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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 8/12/2008 *PLEASE NOTE: Since the Glendale City Council does not take formal action at the Workshops, Workshop minutes are not approved by the City Council. MINUTES CITY OF GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP AUGUST 12, 2008 1:30 P.M. PRESENT: Mayor Elaine M. Scruggs, Vice Mayor Manuel D. Martinez, and Councilmembers Joyce V. Clark, Steven E. Frate, David M. Goulet, Yvonne J. Knaack, and H. Phillip Lieberman ALSO PRESENT: Ed Beasley, City Manager; Pam Kavanaugh, Assistant City Manager; Craig Tindall, City Attorney; and Pamela Hanna, City Clerk 1. 2009 LEAGUE OF ARIZONA CITIES & TOWNS RESOLUTIONS CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Ryan Peters, Legislative Coordinator This is a request for the City Council to review and provide guidance on the proposed resolutions which will be voted on at the August 19, 2008 League of Arizona Cities and Towns (LACT) Resolutions Committee meeting. The proposed resolutions provide the basis for the annual League of Arizona Cities & Towns Municipal Policy Statement. Many of these resolutions will be brought forward to the Council for adoption in the City of Glendale 2009 Legislative Agenda. Each year, the League of Arizona Cities and Towns requests draft resolutions from all municipalities for discussion by the League Resolutions Committee; a committee on which the Mayor sits as the Glendale representative. Resolutions approved by the Resolutions Committee will become both part of the LACT's Municipal Policy, and draft legislation to be introduced during the upcoming legislative session. Traditionally, LACT chooses five of the approved resolutions as the priorities for the next legislative session by seeking guidance from each member of the committee. Municipalities are expected to support and advocate for these five resolutions as part of our collective municipal legislative agenda. Staff is requesting the Council to provide policy guidance on the proposed League Resolutions. 1 Mr. Ryan Peters, Legislative Coordinator, introduced Ms. Janna Goad as the newest member of the Intergovernmental Program team. He provided a brief summary of the item and asked Council to provide policy guidance. The following are resolutions identified for adoption. 1) Allow request for prices on fees in RFQ/SOQ's. 2) Implement recommendation of the Governor's emergency medical services access task force. 3) Establish a uniform property tax assessment for deed restricted affordable housing projects. 4) Increase the penalty for damaging property with graffiti to a class 1 misdemeanor. 5) Allow municipal websites to serve as the official publication of notices, minutes and other documents currently required by statute to be published in the newspaper. Councilmember Clark requested additional information on RFQ/SOQ's fees as it related to title 34. She provided an example supporting this resolution, and asked why they were recommending a neutral position. Mr. Peters explained they solicited input from various departments and the Planning Department had reported this process had worked well for them in the past. Councilmember Clark requested further clarification. Mr. Peters referred the question to Mr. Craig Tindall, City Attorney. Mr. Tindall explained how this recommendation relates to title 34. He stated his office had provided support for this item; however, leaving it as neutral would not affect them. He noted it was not worth spending a lot of time on this item. He added that this resolution was primarily for small towns. Councilmember Clark discussed how this involved both small and large cities. She referred to the RFP state statute requiring a 45 day wait period. Mr. Tindall disagreed, and stated this resolution only applied to construction for public buildings. He believes it to only be 30 days and cited some exceptions. He noted in some instances it could be done in less time. Councilmember Clark asked the Council to consider a stronger position on this resolution and to support this item in the League of Cities and Towns vote. Mr. Tindall agreed that supporting it could only help. Councilmember Goulet asked Mr. Peters if other Councils were in support. Mr. Peters stated most city staff does not take these items to their Council meetings; therefore, it was hard to estimate. He noted they would know more next week. He added that the League Resolution Committee did recommend support of this item. Councilmembers Knaack, Lieberman and Frate voiced their support. Councilmember Frate asked if this would add additional work for staff. Mr. Ed Beasley, City Manager, thanked Councilmember Frate for his concern, however, stated it would not make much of a difference for staff. He noted they in turn would be supporting smaller municipalities. Vice Mayor Martinez expressed Council's support to amend from neutral to support. Councilmember Goulet inquired as to staffs recommendation of "support concept" for establishing a uniform property tax assessment. Mr. Peters stated the reason was because they were not directly impacted; however, they do support the concept for cities and towns that may be. Councilmember Goulet asked if there had been any opposition. Mr. Peters responded, no. 2 Councilmember Clark asked for clarification on allowing municipal websites to serve as official publication of notices and other documents. She said what was on the screen and the actual