Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency Commission

AGENDA Tuesday, February 15, 2022 - 4:00 P.M. The regular meeting of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Commission will be held in the Executive Conference Room, 800 Municipal Dr., Farmington, NM 1. Meeting Called To Order 2. Approval of the January 18, 2022 Meeting Minutes 3. Discussion/Possible Action regarding Kansas State University Technical Assistance to Brownfields participation in the Animas District/Healthcare Hub Development Plan – Scott Nightingale 4. Continuing Discussion regarding the Scope of Work for the Animas District/Health Care Hub Plan 5. Main Street Advisory Board Business a. Staff Update – Karen Lupton i. Upcoming Events and Trainings 6. City Staff Updates – (Warren Unsicker) 7. Business From: a. Floor b. Chair c. Members d. Staff 8. Next Meeting – March 15, 2022 9. Adjournment Virtual particiapation is avaliable via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86551245378 Meeting ID: 865 5124 5378 Passcode: 191552 or by dialing 1 (253) 215-8782 ATTENTION PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: If you plan to attend the virtual meeting and will need an auxiliary aid or service, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 599-1101 prior to the meeting so that arrangements can be made.  MINUTES Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency Board of Commissioners – January 18, 2022 Held in the Executive Conference Room at 800 Municipal Dr., Farmington NM Virtual Participation Made Available via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84072021840 or dial by your location +1 253 215 8782 Members Present: John McNeill, D.D.S. – Chair Jill Tanis – Vice Chair Doug Dykeman – Commissioner Elizabeth McNally - Commissioner Members Absent: None Staff Present: Julie Baird Beth Escobar Shana Reeves Karen Lupton Warren Unsicker Tami Spencer Andrea Jones Karen Walker via Zoom Others Present Via Zoom: Henry Silentman 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Chair McNeill. A roll call was taken showing Chair McNeill, Vice Chair Tanis, Commissioner Dykeman and Commissioner McNally in attendance. There being a quorum the following proceedings were duly had and taken. 2. Approval of the December 18, 2022 Minutes A motion was made by Commissioner Dykeman and seconded by Vice Chair Tanis to approve the minutes of December 18, 2022, and upon voice vote the motion carried unanimously 4-0. 1 3. Discussion/follow-up to City Council Consideration action of Animas/Healthcare Hub Plan Chair McNeill thanked the Commission for attending the January 11, 2022 City Council meeting, he also wanted to thank Planning Manager Escobar for her assistance and contributions. Chair McNeill stated he has a list of goals and needs that he would distribute to the Commission later in the week so they can update it with any of their specific items and scope of work they would like to see. Assistant City Manager informed the Commission that, per the Mayor’s direction, the Commission should proceed in getting a scope of work and bids based on that scope of work. Chair McNeill asked Planning Manager Escobar if they were at the RFP or RFQ stage. Ms. Escobar has been working on gathering the costs with samples attached to present to Council. Assistant City Manager Baird suggested Planning Manager Escobar get some examples, and then she and Ms. Escobar will format them and send those ideas to Council. After Council has the examples, they can pick and choose what portions they would like to move forward with. Ms. Escobar has four examples she will send over to Ms. Baird. Chair McNeill asked Planning Manager Escobar, as part of establishing the scope of work for Councils input, is there a way to get public input, so they can get a diversity of comments for this project. Planning Manager suggested Economic Director Unsicker could use his contacts with the downtown business owners and stakeholders to get their input; they can do a push on social media, or do a public survey. Chair McNeill also stated he would like to get community and cultural input from our diverse cultures, attitudes and interests from the beginning. Mr. McNeill would like to establish this project as a community effort. Planning Manager Escobar asked Chair McNeill if the board would be the point of contact, Chair McNeill suggested it be part of the MRA meeting for the next few months. Vice Chair Tanis suggested the surveys like they did for the Downtown Project, Economic Director Unsicker added that would be a tool to help quantify the input. Ms. Tanis felt like this should also be part of the scope of work. Chair McNeill acknowledged Mr.Silentman, who attended the meeting via Zoom, and let him know if he had any ideas or suggestions please feel free to speak up. Commissioner McNally stated she had done some outreach to Kansas State University, who had helped in the past. Ms. McNally stated Scott Nightingale with Kansas State University - Technical Assistance to Brownfields Department had grant money and resources available to offer some technical assistance. Mr. Nightingale also