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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-02-22 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 5 pm Council Chambers Minutes Councilors: Chair Gratwick, Blanchette, Durgin, Longo, Sprague and Weston Staff: Conlow, McKay, Bolduc, Gould, Patterson, Pereira Others: John Rohman; Bernard (‘Flash’), Kevin Bate; Clayton Carter of the Bangor Farmer’s Market Association; Lucy Quimby; Melinda Caldwell Chair Gratwick stated that he would take agenda items out of order. 1. 2010 Comprehensive Plan Update Staff reviewed background of the City’s Comprehensive Planning Activities that have occurred since 2005. The City currently operates under a Comprehensive Plan entitled “Comprehensive Plan 2005 Update” that was adopted by the Bangor City Council on July 10, 2006 and was deemed consistent with the Growth Management Act by the State Planning Office on November 3, 2006. On April 14, 2008, the “Special Committee on Comprehensive Planning” was established by the City Council to review the 2005 Plan and to develop a new 2010 plan. Through the work of the Committee it was decided to develop a “Policy Plan” that was considered to be less burdened with large amounts of data and more concise in its policy recommendations. The State Planning Office was contacted regarding the status of the Committee’s Policy Plan in light of the State of Maine’s Growth Management Act. It was decided to bridge the “Policy” document with the 2005 Comprehensive Plan such that it would find consistency with the Growth Management Act’s requirements. Both the Special Committee’s policy document and the revised 2005 Plan have been through a public hearing process and reviewed and recommended for adoption by the Planning Board. The City of Bangor is in compliance; if the City Council votes to adopt the new update, staff will then take that and send it to the State Planning Office for review. Councilor Durgin made a motion to send this item onto the full City Council for their approval. Councilor Blanchette seconded. Unanimous Committee vote. 2. Maine Stage Presentation Rod McKay introduced this item to the Committee stating that Councilor Sprague has been approached by a group who would like an opportunity to speak to the Committee about a proposal to either have a separate stage within the Folk Festival that only has Maine based acts, or to set up a stage someplace downtown the day before the Folk Festival, such as in Pickering Square. Councilor Sprague is supportive of this proposal and suggests the Committee consider the idea for the 2013 Folk Festival. ‘Flash’ presented his group’s proposal stating that having Maine based acts perform in the downtown will further assist businesses there. By utilizing the unused space at Pickering Square they can put a Maine stage there and, as done with the Thursday concert series, block off Broad Street that they can then utilize as well with businesses setting up booths, tables for artists (painters, sculpturers and visual artists) that are exclusively Maine. They have presented this idea also to the American Folk Festival (AFF) staff. There will be no cost to the City or AFF to produce this event as this group will be using volunteers. If this proposal is successful, hopefully in the coming years those people involved will be compensated. It is hoped to begin this event year (2012); all aspects of it would be overseen by the AFF if they approve. Shirar Patterson related that this summer on Thursdays, from June through August, the Cool Sounds Concerts & Outdoor Market are scheduled. They are planning to collaborate with the AFF on whoever the particular performer will be on any given Thursday. She added that we can look at some different models to see if this group’s proposal will fit into that or not; we want to stay true to our Cool Sounds concept with the Outdoor Market and the AFF wants to stay true to their brand and event but there are a lot of resources in the community with KahBang and with the AFF so even if this is a separate entity there may be things we can do to nurture it and help it move forward. Chair Gratwick concluded by asking that Rod McKay and Shirar Patterson gather these groups together and then bring back the specifics of their proposal to the BED Committee. Rod further added that “Flash” continue his dialogue with the AFF staff to make sure there are no conflicts there and to work with Shirar Patterson of Economic Development and Tracy Willette of Parks & Recreation to get an event permit. 3. Farmer’s Market Lease Shirar Patterson presented a proposed lease agreement between the City and the Bangor Farmer’s Market Association as prepared by City Solicitor Norm Heitmann. Highlights of this agreement are: market to be held at Upper Abbott Square on Sundays from 10 am – 5 pm for set-up, conduct the market and take down (market hours will be from 12 noon to 3 pm). Term of the lease will be from June 1, 2012 through November 30, 2012; June 1, 2013 to November 30, 2013. If the Association determines a winter market is something they want to do, then that would be a separate lease negotiation that would be discussed. At this time, no rent has been proposed because the City initiated this request for a Farmer’s Market and the profitably of the market is uncertain and staff felt the limited resources of the market should be directed towards their publicity to assure for a successful launch. There’s no revenue collected from the Upper Abbott Square parking lot on Sundays as it stands so the City is not losing out on that piece of revenue. At the conclusion of the term of the initial lease the rent will be considered in a renegotiation which the association felt was fair. The Association will designate vendor parking, customer parking and traffic circulation and the market would only be on paved areas; signage that will be displayed is what’s permitted by Code Enforcement; the Association will maintain appropriate insurance which lists the City of Bangor and Republic Parking System as additional insured under all policies for this market. It is staff’s hope that the BED Committee will approve the lease to move forward to the City Council for final approval at next week’s meeting and to help them to stick to their guideline of applications on April 1 and the market opening on June 3. Councilor Longo made a motion to move staff recommendation of the Farmer’s Market Lease as presented onto the full City Council for their approval. Seconded by Councilor Durgin. Unanimous Committee vote. 4. Grant Application Community Arts Space As previously related to the committee by Shirar Patterson the City of Bangor has the opportunity to support an application to the Maine Arts Commission for their “Creative Communities = Economic Development” grant (referred to as CEED). Two communities will be awarded $50,000 in 2012, sometime in the fall. Each grant will require a 1:1 match (cash and in-kind). She has been working in partnership with “Bangor Arts” and they have identified assets and areas of need to move Bangor’s creative economy forward. In a letter of interest the partners have proposed the overall concept, concrete details, budget and other specifics to be finalized through the application process that will end in October 2012. Proposed