resolution was different. She explained that in the resolution, it was amended to allow cities and towns the option to publish on an official website if they so chose. She inquired on the amount the City of Glendale spent each year on publishing notices in local media outlets. She reported on amounts spent by other cities totaling $10,000 to $75,000 a year. Mr. Peters said he was not prepared with a number for Glendale. Councilmember Clark stated that based upon how the resolution is written, rather than how it reads on the screen; she is having a difficult time approving it. Mr. Peters explained that not offering the publication aspect had the potential to limit public access to information. He said the newspapers could argue the point to the public and it could backfire on cities that are proponents of it. He noted this recommendation came from the marketing department. Mr. Beasley commented not everyone had access to the internet and what they were trying to do, was to create as much public access as possible. He added if Council chooses to go a different direction, staff would be happy to research the cost. Councilmember Lieberman noted the problems with newspaper publications deteriorating. He discussed how young people spent more time on the internet and how the older generation was on a fixed income and did not buy newspapers. He said he supports using the internet and was in full support of this item. Vice Mayor Martinez commented that notices were officially in the newspaper and also included on the internet. Mr. Beasley stated he was correct. He explained if it remains an option, staff had no problem; however, with it being the only source, staff was not in agreement. Vice Mayor Martinez said he supported citizen options. Councilmember Clark reiterated that based on how the resolution is currently worded; they should support providing an option. Councilmember Knaack stated this resolution depended on the size of the city and whether they were saving money. She explained she would support this resolution if it gave cities and towns the option to publish an official website. Councilmember Goulet and Lieberman voiced their support for cities and towns to have that option. Vice Mayor Martinez stated the consensus from the Council was to change the wording to support cities and towns to have the option to choose. Mr. Peters concluded his presentation and asked for any other questions. Vice Mayor Martinez asked a question pertaining to resolution number 10 for additional administration fees. He stated they should support recovering the cost of materials and time provided. Councilmember Lieberman agreed with Vice Mayor Martinez to support resolution number 10. Councilmember Clark disagreed. She stated the media requested large amounts of information and this may be an attempt to further limit their access by the placement of an exorbitant fee structure on one group. She noted she will support staffs recommendation of non-support. Vice Mayor Martinez stated he was also in support of communication, however, he believes the city should be reimbursed. 3 Councilmember Goulet commented that he too believes information should be available; however, the trend seemed to be pay-as-you-go. He added recovering time spent was something that can never be done, when staff is directed to research or recall information. He explained these requests were occurring from several sources, not just from the media outlets. He said if someone had to pay for professional time, they might think twice and discover if the information was really essential. He stated he supports the idea that people should pay for what they ask for. Councilmember Frate stated he supported staff's recommendation. He explained some people had the perception that being charged for information meant the city was not open to the public and was in fact limiting information. Vice Mayor Martinez stated the consensus was to support staffs recommendation. Vice Mayor Martinez inquired as to the item to encourage the federal government to enact comprehensive immigration reform. He asked why they were remaining neutral and not supporting it. Mr. Peters stated they choose to remain neutral until they know more about what congress was proposing. 2. REDEVELOPMENT & REVITALIZATION STRATEGY CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Mr. Ed Beasley, City Manger and Mr. Dick Bowers, President, Bowers and Associates. Pursuant to City Council direction this is a request for the City Council to engage in dialogue facilitated by Richard Bowers regarding the City Council goal to enhance the vitality of the Glendale Avenue Corridor and create a vibrant city center. This is the second of a series of four planned Council Workshops on this topic. The Revitalization Strategy addresses several Council Strategic Goals, which include the following: o Strong neighborhoods o Quality economic development o Vibrant city center o A city that is fiscally sound At the Glendale City Council Goal Review and Strategic Planning Retreat held on November 26, 2007, the Council discussed key objectives and goals for 2008-2009. The primary objective identified by the Council was a desire to create a clear vision for redevelopment and revitalization within the city. Aspects included in this objective are a focus on infill development throughout the city and creating a vision and action for downtown Glendale. In order to develop a strategy for achieving this objective, the Council agreed that substantial discussion would be needed to set the foundation for a downtown visioning and revitalization process. In order to achieve this, the Council requested quarterly workshops throughout 2008 to facilitate the discussions that will lead to a comprehensive strategy policy direction by the Council. 