adopted we can use the or as proposed and and as we regulate the right of way right now in the transportation system plan. Um it is standard practice that if a loading zone is needed it is placed in the parking lane.

I see. Thank you.

Hey counselor. And I have a question on the if I I really appreciate the slide that you had on the DIP and you are a intersection of all these projects and in particular I zeroed in in the intersect in grants and loans were on there I noticed which then um and I appreciate you kind of adding the headnod on the historic building improvement grants and I'm near immediate three months which is excellent and I was curious do you have guidance that you need from the council body to run fast and get make this happen and if not what guidance would you need from us today too if this is a you are a grant budget initiative but yet this is kind of at that intersection point that you highlighted who's the governing body to support you move this forward

y so on grants and loan programs um as we discussed in the last work session that is uh programs that will be adopted by or approved by the URA board and then administered by staff. Um so I believe we are planning at the next URA board meeting to bring together some draft program uh frameworks and receive your feedback on those.

Thank you. Councelor Weber, uh, can we call back up the street one again with the drive lanes and the bike lanes and, uh, I was just trying to make sure I understood. Okay. So, we have the one on the left is the street design for the downtown core segment. So, that one applies for which up how far?

So, that applies uh or that is scoped to apply from 313th to Main Street. And as a reminder, the ones on the bottom are included in the downtown improvement plan, but are not currently adopted into the transportation system plan. So right now, anything we do in the interim, we must adhere to that top crosssection. The top one is the official one now. That's the official right now, which is why it's a priority to update the transportation system plan in the next one to two years.

Okay. So that's the one. I get it. So that's the one we're talking about now. When we were talking about like the parking outside the food bank, there'd be this 14 foot strip. That's that's correct. What we're doing right now is interim trying to make sure we're compliant with our our existing plans, which is why the interim project is mostly paint and striping and not permanent improvements. and then adopt these new standards and do that long-term project to do all those permanent improvements. So, the commercial street design and the commercial street design eastern segment and downtown, those are proposed, but they've never been enacted.

They've not been adopted into the transportation system plan at this time. That's an action item that has yet to be executed. But are they supposed to is that the proposal that they should be? Yes. The proposal is that they should be. So if they were, does that conflict with like what we're talking about doing say outside the food bank? These

No. No. Um it if they are adopted into the transportation system plan, um then you'll see that substantially from from the middle section there. Um these two don't look terribly different. Um, so we can do an interim project that is as compliant as possible with given the existing street conditions. Um, and then plan for those long-term permanent improvements. Okay, you questions.

Council reading here. Uh, just to play devil advocate uh with councelor Varte. Um, I think I brought this to Vil at least and maybe discuss it with other people or other citizens, but my idea with the civic center was to make it a buffer if we ever brought um the land south of Sunset Ridge and all the way to the Sunset Highway. If that was a primarily commercial area, my idea was to use the civic center as a buffer between our residential neighborhoods and the commercial. It also spreads out that we have the library and food bank here on commercial. Frees up whatever commercial space we were going to use for the civic center for businesses to make this our true downtown like corridor, business corridor. And then we have, you know, the separation. So, library, we have the public works building down kind of near Stewart Lane that that area. And then you'd have the civic center on the other side of Sunset Bridge just to kind of spread it out, give each, you know, people equal opportunity to these civic buildings. So I was just playing a little devil's advocate. That's my wild idea if that was to happen. I know we can't probably make plans on dreams. But it would also be great if we could discuss and what we would want as a council or you know individual would be able to discuss some ideas going forward and maybe be able to move some of this

super correct me if I'm wrong actually that would be and please uh email us. I think individual counselors can attend individual counselor make public comment at the meeting that will be determined with Emily. I'll find out.

Yeah, double check. I'll double check this because I don't want to get anybody in trouble. But yeah, the what I'm getting at is trying to think of Yes, I I don't think anything's off the table. I think that was Bill's kind of point, but I agree there's a lot of opportunities. Um I'll say one of the conversations that we had when um Representative Bonamichi was here, one of the reasons we were thinking about that area was because it's already owned, but it doesn't mean that's where we're going to go. It was just like the when we're when we're trying to like, you know, you have to do the political thing and talk to the person that's giving you a million dollars. Um, that was kind of what we were thinking about and dreaming. But I also think that it's important that we as a city dream a little bit too and think about like, hey, you know, like what if this or what if that because I think that's where the good ideas come from. So I think the answer is

I don't know. Yeah, let's keep an idea. That's simply it. It's an interesting idea because the the thought I think the thought that at least that I had when I heard it was, hey, if we put a a civic center here, it draws people in, but then if we put a commercial center down there, give me that. So, I don't know. There's not there's not a a it's not right or wrong. It's not black and white. Yeah, exact. Yeah. No, I think it's interesting. Um, the only other thing I want to kind of call out is the bike lane on the inside of the park lane on the bottom right. Yes, that is a buffered bike lane. Where else do they do that?

Um, I would have to find specific locations, but it is uh a more common theme in modern transportation planning to bring the bike lanes on the inside. And you'll see there's a a little buffer area with some barriers. And what that does is it it prevents a what we call doring. Yeah, that was which is a pretty horrific thing that happens to cyclists. Yeah. Um so that is designed to prevent. Let's see the little yellow thing. Oh, I'm sorry. So, so counselor, you're referring to having the bike lane inside the parking lot. Oh, yeah. I think I've seen that in downtown Portland if I remember right. But I haven't seen it anything smaller of our size. Oh, I see where you're going.