activities under the CCED project include financial incentives/arts funding, marketing, planning, physical infrastructure, and youth engagement. A 501 (c)3 arts organization must be the lead application and fiscal agent for consortium applying for the grant; Bangor Arts has identified Maine Discovery Museum to fill that role. The City of Bangor must provide a letter of support to supplement the letter of interest. Letters of Interest are due February 24, 2012. Applicants will be informed in the spring as to whether they are invited to submit a full application. Staff is seeking approval from committee to submit a letter of support and join the consortium on this project. Rod McKay stated that with respect to the physical infrastructure of this project that staff should bring back to committee the request for proposals for the “Wayfinding Signage” system that was originated in 2011 (which at that time the committee decided to not proceed with). The committee can review it to see if they want to take a different direction or wish to stay with the original scope of that request for proposals. We could even re-visit the proposals that were received in 2011 to see if those companies can keep them valid, as staff would like to see this project begin as soon as possible. Chair Gratwick asked that the request for proposals on a “Wayfinding Signage” system be brought back to the committee within the next month. Councilor Durgin made a motion to adopt staff recommendation to submit a letter of support and join the consortium on this project as presented. Seconded by Councilor Sprague. Unanimous Committee vote. 5. Ordinance Amendment – Industrial Parks Rod McKay stated that this item has been brought to the committee’s attention prior to placing it on Monday’s (Feb. 27) City Council agenda for referral to the Planning Board which will have a public hearing and make a recommendation to the City Council for adoption. Tanya Periera of the Economic Development staff has been working with a client that is interested in establishing a fitness center. This client is currently operating a business in Bangor and has outgrown their current space; would like to relocate in order to expand. The particular type of fitness center they will be operating requires space with high ceilings, etc. that is generally only available in industrial buildings. Staff’s only concern is that we not use a lot of our industrial buildings for recreational purposes, but they feel there is an adequate supply of existing industrial buildings in Bangor that are vacant and a fitness center would be a good use to occupy one of those vacant buildings. Staff is proposing an amendment to the zoning ordinance in the Industry and Service District that would add fitness centers to the ordinance. This would allow them into Industry and Service zones provided they went into existing buildings. Uses not allowed would be bowling alleys, tennis courts, pool halls, roller rinks, video arcades, facilities for spectator events or competitions; no large recreational sport fields such as golf courses, archery ranges, motorized sports, paint ball and firearms. Smaller outdoor activities as proposed would be allowed in the zone. The proposed ordinance has been designed by the City’s Planning, Legal and Code staff. Councilor Durgin made a motion to adopt staff recommendation as presented on this item to the full City Council. Seconded. Unanimous Committee vote. 6. Cultural Commission Presentation This item was postponed for a month. 7. Main Street Corridor Planning Services RFP Rod McKay presented this item stating that at the Council’s direction, staff is focusing on the area from downtown to Bass Park along the Main Street Corridor including the residential neighborhoods up to Third Street between Main Street and Buck Street. There are opportunities for new development in this area such as an entertainment district, and changes in land uses would also be appropriate such as a better definition of separation between the commercial development along Main Street and the residential area as well as improvements to the residential area that are appropriate. There are also transportation elements that need to be looked particularly in getting pedestrians safely across Main Street from the residential areas to the waterfront. In January 2012 staff proposed to the committee the issuing of a Request For Proposals (RFP) – it was then decided to allow staff more time to further review and refine it. At this time, staff is seeking from committee authorization to issue the Request For Proposals for Planning Services to look at the various issues that are involved in improving the areas as described. Councilor Durgin inquired that as the next Neighborhood meeting in this area is scheduled for March 1 and there will most likely be further input from those residents, is it staff’s intent to wait until after that meeting to submit the RFP’s request? Rod replied that if it is the committee’s desire to do that then staff will wait. st Councilor Sprague made a motion to move forward with the RFP process after the March 1 Neighborhood meeting. Seconded by Councilor Durgin. Unanimous Committee vote. Chair Gratwick stated that other elements he feels should be added to the RFP criteria are the co-existent of the noise from the entertainment areas to the residential areas as a primary concern; and cohesion to the orientation of buildings. 8. Economic Development Update Tanya Pereira of the Economic Development office updated the committee on projects she has been working on along with staff from her department and other City departments. The types of businesses she has been working with are: on-site search in the financial and professional services arena; 4 in retail; 3 active restaurant searches; 1 in manufacturing/industrial use of a significant business expansion project; 3 on-going active searches for institutional and non-profit users. Continuing to work with the Freeses Building space; Chamber of Commerce is doing some work internally in terms of strategizing what they can do – they will be bringing the City further ideas and development of their concept plan within the next few weeks. Volume of phone call and email inquiries has increased – getting a lot of good traffic with the web site in terms of people submitting questions about simple permitting, licensing, vendor, etc. Also, a significant amount of interest to the blanket-email address that comes to Tanya on questions and inquiries about the arena space. She is working on a marketing plan for Economic Development which involves selling the entire City, so she is looking at an informal marketing committee that will be a working group of staff members and other departments that are doing marketing activities (first meeting is scheduled for Friday, 2/24). She is also working on a Bangor Ambassador Program – this will help staff, when businesses, site location consultants and entrepreneurs or even individuals who are considering coming to the Bangor area, be ready to meet with them and help in any way possible. She is also spending time on doing internal updates and work on the City’s available property database to track what’s on the market so that we have an excellent selection tool to assist clients. Meeting adjourned.