4 Implementation of the Council's direction will include developing tools, conducting research, and formally engaging content experts to assist with benchmarking, community involvement, branding, design, and action plan concepts. In May of 2008, research visits were completed, by the Mayor, Council, and staff, to cities in Southern California, the greater Denver area and the greater Portland area. These visits will assist in the development of a set of core principles, policy options and images that will help define the downtown vision and create a frame of reference for continued dialogue. The Council has directed that an open and ongoing dialogue with citizens be developed as a component of the effort to assure that the community has input, is kept informed, and is pleased with the direction to be forged. Ultimately, the Council's policy direction will provide a framework for staff to implement the strategy and provide measurements of progress. Currently, the City of Glendale encompasses approximately 56 square miles and has a population of almost 250,000. As the city has grown, shopping and employment areas, including the downtown and commercial corridors, have developed, matured, and changed their orientation. Smaller parcels often overlooked by developers are now becoming more attractive for infill development. As a result of these changes, the downtown area and commercial corridors, such as Glendale Avenue, have become underutilized and are in need of comprehensive revitalization and redevelopment. At the March 18, 2008 City Council Workshop, the Council engaged in dialogue facilitated by Richard Bowers regarding the City Council goal to enhance the vitality of the Glendale Avenue Corridor and create a vibrant city center. This was the first of a series of four planned Council Workshops on this topic. At the Glendale City Council Goal Review and Strategic Planning Retreat held on November 26, 2007 and facilitated by Richard Bowers, the Council discussed key objectives and goals for 2008-2009. Objectives and goals discussed at that time focused on downtown redevelopment and revitalizing the Glendale Avenue Corridor, which is encompassed by the City Center Master Plan (CCMP). The Council adopted the CCMP on July 23, 2002 by Resolution No. 3602 New Series. Resulting vision, plans and action will provide an enhanced sense of place, a destination, and an identity for Glendale that will strengthen the sense of community, enhance Glendale's image and attractiveness throughout the region and nation, and strengthen the city's economic foundation. 5 Revitalization and redevelopment plans will provide for more efficacious uses of many properties to better support residential, commercial, and public facilities development at appropriate locations and diminish incompatible uses. Revitalization, infill, and redevelopment of the downtown and existing commercial corridors will permit Glendale to continue to be the focus of the West Valley. These efforts will offer a fresh vision of downtown as the center of a vigorous and growing community and will result in high-quality public and private investment along the Glendale Avenue corridor and other commercial corridors. Infill, by utilizing vacant or empty lands in developed areas, will achieve economies including taking advantage of existing infrastructure and ensuring that new development activities work in concert with each other to achieve the vision of downtown. As part of the Redevelopment Strategy, a comprehensive Citizen Participation effort will take place to involve citizens, neighborhoods, property owners and developers in the formation of a dynamic plan. It is anticipated that a series of open houses will be held, with posting of the meetings in the Glendale Star and other means of notification such as KGLN, Channel 11. Council workshops are planned on a quarterly basis throughout 2008 and 2009 to facilitate the necessary discussions that will provide for a comprehensive redevelopment strategy developed through policy direction by the Council. As part of the Fiscal Year 2008-09 budget process, the Council approved funding a total of $220,000 for the Redevelopment Planning and Program budget. The budget of $220,000 includes funding for one full-time employee (FTE), a downtown redevelopment manager, and funding for contractual services such as Redevelopment Consultants. The recommendation was to provide updates regarding the trips and the learned concepts that are applicable to Glendale and discuss the next steps of community involvement. Mr. Bowers provided a brief summery on goals and objectives which began at last year's fall Council retreat. He invited Council members and staff to discuss their trip findings. Councilmember Clark reported on her group. She stated she had traveled with Councilmember Lieberman, Mr. Brian Freedman and Mr. Eric Strunk. She said the four traveled to the metro Denver area from May 14 through May 16. They visited Aurora, Denver, Englewood, Lakewood and Boulder in two days. She thanked Mr. Freedman and Mr. Strunk for being excellent tour guides, as well as the Colorado host committees. She stated they were extremely generous with their time. She reported