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Home My WebLink About1999-11-03 Community and Economic Development Committee Minutes COMMUNITY& ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE . Wednesday,November 3, 1999 �,5:00 PM MINUTES COMMITTEE MEMBERS ! PRESENT: Councilor Aube, Chair Councilor Vardamis Councilor Tyler Cauncilor Palmer , Councilor Rahman STAFF . PRESENT: Edward A. Barrett, City Manager Rodney G. McI�ay, Director of Community& Economic Development Stan Moses, Asst. C.D. Director T.J. Martzial, C.Ll. Housing Programs Manager Peter D'Errico, Ecanamic Development Officer Sa11y $urgess, Business & Economic Development Officer Dan Wellingtan, Code Enforcement Officer Katherine Weber, Pianning Officer OTHERS PRESENT: Brian Ames, Bangor Center Corp. Candy Guerette, Chamber af Commerce "' ' Roxanne Saucier, BDN The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM by Committee Chaix, Councilor Aube. � CONSENT AGENDA: ITEM#1 - Accepting C�ffer af Full Price for Purchase of 196 Randalph Drive ITEM#2 - Acceptzng 4ffer of Full Price for Purchase of 248 Randolph Drive The consent agenda was xnoved and secanded, and was unanimously approved. RECxULAR ACrENDA: ITEM #1 - $riefing on Planned News Year Eve/Millenriium Activities - Bangor Region Chamber of Cammerce Candy Guerette, Director of the Ban�or Chamber of Comn�erce, reviewed proposed activities to celebrate News Year Eve and Milleivaium activities for Bangor. It is hoped to have the f rewarks display aver the waterfront-it will be a$13,Q00 display. Blue Kill Pyratechnics will be handling the firewarks. Banaor Daily News has donated $4,000 worth of advertising to the Chamber- some af that will be used to advertise the fireworks event. ITEM#2 - Proposed Land Development Code Amendment-Limiting the Use of First Floars of Downtown Buildings to Retail and Public Oriented Cammercial Uses Rod McKay, Director of Commtmit�� & Economic Development, presented to the • Committee far discussion purposes only afi this tizne, a propased amendment ta th� land development code to limit first floor use in do��ntown buildings ta retail and public oriented caz�amerczal uses. Cauncilor Aube had req�iested af City staff to bring thzs item before the Con�mittee to discuss. 2/ l • � Brian Ames of the Bangor Center eorporatian(BCC) spoke to the Committee on behalf � of the BGC Directors who unanimously feel that this amendznent wouid not be in the best intezest af the downtown at this time. They understand the purpose of such an amendment but given the abundance of vacant street level space currently available that instituting this policy at this tim.e would be premature. The completion of the Freeses building will generate more traffic and the attractiveness for xetail wiil change. Perhaps this proposed amendment could be Iooked at a Iater time. Sa11y Burgess, Business & Econoznic Development Officer, added that there are currently many vacant stare fronts in the downtown then there are non-retail store fronts. � It was suggested that ather issues such as ADA compliance have to be considered as well as what would be the appropriate use of floor space for locating specific types of businesses. Gommittee asked that Staff gather an inventory af downtown properties where vacancies are and that perhaps a sub-cammittee of the C&ED Comanittee can be formed along with some downtown representatives to engage i.n further discussion on the tax policy situation, why the znarket has changed, and what can be done to attract more people to the downtown. It was also suggested that contacting the appropriate people in Portland who have been invalved in a similar situation would be helpful. ITEM#3 - Recommendation to City Cauncil-Authorizing Lease Between the Ciiy of Bangor �� arid Bangar& Washinatan Exchange Street Trust This lease authorizes Ban�or& Washington Exchange Street Trust to lease land abutting their praperty at 77 Exchange Street which is in the City's right-af way along Washington Street. � They want to add five parking spaces to the current spaces in their private lot at 77 Exchan�e Street. The Czty can terminate the lease if this area is needed in the fizture to £urther wideny Washingtan Street. A mation was made and seconded ta recommend approval of this lease as presented ta the full City Cauncil. So vated. ITEM#4 - Riverfront Redevelogment-Discussion of Timeline for Redevelopment Efforts Staff reviewed with Committee results of discussians from a recent meeting between City Staff and Dan Hunter af Hunter Interests, Inc. regarding a tizneline for redevelopment efforts at the riverfront. Mr. Hunter recommez�ds ta have concept plans ta go with ads far request for proposals (RFP}. Hunter Interests, Inc. can do f ve various plans for$15,040. Committee agreed that quality plans are a vital asset to the RFP and that the pians should be in digital farmat. Staff recommends RFP's to prospective developers for the waterf'ront should be sent out the first af 3anuary 2000. At future times when Mr. Hunter returns to Bangar, there should be public forums conducted as was clane in eariy 1999. A m.otion was made and seconded to go into Executive Sessian. ITEM#5 - Executive Session - Property Disposition � Meeting adjourned at appro�zmately 6:30 FM.