PBIA Advisory Board

City Hall Meeting Minutes 601 4th Avenue E Olympia WA 98501 PBIA Advisory Board Contact: Mark Rentfrow 360.570.3798 Thursday, October 13, 2016 6:00 PM Council Chambers 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Corso called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 1.A ROLL CALL Present: 10 - Chair Mary Corso, Boardmember Alana Carr, Boardmember Jacob David, Boardmember Janis Dean, Boardmember Sheila Irish, Boardmember David Rauh, Boardmember Nathan Rocker, Boardmember Jeffrey Trinin, Boardmember Daniel Vining and Boardmember Sunday Williams Excused: 4 - Vice Chair Connie Phegley, Boardmember Audrey Henley, Boardmember Bobbi Kerr and Boardmember Kim Murillo OTHERS PRESENT Councilmember Jeannine Roe Community Planning & Development Director Keith Stahley Senior Planner Amy Buckler Program Manager Anna Schlecht Downtown Liaison Mark Rentfrow Office Specialist/Minute Recorder Stacey Rodell Downtown Ambassadors: Teal and Christina MAKERS Consultant Group: Greg Easton and Kendra Dahlen Providence Health Community Behavioral Health Manager TJ LaRocque 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Corso proposed adding Ms.Schlecht to the agenda to speak about crime prevention through environmental design under Item 7. The agenda was approved as amended. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 3.A 16-1139 Approval of 8/11/16 PBIA Special Meeting Minutes The minutes were approved. 3.B 16-1140 Approval of 9/8/18 PBIA Board Meeting Minutes City of Olympia Page 1 PBIA Advisory Board Meeting Minutes October 13, 2016 The minutes were approved. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT - None 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS - None 6. BUSINESS ITEMS 6.A 16-0836 TJ LaRocque will present an overview of Providence Community Care Center Mr. LaRocque presented a briefing on the Providence Community Care Center that will be opening in Downtown. For many years, citizens and Downtown business leaders have urged the community to address the needs of Downtown’s street dependent population. This new facility is designed to address some of these needs. The report was received. 6.B 16-1141 City Planner and Downtown Strategy Specialist Amy Buckler will Discuss the Retail Strategy component of the overall Downtown Strategy Ms. Buckler reviewed the Downtown Retail Strategy that is being formed as a part of the Downtown (DT) Strategy: · Close to 1000 businesses operating from downtown · 97% of these are small businesses (under 500 employees) · 75% of downtown businesses have less than 10 employees · DT is a small business hub - it’s also an employment hub · Over 10,000 employees in downtown - not including on the capital campus · Strong Business Environment - interviews from 2015 businesses provided these results: o 63% identified sales as growing o 30% as stable o 6% as declining o 56 businesses opened o 31 businesses closed Unique retail environment: · Office/Professional (114) 19.79% of total land use · Food/Entertainment/Lodging (130) 11.07% of total land use · Retail - Home, Food, Auto, Personal Care, Hobby, Media, General Merchandise, Restaurants and Bars (108) 6.18% Sales Tax Downtown vs. Other Commercial Areas in Olympia: · Downtown comprises 12.7% of the total commercial area in Olympia, and generates 9.5% of the total sales tax · But captures an average of 25% of the share in select sectors - Misc. Retail, Arts & Entertainment, Food Services & Drinking, Personal Services City of Olympia Page 2 PBIA Advisory Board Meeting Minutes October 13, 2016 Retail Strategy Priorities: · Strengthen existing local businesses · Improve the streetscape · Encourage more residents · Improve identity and perception within Thurston County · Actively promote tourism · Connect to other economic development efforts Ms. Buckler also reviewed other priorities of the Downtown Strategy. Address Homelessness: · Providence Care Center opening in 2017 · Continue partnerships for Clean & Safe actions (City, PBIA, ODA & others) · Convene stakeholders to form an Olympia Homelessness Strategy Updated Parking Strategy evaluating: · Future needs & travel modes · Shared use of private lots · Opportunities for structured parking · Parking requirements · Residential parking program · New technologies · Management efficiencies · Wayfinding/signage Incentives/Tools: · 16 “development tools” already in use o Multifamily tax credit o Lower DT impact fees, etc. · Recommendation to exempt downtown projects from SEPA · Consider additional tools o façade improvements o adaptive reuse Update Regulations: · Simplify development code - keep it flexible o Noise & other impact mitigation o Provide for large space compartmentalization · Update sign code to address unique downtown needs · Update design guidelines Ms. Buckler encouraged the group to attend the Public Open house on October 29, 2016 from 10:00 to noon at the Olympia Center. The report was received. 7. REPORTS Ms. Schlecht presented a briefing on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) program. Some of the ways the CPTED program has contributed to City of Olympia Page 3 PBIA Advisory Board Meeting Minutes October 13, 2016 crime prevention: · Alleyway lighting · Gate closures · Solid waste improvements - trash compactor · Security cameras The CPTED program is available through the City to help fund these types of improvements. The program has been designed to help businesses to help themselves to make Downtown more appealing to visitors, shoppers, residents and reduce crime, reduce rodents and make the best possible use of all the property Downtown. Ms. Schlect indicated she would be happy to help businesses through this funding process. Ambassador Teal and Ambassador Christina presented the program deliverables for 2016. Downtown Ambassadors perform the following functions: first contacts, community building, social service, public relations, information, business checks, dispatch calls, non-emergency calls and 911 calls. Clean Team performs the following maintenance tasks: trash, recycling, removing flyers and stickers, cleaning up needles, anti-social deposits, organic bags, drains and graffiti. There was a discussion about the cigarette butt containers (the kind that strap on to poles) many of which have been vandalized. There are hopes a new design can be made to help reduce vandalism and other negative issues associated with the current design. Clean and Safe Committee Report: · Butterfly cigarette butt container artwork will be discussed at a later date · Future of the Downtown Ambassador program · Future budget · Transportation to and from Downtown during late night weekend hours · Localized taxi stand · Bar meeting November 8, 2016 may be rescheduled · Mural Request for Proposals (RFP) · Food trucks at the Artesian Commons · Artesian Commons host and ranger positions (currently expired for the season) · Be Excellent to Each Other - sign will be laminated and distributed to Downtown businesses · Public restroom at Artesian Commons · Broken window fund There was a brief discussion amongst the group regarding public restrooms. Marketing Committee Report: · Website is still in the works. A link will be sent to all members so they can preview the site and provide feedback. · The Committee would like to advertise with the local theaters: o 13 week ad with the Olympia Film Society $2,400.00 o 4 week ad with Regal Cinemas $2,090.00 City of Olympia Page 4 PBIA Advisory Board Meeting Minutes October 13, 2016 o $1,200.00 for video production of two separate ads · Twinklefest · Advertising in the Stranger for the holiday · ODA holiday donation Boardmember Williams moved, seconded by Boardmember Irish, to spend $5,690 on advertising and production costs mentioned above. The motion was unanimously approved. 8. OTHER TOPICS Parklet maintenance was discussed. 8.A Current PBIA Budget Analysis for 2016 8.B 16-1142 Current PBIA Board Budget Expenditures The report was received. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:52 p.m. City of Olympia Page 5