their hosts were excited their cities were being toured. The city of Aurora is a suburb of 6 Denver with a population slightly larger than Glendale. They visited four sites in the Aurora area. She stated in Denver, they focused on the Sixteenth Street Mall, which was a work in progress with retrofitting and modernization that began over 25 years ago. Councilmember Clark said the city of Englewood was the smallest city visited at only six square miles. She stated that within those miles, they had redeveloped an old shopping center mall and had turned it into a new downtown area, as well as managed to secure a light rail stop. The city of Lakewood has a population smaller than Glendale; however, had a project similar to Westgate, called Belmar. Their last visit was Boulder in which they visited the 29th Street District, as well as the area mall. Councilmember Clark related what the group came away with from their visit. She stated they found dynamic architecture, a sense of place and connection, historic assets and their importance, transportation, parking, signage, arts, landscaping and lessons learned. Councilmember Lieberman also thanked Mr. Brian Freedman and Mr. Eric Strunk for their planning and direction on their trip of exploration, discovery and learning. He also thanked the city's hosts for their warm welcome and assistance. Councilmember Lieberman discussed images of the dynamic architecture in the area. He said these ideas can be used in vacant downtown buildings. He provided details on the structure and how it could be used. He also related how they had used free bus shuttles to get from one end of the mall to the other. He said it had been a great way to travel. The next picture was of the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. He said the city had actually closed off three blocks around the mall, which made it extraordinary. He said no vehicles were allowed and people could just walk around or sit and read. He added he did not believe they could close off streets in the downtown area; however, it was a great concept. He discussed the Lakewood shopping area experience as being phenomenal. The next slide provided images of downtown Denver architecture and how they set tables and benches outside for commuters. He noted these were projects they hoped to accomplish in Glendale. He talked about an art studio project downtown and how beautiful and attractive the area and architecture was. He reported on how the Art Commission had the same art studio project on 4306 W. Missouri, in conjunction with the Maricopa Arts Commission. Councilmember Lieberman discussed the next slide regarding signage in the city of Boulder. He said they were already doing this project in Catlin Court. He reported on the city of Englewood's three story department store, which was transformed into a community center and city hall. The Center is surrounded by businesses, restaurants and a large park. The next slide featured Aurora's Fitzsimons Hospital. He explained how they had transformed it into an even bigger hospital, which spurred a tremendous 7 increase in employment. He said it was an impressive feat, when they consider the small population. Councilmember Lieberman related how they had ridden the light rail which went directly to the downtown area and City Hall. He said there was a large parking lot connected to the light rail. He explained the light rail was fast, efficient and reasonably priced. He also provided slides on parking garages and how Glendale was doing similar things. Councilmember Lieberman stated citizens were willing to pay surtax charges for the amenities mentioned. He said they did not have that law in Arizona, however, would like to discuss it further at a later time. He added that California does have it and are doing great things with it. He closed with stating this was one of the most enjoyable things he has done in years and believes they had accomplished and learned a lot. Councilmember Clark continued with the presentation and discussed the signage aspect. She indicated very little window clutter and reasonable sized hanging commercial signage in pedestrian areas. She reviewed the different areas and what constituted the signage in each area. She reviewed the art aspect in the different city areas. She stated that in every community they visited, art was an integral part of their redevelopment program. She reported on Aurora's Black Theater and art gallery, which had been highly successful. She explained that in the Belmar parking garage, they had empty retail spaces just like in Glendale's new parking garage. The city offered the empty spaces to artists for a nominal fee to use on a yearly base. She noted they could possibly do something like that in Glendale. Councilmember Clark reviewed slides which featured landscaping. She stated landscaping was an integral part of the redevelopment projects. She noted that all redevelopment projects required a great deal of patience and perseverance. She explained most of these projects were either still a work in progress or had not been completed as of yet because of the continued refinement. The lesson for Glendale is that after the visits were completed and they come to a consensus on goals and objectives, it could be many years before they see the final project. She explained many of these communities had taken advantage of things that had been provided to them unexpectedly. She noted the advice given to them was to be flexible and be willing