Title
Community Renewal Budget Request for 2016
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to recommend adding $75,000 to the Community Renewal Area budget for 2016.
Report
Issue:
The Community Renewal process requires an additional $75,000 to support this ongoing process. These funds would be used to: 1. Support predevelopment activities as detailed in the Request for Letters of Interest and included in the scope of work for the contract with the Development Partner ($35,000); and 2. Continue the legal services contract with Jay Reich of the Pacifica Law Group ($40,000).
Staff Contact:
Keith Stahley, Director Community Planning and Development Department, 360.753.8227.
Presenter(s):
Keith Stahley, Director Community Planning and Development Department
Background and Analysis:
The Community Renewal Area (CRA) process has been ongoing since 2013 when the City entered into a contract with ECONorthwest for economic development consulting service support. At the end of 2014, Jay Reich with the Pacifica Law Group was added to the consultant team to add community renewal area legal expertise.
Staff proposes that the project budget be increased by $35,000 to support the work contemplated in the Water Street Redevelopment Area Request for Proposals and the Letter of Interest (Attachment 1) and by $40,000 to continue Jay Reich’s involvement in the Water Street Redevelopment Area process and in finalizing the formation of the Community Renewal Plan.
There is approximately $40,000 remaining in the budget for the ECONorthwest contract. Depending on the extent of ECONorthwest’s involvement in the Water Street Redevelopment Area process and the amount of public involvement in the Community Renewal Plan needed this should be sufficient to complete the work contemplated in the Water Street Redevelopment Area and the formation of the CRA. These funds were carried forward and no action is needed.
An overview of the CRA budget is included as Attachment 2. Including the $75,000 requested herein a total of $342,500 has been allocated to the CRA process to date.
Neighborhood/Community Interests:
Community Renewal has been an ongoing interest to the Downtown Neighborhood, West Olympia Business Association, the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation and other neighborhood and community groups.
Options:
1. Recommend to the full City Council that the Community Renewal Area project budget be increased by $35,000 to support predevelopment work by the development partner within the Water Street Redevelopment Area and the Downtown Strategy and by $40,000 to fund ongoing legal support from Jay Reich with the Pacifica Law Group.
2. Do not recommend that the Community Renewal Area project budget be increased.
Financial Impact:
Requesting an additional $75,000 for professional services described herein.