mentioned he had a contract with Indigenous Design and Planning Institute with University of New Mexico. They did work on the tribal brownfields and have done work in New Mexico including Zuni art projects for Main Street New Mexico. Another example of work they have done was the Alan Hauser Sculpture Garden in Santa Fe. Mr. Nightingale is going to reach out to the Institute to see if they have any interest in listening in or offering any support. If they are able to help, it sounds like the program at KSU would cover the cost for those support services. Chair McNeill stated that Mayor Duckett mentioned at the Council meeting there are so many federal grants and stimulus packages that could be tapped into for just this kind of thing. Mr. McNeill also stated that this may be part of the scope of work, in trying to determine what programs State government has to help pay for these kind of projects. Chair McNeill would like to invite Mr. Nightingale to one of the MRA meetings to get his input and to see what he may be able to provide. Commissioner McNally will contact Mr. Nightingale to see if he would be able to attend the next meeting. Chair McNeill asked if there were any more ideas on how to accomplish the best scope of work for this RFQ. Commissioner McNally would like to reiterate that it would be very helpful to have the community involvement in getting fresh ideas and putting the scope together. Vice Chair Tanis stated, in addition to having the public attend the MRA meetings, she would like to be a point of contact for the community outreach portion of this project. Planning Manager Escobar felt if you connect people with the people who are passionate about the project moving forward, that relationship is priceless. Ms. Tanis shared a draft scope of work with the board. 2 Vice Chair Tanis’s Draft Scope of Work. Chair McNeill asked if there were any other comments or ideas from the Board. Vice Chair Tanis thought if they went through the information they received from the Main Street America webinar there may be some other ideas or components they can tap into. 3 4. Main Street Advisory Board Business Karen Lupton, Economic Development Specialist reported the continued training through February and March. 5. City Staff Updates – Mr. Unsicker Mr. Unsicker stated things are moving quickly on the Totah Theater project. There is a contractor from New Mexico Main Street coming out to help with design elements and the projection system. Mr. Unsicker also stated that the Wells Fargo building is under contract, he is not sure to who, or what their intention is. There continues to be growth downtown, Main St. Grinds Coffee Shop has opened and they are moving in a new tenant next door in the comic book shop area. Things are moving right along, if we unfortunately lose someone, there is someone looking to quickly move in. He also stated that a salon opened in to the old Studio 116 space. He also reported that Locke St. Eats is coming right along. 6. Business From Floor – There was no business from the Floor. Chair – There was no business from the Chair. Members – There was no business from the Members. Staff – There was no business from Staff. 7. Adjournment A motion was made by Vice Chair Tanis and seconded by Commissioner McNally to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously 4-0. The Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency meeting was adjourned at 4:22 p.m. __________________________________ ____________________________________ John McNeill Tami Spencer Chair Administrative Assistant 4  ANIMAS DISTRICT/HEALTHCARE HUB PLANNING SCOPE OF WORK Using community vision and input, and diverse stakeholder collaboration, create an identity and a neighborhood community for the two areas. Goals: A. Attract economic development and investment B. Develop opportunities for affordable housing C. Create recreation opportunities and attract outdoor recreation businesses D. Link downtown to Riverwalk through network of pedestrian pathways E. Apply appropriate zoning to both areas to rezone as needed and reinforce need to eliminate spot zoning Identified Needs: 1. Through site planning and establishing the appropriate, careful application of the zoning opportunities found in the Comprehensive Plan, establish order and cohesion for the areas. 2. Rethink unsightly storage and industrial yards and methods of removing or screening them. 3. Clearly establish appropriate areas and zoning for single-family, multi-family, and senior market rate and affordable housing. 4. Locate and zone for light industrial core, multi-family residential areas and integrated mixed-use commercial space. 5. Establish allowable uses, set-backs for each zoned area. 6. Create appropriate landscaping and sidewalk configuration, consistent architectural design. 7. Define appropriate parking, open space, transportation, trails, for bicycling and vehicular traffic. 8. Determine the best access points to the river. 9. Establish methods to eliminate derelict, unsafe and unhealthy buildings and lots. 10. Locate space for cultural facilities that highlight our unique cultural heritage and history. 6