to work with people and circumstances that came their way. The third lesson was to have the community drive the vision. She said citizens and stake holders yield better results than the Council on vision and goals. Councilmember Clark stated they should also concentrate their resources because they cannot be all things to all people. She said they need to learn to be selective and decide where they could get the most for their money. She also discussed how financing mechanisms were critical. She said mechanisms such as TIF (Tax Incremental Financing) and private financing had strict standards and should be looked at very closely. She added these financing mechanisms where established by state statute and were tied to urban renewal. Additionally, once those areas or projects meet those standards, the municipality can decide whether it wants to participate in either a 8 TIF or a private developer proprietary sales tax increase. She discussed how they should be very careful when selecting developing partners. Partners should be aware and clear on what is expected on the vision being proposed. She said once the partners were selected, they should remove any road blocks and simplify the process as much as possible. She added it was also essential to be consistent with developers in adhering to the requirements of the vision. Councilmember Clark commented that the last big lessen learned was organizational culture. She stated they should redefine the city's corporate culture if needed. She explained they should create departments or mechanisms that are needed to help staff reach the intended vision. Additionally, they need to be willing to dedicate city resources and energies to make that vision a reality. She stated that a culture of change in these communities was not adversarial. She noted change succeeds when all stakeholders compromised to create a common vision. She added that all of the concepts discussed are adaptable and can be used in Glendale. In addition, anyone can be a champion for this cause, such as developers, citizens, staff members or Council members. She said all were critical to the success of the projects because a champion demonstrates the courage and the commitment to pursue the vision. Councilmember Goulet reported on his group. He said his tour group consisted of Councilmember Frate and Knaack. He thanked, Ms. Pam Kavanaugh, Assistant City Manager and Mr. Jon Froke, AICP, Interim Deputy City Manager and all other staff that worked to insure their trip's success. He said their trip to Portland was very ambitious and they had come back with many ideas. Councilmember Goulet showed pictures of the area. He said they met with city and private developers involved in redevelopment projects. He stated Portland was twice the size of Glendale, while other cities visited were half the size. He explained how they had discussed the economic and residential developments, as well as open space and art features. He noted most elected officials enforced the need to have someone in the private sector willing to step forward and become a catalyst for the redevelopment aspect. He said they needed someone who would donate property and be involved in such a way that they did not except a return on that specific site. However, future development would become the benefit. Councilmember Goulet noted the number of residential units in the downtown area. He said it was a critical aspect of what made these downtown areas work because they drove the development in other sectors. He commented on a third point, which was that elected officials did not necessarily choose the project. However, they did have the role of explaining why the change is significant and what the long term benefit to the community would be. He noted that within all four cities visited, Glendale, Arizona, did exceptionally well in comparison. He said that Glendale's reputation was well known for the managing and operation of the city. He added that at times, they had been asked for advice on how things were accomplished in Glendale. 9 Councilmember Goulet presented additional slides. He highlighted the housing in different areas and stated that the shape of Glendale's downtown areas were linear and not traditionally square. He stated it had been interesting to see what other cities had done and how they can incorporate it in Glendale. He added they had great open spaces and a lot of recreational areas in the downtown area for people to enjoy. He commented on how the light rail was very efficient and helped them get around to a number of places. Councilmember Frate provided information on Portland's public open space. He provided slides featuring the downtown area. He said the area was beautiful with lots of great landscaping and open seating for people to come out and have lunch and enjoy the open space. He discussed urban parks and the pool district which was a popular destination for families. He said there were five story housing units in the area that were very clean and very well used. He provided slides of public open space near residential areas. Councilmember Knaack commented on how clean and orderly the cities were. She talked about an old historic building being part of the new area. She said the housing was in an urban setting in the Pearl District. She explained this was an old industrial area of Portland that has been revitalized. She further discussed how Portland had incorporated the old with the new, using historical buildings. She stated