So, like I understand I get it all. It's new, you know. We don't like new in this town. This is we like what we're So I was just would love to see examples and maybe count our side. Absolutely. Um and something I will say um for better or for worse the Commercial Street wide of way is abnormally wide. Um we have a lot of space to work with and so you'll see we have proposed there. I believe that's 8 foot sidewalks um in a residential portion of the downtown. So this is a very wide spacious right of way to work with but that will also allow like the downtown core to have whereas on the bottom left those out out.

Yeah. Yes. Interesting. There you go. Uh you might not know the question or answer to this question, but I every time I go downtown Brooklyn, I'm thinking about this uh floating zone situation and I see um and I'm it's how wide is is like um Broadway for example or compared to our abnormally sized Broadway and Portland where there's a lot of

um because you see that you see the you see the bike planes you see the yellow thingy you see people um you see dining centers in the parking areas and it's wall to- wall um parking and sometimes people drive down the middle road there's so many cars anyways I digress here how wide is that comparison in compar that is something that I can easily find out for you I don't remember off the top of my head I do believe that most of those downtown how broad how wide is broad street Portland or Hawthorne. E

just googling. Um Broadway is 52 ft of 56. Oh wow. From curb to curb. Oh well curb to curb plus usually 12 foot sidewalks on either side. So I mean you're still only looking 75 to 80 ft. So it's it's about the same. Oh that's interesting. That would make it about the same. Huh. Except except it's one way all through the grid there. Yeah. Oh. Is it now? So you don't right directions and yeah you don't have one lane per direction of traffic but it's similar

after conversations with um with Mr. Cali, the former mayor of Hillsboro. I'm just going to suggest we never talk about one way ever because he was not that one almost killed him. I'm I'm joking. But but yeah, the one way would be would be interesting. But yeah, I think I I think this makes sense, but how wide is commercial the main street in Hillsborough? Now maybe thinking Oh, sorry. No. How is commercial street in HSR or main street which would be functionally equivalent to our commercial right? Only two land though wood parking parking one way. Yeah it's a it's interesting question. Okay.

It doesn't have bike leads either I don't think. Oh you I think you're right. There are just parking parking on both sides though. Well yeah. All right. Okay. While we're working on this one, Council Weber has another question. Council Weber, I was just gonna say I think we brought up a good issue, which is all this pay attention when you go to your favorite downtown and see how they lay out. I think I think we learn a lot from what works and doesn't. Yeah. So, pay attention. No, it's a good point. I carry you take me. I guess what I what I would point out about the certainly the plan on the left for the downtown core is the intent there was um keep it keep it one way each way.

Yeah. one lane of vehicular movement each way and then because and then parking and then all kinds of active uh pedestrian space because keeping it just the one lane each way just makes it more friendly to walk around across the street to shop back across the street to dine that well and I'll just say um going to like Hillro uh I think it's Tuesday market and then wherever one isn't Horse Grove,

they do a good job. Like I I like to go look just because I I like to observe what they're doing to council's point. My opinion, I'm just sharing my opinion. I like the two bottom plans personally because in my opinion, that kind of opens us up to a more economic development where we can actually do those types of things that suck people into downtown more. what that exactly turns into and looks like. I I mean, we we'll see, but it seems like it's effective. And the outdoor dining would be nice in the, you know, 30 seconds of sunlight that we actually get in Oregon. So, I think it would be fun to have the outdoor dining even if we had to do awnings because

in some cities that's very popular and I think it would be popular personally. So, I I think the concept makes sense to me, but that was my What else? Sorry. Questions, comments, points. For reference, baseline through downtown Hillsboro is 70 feet. Oh, so we are wider baseline through downtown Hillsboro is 70. That's that's canonine. Yeah. What's that? Baseline. Yes. Baseline is one way because the other one is separate the name. But

about the it becomes one way. Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Sorry. You turn off the coordinate on baseline main and its one pretty quickly. Not right there, but pretty.

Well, and for all the things that we love to complain about Hillsboro for and we do love Hillsboro. Um, but they have done a great job with that down downtown restoration. So, if you have an opportunity, I mean, I agree, you should go look, council Robert, you should go like just walk around. Um it has not always been that that nice and it I mean I don't know what the numbers are but sure we can pull it but I know it's a lot for them just talking with the mayor and others. Um so but it also takes a lot of work and $10 million for parent and cooperation

and cooperation. So yeah no I I think it's interesting. I like the idea. Um but again I don't really know what else to say about that. We'll pour out for you. Anybody else? Um so what are you what are what is our ultimate output of this work session?

Uh so there's a few things that we want to focus on bringing out of this work session. One is it um at the next UR board meeting we will be bringing forward those grant and loading program frameworks. Um it's really important that we develop those frameworks, get those blessed by this body um and begin administration of those um so that we're being an effective uh renewal agency. Um the second thing is support and active engagement as we go through um interim improvements to commercial street as well as as we develop the transportation system plan updates and then long-term future planning um maintaining good connection with those projects, providing feedback when staff comes to you. Um and then looking forward supporting staff as we uh look for funding. um grant programs and and whatnot. That looks like we're going to be um potentially pursuing state and federal resources. Um anywhere that we can find funding for those projects is is great and it requires your support.

Okay. So, we don't need to make any decisions or give any direction or anything like that. Not not today. Um I I will share um uh Representative Edwards reached out because she's campaigning and asked what we wanted. So, I'll I'll bring this up to her um as we'd like your support on this, you know, and I'll I'll just tell her like staff can figure this out. I don't know exactly, but yes, we'd like some help with this because I know she's been a friend to the city before, so we'll leverage that try to publish funding. Anything else? All right, with that we are adjourned at 6:51 city council