PRECA 08-13-1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MEMORANDUM . DATE July 25, 1980 TO Maurie Anderson, Director of Parks & Re CA eation FROM James F. Winkels, Director of Communit t"-ropment SUBJECT: Downtown General Development Plan We have discussed the Downtown General Development Plan and I would just like to review by this memorandum this Plan and its relationship to the City's existing Veterans Park and future desired open space. First, as was indicated this Plan is a concept plan only, intended to be a guide for the redevelopment of the downtown area. By ordinance, a general concept plan must be adopted by the City Council before the Council can even consider any application for a building permit. Once a concept plan is completed, all development or construction proposals will be reviewed in light of what is contained in the concept plan, particularly in regard to the overall goals and objectives contained in the Plan. The heart and soul of the plan is that high quality, private sector development is encouraged, and that the City's primary role should be limited to review and assistance where necessary. The Plan indicates uses that are generally desirable for certain areas and by the illustrations depicts how they could be located meeting all the design objectives. Any alteration to existing land uses would only be considered by the Council when the private sector comes forth with a specific proposal. What I'm really saying again is that the plan is only a concept plan not a construction or im- plementation plan. Relative to Veterans Park the Plan as we discussed, very much has the park as one of the key elements, particularly since it is one of the areas that is public and not private. In brief the Plan suggests that Veterans Park area be developed into a real focal point for the area. This is one area where the Down- town Advisory Board expressed a real desire for the City to commit funds for development. Along with the desire to see Veterans become a real focal point the Advisory Board, through the plan has sought to create additional open space/parkland in the,downtown. This potentially could be done through the creation of a pedestrian system and possibly by picking up some additional parkland on the north side of 10th Street. Given the nature of the land north of 10th Street and east of 5th Avenue, and given the Watershed requirements for drainage we are quite convinced that a ponding area will have to remain in existence in this area. At the same time we feel there may be a possibility that this area could be turned into an amenity with additional open space made available,