these concepts could be used in Glendale Councilmember Frate continued with public transportation and transit. He explained how pedestrian areas were integrated and very easy to follow. He noted they were at ease walking and did not consider renting a vehicle because of the simplicity of the transit system. He said there was no noise associated with the light rail system and the accessibility was great. He added that the streets, parking for vehicles, business and residential homes all worked together. He commented on how the city had slowed traffic down with adding space, trees and parking to the outer limits of the downtown area, which resulted in a calming and attractive effect. He said the result was that businesses in the area started to see additional people frequenting their establishments. Councilmember Goulet commented on some of Portland's housing. He said it was very comfortable and approachable. He noted it was very near the light rail system. He provided slides of the rear and parking garage areas. He noted that this type of development could work in Glendale. He also discussed infill housing, which was very popular in all the cities they visited. He added they were very well maintained with a lot of architectural variation and design. Councilmember Frate commented on the Vancouver area. He said downtown Vancouver was undergoing a series of redevelopment projects, including new housing, hotels, offices and street improvements. He related a story on how a park had been renovated and cleaned up by the community. He commented on many other sites around Vancouver which had been cleaned up and rejuvenated. 10 Councilmember Knaack discussed key elements they had observed in every city. She stated they observed outside dining, wider sidewalks, lighting and downtown signage. They also discovered unique elements and business improvement in districts. She stated that downtown signage and public art were very common in every area. She noted the cities use of a mix of banners and signage which included canopies. She added they also used flowers and plaques outside their shops and businesses. Councilmember Goulet talked about Vancouver's very successful Saturday Market. He said it was on the west side of the park and they had a band playing, as well as other activities. He explained the area did not have the traditional curb aspect. He indicated that the market continues to grow because of its popularity. He hopes to bring the market aspect to the Glendale community. He noted that this market had brought many people to the downtown area and hopes it works the same in Glendale. Councilmember Frate discussed public/private partnerships which were common in the cities they visited. He stated the city of Hillsboro built a new city hall that included design elements such as space for a restaurant and coffee shop. In addition, Hillsboro bought an abandoned downtown theater and sold it to a local developer who had a passion for downtown redevelopment; renovation was currently underway and this demonstrates how public and private entities can work together to make something great happen. He also discussed the downtown art gallery, which rents space for local artists. He said the studios were located on the second floor and often conducted classes. He noted the city of Oregon was very pet friendly with doggie dishes set up in front of some businesses. Councilmember Knaack added they also had doggie drinking fountains. She stated all the cities had great mixed use developments. She said mixed use buildings varied in height from two to ten stories, depending on the city and location. She reviewed slides on retail space and housing developments in Portland. She noted it was very exciting to ride the light rail and found it very clean, efficient and inexpensive. She said it was a wonderful trip and had really helped them think outside their box, experience the rest of the world and reflect on what can be done in Glendale. Mayor Scruggs reported on her group. She said she had traveled with Vice Mayor Martinez, Ms. Cathy Gorham and Ms. Jennifer Reichelt. They had visited four cities, which included Pasadena and Montrose, California. She explained Montrose was a small town that had reminded her of part of downtown Glendale. Pasadena offered them opportunities for not only the downtown area, but also for the broader Corridor area which was not always thought of as downtown. She added they had also visited Carlsbad and Escondido California. Mayor Scruggs commented on the great meeting they had with the Carlsbad staff. She said Carlsbad offered ideas specifically for the downtown area. She said visiting the city of Escondido was the best part of the trip as they were able to gather great ideas to bring back to Glendale because the town looked very similar to downtown Glendale. She stated their major observations were very similar to everyone else's comments. 