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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 5/17/2016 City of Glendale 5850 West Glendale Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301 Meeting Minutes - Final Tuesday, May 17, 2016 1:30 PM Workshop Council Chambers City Council Workshop Mayor Jerry Weiers Vice Mayor Ian Hugh Councilmember Jamie Aldama Councilmember Samuel Chavira Councilmember Ray Malnar Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff Councilmember Bart Turner City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes -Final May 17,2016 CALL TO ORDER Rollcall Present 7- Mayor Jerry Weiers, Vice Mayor Ian Hugh, Councilmember Jamie Aldama, Councilmember Samuel Chavira, Councilmember Ray Malnar, Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff, and Councilmember Bart Turner Also present were Kevin Phelps, City Manager; Michael Bailey, City Attorney; and Pamela Hanna, City Clerk. WORKSHOP SESSION 1. 16-221 CIOSI - PRESENTATION ON DOWNTOWN DIRECTIONAL SIGNING ALONG GRAND AVENUE Staff Contact: Jack Friedline, Director, Public Works Staff Presenter: Trevor Ebersole, Interim Deputy Public Works Director Mr. Friedline introduced Trevor Ebersole, Interim Director of Public Works, and said he will present this item. Mr. Ebersole said this item is in response to a request from Councilmember Aldama. He said topics of discussion include existing conditions of signage, the Grand Canyon State Logo sign Program, Community Wayfinding signs, and program considerations. He showed pictures of existing Grand Avenue signage directing visitors to the downtown area, signage showing free public parking in the downtown area and directional signs to the historical venues in downtown Glendale. He explained one proposal staff recommends is the Grand Canyon State Logo sign program. This lease program is administered by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and limited to the urban and rural state highway system. He said a request can be made to expand this to include Grand Avenue. This program requires qualified businesses to be included and those businesses have to be a food, gas, lodging, camping, 24 hour pharmacies and attractions. This program would require the cooperation of ADOT and BNSF as Grand Avenue is within their right of way. He said Glendale already has an agreement with ADOT for the Pathfinder Signs which works with the Grand Canyon State Logo Sign Program. He provided examples of what the signs would look like if the City participates in this program. Mr. Ebersole said the second proposal consists of Community Wayfinding signs. These signs are allowed in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and he said they are part of a coordinated and continuous system of signs that direct tourists and other road users to key civic, cultural, visitor and recreational attractions and other destinations within a city or a local urbanized or downtown area. He explained public agencies have to abide by this system when designing and creating traffic control devices. He provided a map showing examples of Community Wayfinding signs with color coded signs. He said Phoenix has implemented a Community Wayfinding sign program and provided examples of the signs in Phoenix. Mr. Ebersole also provided examples of Community Wayfinding signs used by Peoria. Mr. Ebersole said the city will need to retain a consultant to coordinate and design the City of Glendale Page 1 Printed on 6/27/2016 City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes -Final May 17,2016 program, and concepts could take a year or more to be developed based on other agency experience. Costs vary widely depending on the scope and design of the program. Phoenix's costs included $3,500 per sign (construction only) and Peoria's costs were $35,000 per vehicle directional sign (construction only) and $40,000 per kiosk (construction only). He said significant business and community engagement is anticipated, and signage on Grand Avenue would require ADOT and BNSF approval and license. Additionally, capital and ongoing operations and maintenance funds will need to be identified. Mr. Ebersole said staff requests Council guidance and direction for signage along Grand Avenue directing drivers to downtown Glendale. The three proposals are to move forward with the Grand Canyon State Logo Sign Program and signs primarily on Grand Avenue, develop a comprehensive Community Wayfinding sign program, or do a combination of both programs. Mr. Friedline explained the various approaches Council could take to implement this program. He said staff will need to work with ADOT on this issue. Council could also choose a more incremental approach to this program. He said there would need to be public outreach. He said he was very surprised at the cost and staff is willing to take a more affordable, incremental approach to this program. Councilmember Aldama said he would like to see the Community Wayfinding signs down Grand Avenue as a start. He said the signs provided as examples are all different colors and different designs. He said the signs also don't read dining, shopping or downtown and believes the signs need to be more specific. He wanted drivers to know specifically what amenities are in the downtown area. He also had questions about the signs specifically saying downtown, instead of referencing both downtown and Catlin Court. He said he would also like to see some of the older signs updated and more consistent signs throughout the entire city. He said the signs should draw people to downtown and what this area has to offer. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked how the Grand Canyon State Logo signs were paid for. Mr. Ebersole said the program is comprehensive and said staff could bring in ADOT to explain how that program works. He explained how the bid process works, but suggested that ADOT could explain the program better. Councilmember Tolmachoff referred to the Grand Canyon State signs and asked if specific businesses place bids to have their business names appear on the signs. Mr. Ebersole said that was correct. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if the businesses themselves covered the cost of the signs. Mr. Ebersole said that was correct. Councilmember Tolmachoff said if she was a local business, she would want the specific business name on the sign. She would like to see both specific names and more general terms like dining on the signs. She asked if Community Wayfinding signs would have more general information on them. Mr. Ebersole provided more information on the directional signs and said the city already has several different types of those signs. Staff could work with a consultant to make the City of Glendale Page 2 Printed on 6/27/2016 City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes -Final May 17,2016 signs more consistent. Councilmember Turner asked if the current directional and pedestrian signs were done in house. Mr. Ebersole said those signs were done in house. Councilmember Turner said he was pleased with the directional signs in Catlin Court and said it worked for pedestrian traffic. He would like to capitalize on the traffic on Grand Avenue. He said was concerned if the downtown businesses would be willing to pay to advertise on the Grand Canyon State Logo sign program signs, or if only the national chains would pay to advertise on those signs. He would like to know what the lease cost was to advertise on those signs. He said Grand Avenue used to be the main thoroughfare to Los Angeles many years ago and suggested unique signage welcoming visitors to downtown Glendale and listing the amenities such as dining and shopping. Councilmember Malnar asked if they were trying to capture the traffic on Grand Avenue or just direct visitors once they come to the downtown area. He didn't want to see the downtown area cluttered with a lot of signs. Councilmember Aldama said his original request was specific to Glendale Avenue. He said the downtown signs are fine the way they are. He explained some of the signs don't read dining and shopping and he said that was the original focus of his request. Mayor Weiers said he agrees with all the comments made. He said he didn't think the goal was for major corporations to advertise in the downtown area. He saw opportunities for the city and Centerline to get behind one message to get visitors into the downtown and Centerline area. He said this is a great opportunity for public/private partnerships. He said 57th Avenue is a great place to put a major sign inviting people in. He would love to see staff research partnerships with the local business community and Centerline to get out the message to stop in Glendale. He said it sounded like there was a consensus and asked what staff needed. Mr. Ebersole said staff was seeking direction on whether to continue exploring the Grand Canyon State Logo sign program on Grand Avenue and meet with a consultant to develop a comprehensive Community Wayfinding sign program for the downtown area, or develop the program in smaller increments. Mayor Weiers said he wasn't sure the Community Wayfinding signs were the best option. He said they needed people to come into the community and felt large signs welcoming visitors were more appropriate at this time. Councilmember Malnar agreed with that and said this is the gateway to downtown Glendale. He would like to see signs announcing that. Councilmember Tolmachoff said the downtown area is unique and the signs should reflect that. She said they also should not dismiss the Grand Canyon State Logo sign program and would like local merchants to have the opportunity to participate in this program. Councilmember Aldama said would like to focus on Grand Avenue to get visitors into the downtown area. He said he was not advocating on billboards. Vice Mayor Hugh said he liked the historic signs and would like the signs on Grand Avenue to look similar to those. He would like the signs to look different than the rest of City of Glendale Page 3 Printed on 6/27/2016 City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes -Final May 17,2016 the valley. Mayor Weiers said he would like to see major signage at 57th Avenue, welcoming visitors to the downtown area. Councilmember Chavira said the focus should be on Grand Avenue and also liked the comments about putting a spotlight on making the city's identity unique. He also wanted focus on Centerline and the downtown area. Mr. Ebersole said staff would work on developing a welcoming sign on Grand Avenue directing people into the downtown and exploring the Grand Canyon State Logo Sign Program for Grand Avenue. Mayor Weiers said that was correct, but said he wouldn't limit the project to a sign on Grand Avenue. He said he would like to see a sign over 57th Avenue, adjacent to Grand Avenue, so it would be visible on both roads. He also said staff should research entrance signs to cities for more ideas. Councilmember Aldama asked if staff could also look into the cost of signs announcing each council district. Mr. Ebersole asked if he was talking about district signs around the perimeter of each council district. Councilmember Aldama said yes,just as visitors entered each district. Mr. Ebersole said staff would research the cost for that. Mayor Weiers asked if staff had what they needed. Mr. Ebersole said they did. Mayor Weiers encouraged public/private partnerships as well as the Centerline and Catlin Court districts. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT Mr. Phelps said the city refinanced $35 million in excise bonds and achieved an interest rate of 2.9%. He explained this was a result of the increased bond rating the city has received. Due to this refinancing, the city will see a gross savings of over $5 million. Mr. Phelps also said there was recently some damage done at City Hall and said there is currently an ongoing Police Department investigation and possible suspects have been identified. The damage will be covered under the city's insurance if they are unable to get restitution from the suspects. He said staff will report back as they obtain more detail. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT City Attorney Bailey advised he had nothing to report. COUNCIL ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST City of Glendale Page 4 Printed on 6/27/2016 City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes -Final May 17,2016 Councilmember Tolmachoff said she would like an item on fireworks permit charges for high school homecoming games. Vice Mayor Hugh agreed with Councilmember Tolmachoff and wanted staff to research the fireworks permit charge issue. Mayor Weiers wanted staff to look into updating the current flagpole standards for residential and commercial properties. MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION It was moved by Vice Mayor Hugh,seconded by Council member Tolmachoff,to enter into Executive Session. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 7- Mayor Weiers, Vice Mayor Hugh, Councilmember Aldama, Councilmember Chavira, Councilmember Malnar, Councilmember Tolmachoff, and Councilmember Turner EXECUTIVE SESSION The City Council moved into Executive Session at 2:14 p.m. ADJOURNMENT The City Council adjourned at 2:32 p.m. City of Glendale Page 5 Printed on 6/27/2016