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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 2007-09-17 - Special Meeting 208 City Council, Special Meeting Council Chambers 777 Cypress Avenue Redding, California September 17, 2007 5: 15 p.m. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Dickerson with the following Council Members present: Bosetti, Jones, Murray, and Stegall. Also present were City Manager Starman, Assistant City Manager/Police Chief Moty, City Attorney Duvernay, Transportation & Engineering Director Tippin, Senior Project Coordinator Morgon, Senior Redevelopment Project Coordinator Dent, Senior Redevelopment Project Coordinator Thompson, Office Services Supervisor Rudolph, and City Clerk Strohrnayer. I JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND REDDING REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY At the hour of 6:42 p.m., Mayor Dickerson convened the Joint Meeting with Redding Redevelopment Agency. HILLTOP DRIVE STREETSCAPE PROJECT SELECTION - Hilltop Hotel Business Improvement District (A-170-015-003 & R-030-050) Transportation and Engineering Director Tippin provided an overview of the Report to City Council and Redding Redevelopment Agency dated September 10,2007, incorporated herein by reference. He related that staff had been working with the Hilltop Hotel Business Improvement District's Board (HHBID) and many ofthe Hilltop Drive business and property owners since February 2006, in an effort to develop a landscaped median and streetside planting plan that allowed acceptable access to the many Hilltop Drive businesses, while improving the aesthetics ofthe Hilltop Drive corridor. In addition, the City consulted with Michael Lander, a local landscape architect, and Nichols, Melburg and Rosseto, a local architectural firm, in an effort to create both an accessible and aesthetically pleasing corridor. I Mr. Tippin related that during meetings with businesses owners regarding the proposed project, there had been some discontent regarding the access provided with the placement of the medians to their businesses. Since that time, staff has worked to develop alternatives utilizing such improvements as new medians, landscaping, raised curbing to eliminate traffic accidents, etc. Mr. Tippin stated that since the preparation of the Report, staffhad rounded a median and removed concrete curb to enable left-hand turns into properties just north of the Industrial Street and Hilltop Drive intersection. He related that staff would continue to monitor the revision following the construction ofthe project in terms of functionality and determine the necessity of adding the curbing to prohibit left turns should the accident rate increase. He pointed out that after meeting with the business community, the focus of the project became the maximization of providing ingress and egress to the businesses. Mr. Tippin provided renderings of the proposed project which consisted of the following improvements along the. length of Hilltop Drive between Cypress A venue and the northbound Interstate 5 off-ramp: Installation of all overhead utility lines underground and the removal of all utility poles. Removal of all existing streetside trees within the right-of-way and replacement with new landscape and an irrigation system. Replacement of the majority of the sidewalk with new sidewalk. Addition of two crosswalks with an in-pavement lighting system. Addition oflandscaped medians within the existing two-way left-turn lane. Installation of new decorative streetlights at street sides. Construction oftwo signalized V-turn areas. Application of a pavement seal coat and re-striping. Placement of decorative pavement within 13 pedestrian crosswalks. I 9/17/2007 209 Mr. Tippin stated that Alternative A and B would include the improvements listed, but A would provide approximately 8,900 square feet of landscaped median, while B would provide approximately 11,600 square feet oflandscaped median. Mr. Tippin recommended that the City Council and the Agency's Board of Directors (Board) select "Alternative A" layout as outlined in the Report for final design, bidding, and. construction. I Council/Agency Member Jones expressed appreciation to staff for its work on this project. He pointed out that the concessions made regarding ingress and egress were very important to the businesses located along the east side of Hilltop Drive. Mr. Tippin responded that medians typically control the turning movements of vehicles. If it were determined that there was a concentration of accidents in a particular location, staff would review whether the medians should be extended or if curbing should be installed to limit left-turn movements. In response to Mayor Dickerson, Mr. Tippin explained that given a lack of firm direction regarding the project, staff had not felt it prudent to spend a lot oftime on detailed project costs. In response to Council! Agency Member Murray, Mr. Tippin noted that the project being considered this evening was aesthetically pleasing, but did not enhance traffic safety. Once the corridor improvements were completed, staff would monitor the public's reaction and make modifications as deemed necessary. Council! Agency Member Murray recommended that a waterline be placed in the center median for the entire length of the project if there were any possibility that it may be necessary to add landscaped medians. He viewed this as being relatively inexpensive given that the streets would already be torn up and would prevent having to tear them up again to add the waterline if needed. I Council! Agency Member Bosetti questioned whether more of the crosswalks could be lighted. Mr. Tippin noted that the plan anticipated two additional crosswalks, both of which would be lighted. He eXplained that staff placed the crosswalks in areas where there currently was no access and that would provide ample east/west paths across Hilltop Drive. Depending on the availability of electricity and long-term maintenance issues, which the City had not yet experienced, he estimated that the lighted crosswalks would cost between $20,000 and $50,000. Mayor Dickerson was troubled by the need to remove the existing streetside trees. Mr. Tippin stated that staff consulted with the landscape architect and Parks Superintendent Cannon regarding the trees. It was the opinion of both that the required trenching would damage the root system and would ultimately require their replacement. While he believed the cost to be significant, he stated that should the City Council! Agency desire, staff could research the possibility of transplanting the trees. Steve Gaines, HHBID Chair, related that the HHBID Board aggressively looked at the project and, based on a general consensus, supported moving forward with "Option A." Dave Grabeal, General Manager for Hampton Inns, believed the project would slow traffic, thereby allowing motorists to recognize businesses along the corridor and increasing pedestrian traffic. I Joe Wong, on behalf ofthe Hilltop Drive merchants, thanked the City Council, staff, and the HHBID for listening to the merchants' concerns and making sacrifices to allow for easier ingress and egress to the businesses. He conveyed the merchants' support for "Option A" of the beautification project. MOTION: Council Member Murray, seconded by Council Member Jones, to approve "Option A" as provided for in the Report to City Council and Redding Redevelopment Agency dated September 10, 2007, incorporated herein by reference, for final design, bidding, and construction of the Hilltop Drive Streetscape Project. The Vote: Unanimous Ayes . 9/17/2007 210 There being no further business, at the hour of 7: 1 0 p.m., Mayor Dickerson declared the meeting adjourned. APPROVED /~~ &:Gyor I ATTEST: ~,~ I I 9/17/2007