11 She added it seemed they had all organized to focus on the same key areas. She noted most of their commentary was pretty much the same as the other trips. She provided pictures of areas in California. Vice Mayor Martinez discussed a historic building that reminded them of the Sugar Beet Factory. He reported on a pedestrian open space in downtown Pasadena. He said there was lot of seating areas featuring colorful art. He stated that many areas encouraged pedestrian traffic. The area courtyards were also very pleasing and essential in creating areas for pedestrians to met and enjoy the outside. Mayor Scruggs commented on old town Pasadena. She explained the front of the buildings looked like they did in the 30's and 40's; however, the interior offered the opportunities for development that make it dynamic and lively. She stated it had really come as a shock and surprise to learn how they had remodeled the interior and left the exterior alone. She explained how the public facilities were integrated into two cities. She said Escondido had decided to start their revitalization by becoming the cultural center of north San Diego County. She stated they had built a performing arts center facility on a twelve acre campus. She compared the city's civic center and museums to the centers in Glendale. She noted the purpose was to generate redevelopment was very similar to Glendale. Mayor Scruggs commented on the Civic Auditorium in Pasadena. She said they were building an addition to the auditorium, as well a hotel. She noted it was a massive project. She discussed the old post office, public library and auditorium, which encompasses three city blocks from end to end. She talked about the future Escondido public transit center. She compared the new with the old and stated the new center will have 150,000 square feet of office uses, 35000 of live work units and 200 residential units and parking for 2000 vehicles. She commented on the many transit systems were available in the city. The Mayor of Pasadena thought light rail was important because it would bring housing into the area and believed citizens would be able to work outside the city and have an easy commute home. Vice Mayor Martinez remarked on the public art they viewed in Pasadena. He commented on the art slide presentation featured in public open spaces. He said public art was a major component of redevelopment areas that incorporate into the overall redevelopment plan. He also discussed urban living with 80 low income apartments on 1.9 acres. The areas also have commercial space and parking. He said this area prepared people to create a 24/7 plan which encourages redevelopment. He said many of the cities had allowed higher density developments that incorporate live work concepts. He added that higher density was not a dirty word in this area, and Council should take that into account when thinking of redevelopment projects. Mayor Scruggs discussed urban living in Escondido. She commented on 91 mix income units on 4'/z acres of land. She said in California, by law, 15 percent of the project was required to be affordable housing. She commented on another residential project of 20 units on 4.6 acres. She said these were not only for singles, but also for 12 families. She noted these densities were new for the Council, however, were normal for that area. Vice Mayor Martinez commented on the use of water as a feature. He said most of the developments incorporate water fountains. He explained that most of the redevelopments in Escondido had a mix of development use, including office space, retail and dining components. Mayor Scruggs discussed an area in Pasadena that officials were worried about. She said the Pasadena Mall was in danger because adjacent cities also had similar malls, as well as other exciting attractions. She stated for that reason, she would like to focus on the sustainable and not the so common. She noted she did not want Glendale to be placed in that predicament. Mayor Scruggs discussed Pasadena's buildings where dining, shopping and living elements, were all in the same structure. She stated this was a unique area where everything did not have to match, but looked good. She also provided examples of outdoor dining. She reported on the small town of Montrose and how they had managed to keep it lively and busy at 9:00 p.m. She stated she hopes to find the key to their success and integrated it to downtown Glendale. Vice Mayor Martinez related some interesting names of popular restaurants. He said their dining experiences were great. Mayor Scruggs talked about how the architecture and lighting matched and provided a great downtown experience. She added the architecture and lighting changed every couple of blocks. She said that banners and signage were everywhere. Mayor Scruggs commented on business improvement districts. She said in business improvement districts; property and business owners taxed themselves and used the money to fund a variety of items. She said they included security enhancements, maintenance, trash pick-up, power washing, promotions and many other things. She added that businesses decide exactly how and where to use their funds. Businesses are able to work in conjunction with the city; however, still have their own staff. She stated that the Downtown Business Association is the steward of the business improvement district funds. She noted they had many projects underway in their redevelopment district and the level of activity was tremendous. Mayor Scruggs reiterated the comment that any redevelopment would take time. She discussed the major parking issues in Pasadena. She said the city was fortunate that many community members had stepped forward to do something for the greater good verses waiting to see how they could make money. She commented on the tax increment financing. She stated it was a good incentive until you ran out of money. She discussed the attitude in Arizona as being unhealthy for not offering incentives to people who want to invest in the future. She said the legislature acts to prevent