Title
Selection of Advisory Board Liaisons, Finance Subcommittee members, and CRA Citizens Advisory Committee member
Body
Issue:
In addition to regular Planning Commission duties, Commissioners serve as liaisons to at least four other City advisory boards, and are occasionally asked to serve on various subcommittees. Tonight, the Commission will select who will serve on these committees during 2013.
Presenter(s):
Chair Jerry Parker
Amy Buckler, Associate Planner
Background and Analysis
The Planning Commission will select at least 4 advisory board liaisons, 3-4 Finance Subcommitee members, and one CRA Citizens Advisory Committee member, as described below.
Advisory Board Liaisons: The Olympia Municipal Code establishes that each of the following City advisory boards will have one member from the Planning Commission:
• Design Review Board (DRB)
Meets 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month, as needed; City Hall, 6:30 PM. Meetings are cancelled when there are no projects to review. Over the past few years, meetings have been cancelled quite often, but development is picking up!
Commissioner Hoppe has expressed interest in being the DRB liaison.
• Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAC)
Meets 1st Thursday of Feb, March, May, June, Aug, Sept, Oct, Dec at 6:00 PM, at the Olympia Center. Some additional meetings may be scheduled.
Commissioner Bateman has expressed interest in being the PRAC liaison.
• Olympia Heritage Commission (OHC)
Meets 4th Wednesday of Feb, Mar, April, June, Sept and Nov, at City Hall, 6:30 PM. Some additional meetings may be scheduled.
Commissioners Andresen and Bateman have expressed interest in being the OHC liaison. (Commissioner Bateman is interested in either PRAC or OHC, but not necessarily both.)
• Utility Advisory Committee (UAC)
Meets every 1st Thursday except July & Aug, City Hall, 5:30 PM. Some additional meetings may be scheduled.
Commissioner Bardin is currently the UAC liaison, but she is willing to step down if someone else is interested.
In addition to the requirement that a Planning Commissioner sit on the above advisory boards, in the past Commissioners have volunteered to regularly attend other committee meetings. This is an option, but not a requirement, and a volunteer would not be a voting member. The Leadership Team has identified the following committees as good candidates for volunteer attendance by a Planning Commissioner:
• Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAC)
Meets 4th Wednesday every other month beginning in January, at City Hall, 6:15 PM
• Olympia Downtown Association (ODA)
They have several different committees that meet at different times. Staff spoke with an representativetive who suggested the following committees as
of potential interest for Commissioners:
- Safety committee. Meets second Friday of each month, Oly Rockfish Grill on 4th Ave, 8:30 AM (some people come at 8:00 AM, for breakfast.)
- Downtown Academy. Meets final Friday of each month, locations and topics vary, usually at the New Caledonia Building, 116 5th Ave, 8:30 AM
Check http://downtownolympia.com for more info and to get on a meeting reminder email list.
• Parking & Business Improvement Area (PBIA)
Meets 2nd Thursday each month, MIXX 96 Bldg Conf Room, 119 Washington St NE, 6:00 PM
Read more about the role of City advisory committees at the link attached to this staff report.
Finance Subcommittee: Subcommittee Chair Horn is looking for 3-4 Commissioners to sit on the OPC Finance Subcommittee. This Subcommittee will start meeting in the summer to review the City's Capital Facilities Plan (CFP). In the past, this Subcommittee has met with key staff once or twice during the day, and also met once or twice in the evening. This work wraps up in early October. The CFP is the six year concept plan for City of Olympia capital projects including parks, transportation, utilities, and general capital projects.
You do not need to be an expert to participate. The CFP document provides a pretty good description of its role and influences - a link is attached to this staff report.
Following a Planning Commission public hearing on August 5, and meetings with key staff and each other, the Finance Subcommittee will bring forward a draft recommendation (letter) on the 2014-2019 CFP to the full Commission. The full Commission will deliberate and approve a final recommendation letter to the City Council in early October.
Commissioner Andresen has expressed potential interest in serving on the Finance Subcommittee.
Community Renewal Area Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) member: The City Council is looking for one Planning Commission volunteer to serve on a temporary subcommittee related to their Community Renewal Area (CRA) project.
The City of Olympia is in the process of exploring the development of a Community Renewal Area (CRA). The primary focus of this effort is to look at redevelopment opportunities within the City’s downtown; however, the initial component of the study will focus on broader redevelopment opportunities throughout the community. The City hired a consulting firm, Eco-Northwest, to assist with this project. (A scope of work is attached).
The City Council formed an Ad Hoc CRA Committee (Buxbaum, Langer, Jones) to help to guide this process. Council also wants to create a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to support the efforts of staff and the consultant team as they work to develop baseline information about the City’s redevelopment options, consider specific redevelopment opportunities within downtown and to help to educate the community about the possible use of the CRA tool.
The Ad Hoc Committee determined the CAC will:
• Review similar information (draft deliverables, visualizations, etc.) as the Ad Hoc Committee
• Provide input and feedback to staff and the consultant about the process and work products.
• Provide the Ad Hoc Committee and City Council with information for their consideration in recommendations and decision-making.
• Assist in community/stakeholder outreach and education.
• Be comprised of representatives from each of the following groups:
1. Thurston County Economic Development Council,
2. Thurston Regional Planning Council,
3. Visitor and Convention Bureau,
4. Olympia Downtown Association,
5. Parking Business Improvement Area,
6. Two local banks (Heritage and Olympia Federal),
7. Downtown Neighborhood association downtown,
8. Social services such as (CYS or the United Way),
9. Thurston County Chamber,
10. Olympic Capitol Park Foundation,
11. Port of Olympia,
12. Marinas,
13. Downtown property owner(s), and
14. The Olympia Planning Commission.
Open houses: The City will host two open house community education opportunities. These will provide general information about CRA and what the role of the CRA can be in improving downtown. Open houses will focus on the affirmative, rather than the negative. The Citizen Advisory Committee could play a role in the open houses, as goodwill ambassadors speaking with people about CRA and its uses or helping with possible tabletop exercises.
Commitment: The consultant anticipates that the CAC will play an active role in the two open houses. The first is planned for July 23, 2013, and the second will be in November (date not yet set). In addition, the consultant anticipates the CAC will have three meetings: 1) June 6, 2013 - focus on goals for the open houses, and review of process/deliverables; and 2) July 8, 2013 - focus on the Component A Report and Component B feasibility report, and open house preparation; 3) Undetermined date in October, prior to the open house in November - focus on refining the report findings, and open house preparation. CAC meetings will occur from 5:30 to approximately 7:00 at City Hall.
Commissioners Parker, Brown and Bardin have expressed interest in serving on the CAC.