many of the incentives that make the community want to revitalize and redevelop. She noted 13 none of this could be done without other people's funding. She also stated that in California, there were more mechanisms to jump start the redevelopment process than in Arizona. Councilmember Frate stated they found those same mechanisms in Oregon. He added the cities had other forms of assistance, which were not available in Arizona. Councilmember Clark questioned the residential development that required the 15% low income aspect as required by law in California. Mayor Scruggs stated that the developer had no choice but to adhere by the law. She added that things were done differently there. Vice Mayor Martinez shared an article provided by Mr. Beasley, which dealt with the redevelopment process and the many aspects as discussed in many of the trip's assessments. Mr. Bowers commented that the Council had provided a very rich and energetic summary of their visits. He said he had seen the slide pictures at least three times; however, viewing them with Council's comments made it fascinating. He reviewed the key points provided by the Council. He said the feeling of space for private and public areas came across as essential. He noted that access also became an area of importance, as well as community feel and the history behind it. He stated that Mayor's Scruggs comment of Glendale doing something unique so as to not have a neighboring city cannibalize it, was right on target. He noted that the City of Glendale should do something unique to Glendale, where the city owns it. He reviewed the development and art aspects that came across in all the trips. He said they were correct in assuming the policy advice would be created by City Council. Mr. Bowers introduced Dr. Ruth Yabes, Associate Professor at ASU. He indicated her class would start next week with 20 students that will be dedicated to embark on this project. He stated that Council's observations will not be lost on the students. He commented on the business-like Breakfast Panel to invite and welcome downtown businesses and communities to hear goals expressed for the Glendale Corridor. He noted they will also be hearing from some experts in the field about concepts and principles. He also discussed the Congress of Neighborhood Session where many people from the community, examined key questions and provide feedback. He said the third gathering, was the Community Vision Fair. This is a celebratory event where people of all ages, throughout the community will also give commentary about the Glendale Corridor and have a good time in the process. He noted all three events were meant to increase and broaden this engagement as they move forward. Dr. Yabes stated it was her and her student's pleasure to have the opportunity to work on this project. She said her students were in an introductory urban planning studio. She stated that the students were third year planning students who had some background in planning. She noted the students provided different point of views and each came with diverse strengths in different areas. She added that some were old 14 hands at planning, while others will come in with fresh eyes. She wished the students had seen today's presentation because it had hit on a lot of key points that were central to planning. She said their trips had provided them with a great start. Dr. Yabes stated she and her students will be looking at Glendale's general plan and zoning. She explained that halfway through the semester, they expect to bring something to the community. She said it should be community driven, not just what the Council and students considered. She encouraged the residents and Council to view the projects that will focus on land use and zoning. Mr. Bowers added that throughout the semester, an expert from the city will visit the class and discuss the system and how they do business. He stated that by the end of the semester they will have both community and Council input. He noted that beginning the first of the year, they will transition into focusing on more specifics goals to create a plan for the Glendale Corridor. He thanked Dr. Yabes and members of the Council for all their input on this project and believes this was an exciting start. Mayor Scruggs asked for any comments. Councilmember Knaack commented on the water park picture slide. She said it was a wonderful park; however, the facility did not have any restroom facilities. Councilmember Clark discussed the business improvement district in Colorado. She related how one citizen wanting to make a difference had revitalized the business corridor, which created a domino effect and revitalized the neighborhoods as well. Mayor Scruggs commented on how change was all around them. She added they have yet to embrace it, because they were not sure what the public wanted. She discussed the light rail system and how it relates to Glendale's residential areas. She said she really learned a lot on her trip and in listening to everyone's narratives. Councilmember Clark commented that when having ideas, vision and goals, they were to remain flexible and open minded. She said once they determined what the vision is, they should collectively decide what designs are applicable for each individual area. Mayor Scruggs reiterated how informative this trip was and hopes the public feels the same way. She stated they had all learned a great deal. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 p.m. 15