District 2 Advisory Board

Page |1 District II Advisory Board Minutes February 11, 2019 www.wichita.gov The District II Advisory Board meeting was held at 6:30 p.m. at the Rockwell Branch Library, 5939 E 9th St N, Wichita, KS 67208. ATTENDANCE Members Present Staff Present Tracee Adams Paul Gunzelman, Public Works and Utilities David Babich Matt Bowen, Battalion Chief, Wichita Fire Junetta Everett Department *Joseph Goetz Brian Hill, Aquatics Manager, Park & Mike Heldstab Recreation Department Nick Howell Savannah Ball, Wichita Public Library Nazir Jesri Dave Yearout, Principal Planner, MAPD Keith Lane Philip Zevenbergen, Associate Planner, MAPD Paul Lavender Cory Buchta, Community Services Sam Lindeman Representative *Dee Nighswonger Council Member Becky Tuttle Guests Shannon Bohm, President, SJCF Architecture Members Absent Jason Tankersley, Centennial American Properties Tim Johnson Dan Urenda Janie Kawawa M.W. Bowen Daniel Rutherford Andrew Vanderziel Aaron Zarchan David Nelson ORDER OF BUSINESS Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Becky Tuttle Approval of February 11, 2019 Agenda: Motion PASSED 9-0-0 Approval of Minutes from January 14, 2019: Motion PASSED 9-0-0 Approval of Minutes from November 13, 2018: Motion PASSED 9-0-0 PUBLIC AGENDA This portion of the agenda provides an opportunity for citizens to present issues that are not part of the regular agenda for the meeting. There is a five minute time limit for each speaker. 1. Scheduled Items None 2. Off-agenda Items None 1  Page |2 Recommended Action: Receive and file BOARD AGENDA 3. Updates, Issues and Reports None STAFF REPORTS 4. Fire Department Report Battalion Chief Matt Bowen reported:  2.5% decrease on responses in November and December.  Fire responses November to December nearly doubled, which is expected for the time period.  Community Risk Reduction division gave out handouts with fire safety and home safety tips in case of home fires.  New recruit academy begins in the next few weeks. Hiring 15 new recruits for the 12 week academy.  Looking to add another truck company in the NW corridor. Fire house 18 on North Webb Road. Truck Company 5. 5. Community Police Report None 6. Park & Recreation Department Report Brian Hill reported:  Spring Activity Guides are set to be released next Friday. Get them at Dillon’s, on the City website, or get added to the mailing list by emailing Jessica Jones at JEJones@wichita.gov.  Enroll for summer classes and camps now.  Snow Glow last weekend was very well attended. Had to cancel the snow day event because the vendor equipment broke down.  Currently in the middle of renovations for the Watson Park concessions building. 7. Wichita Public Library Report Savannah Ball reported:  Academy Award short film screening. All shorts will be shown on Saturday, Feb. 16 and 23rd at the Advanced Learning Library.  Wednesday, Feb. 20 from 5 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. they will be showing the Documentaries at Rockwell.  Rockwell is hosting a panel discussion on buying your first home. It will include experts on realty, home inspection, and mortgage loans. Wednesday, March 6 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Action Taken: Motion made to receive and file all Staff Reports. Motion PASSED 9-0-0. NEW BUSINESS 8. Ballpark Project – Update and Discussion Paul Gunzelman, Public Works and Utilities, and Shannon Bohm, SJCF Architecture, presented on the design build of the ballpark. Three members from baseball.org and three members with the City have been working on initial designs for the ball field. Begin with recently constructed AAA ball fields. Las Vegas has a capacity of 10,000. Birmingham is taller than most with a capacity of 8,500. Reno has a team shop near the entrances. Tulsa and Albuquerque have similar entrances. Nashville has a capacity of 2  Page |3 10,000. St. Paul has a simplistic entry plaza area that looks really nice. Charlotte is adjacent to street level and is more of an urban ballpark. On the map view, they showed the stadium between Maple, the river, and Texas Street. There are plans for a footbridge, but those are currently on hold depending on developments on the east bank of the river. The baseball field is intended to be multi-sport. The shaded regions of the image show where a football field fits. There will be multiple entrances: a plaza on the river side just off of McLean, Delano plaza, south of Sycamore off of Douglas, one more entry plaza by Maple Street, and an exit only gate. Image shows the layout of the new stadium compared to Lawrence Dumont. The new ball park will be oriented the same way, but home plate will be 130 feet west and a little south of the previous location. All gates will be accessible. One plaza will be a drop off location for Uber and other ride shares. The concourse is 360 degrees all the way around the stadium. The stadium clubhouse will be located down the 3rd base line. It will have 12 suites. There will be some parking to the north and south. Parking along Sycamore will be for team parking. There are 5,000 parking spaces within a 5-10 minute walk of the stadium. View of river plaza. There will be handicap accessible ramps, a team merchandise store, a baseball museum in the building, as well as team office spaces and a roof deck party area. Mclean could have food trucks. We could put removable gates in the concourse area. On non-game days you could go into stadium. The design team is looking at the building materials for the stadium. Brick, painted black steel, and limestone are meant to replicate the aesthetic of the Delano area. The plaza will eventually be tied in with a pedestrian bridge across the river. View looking in from exit gates. North and west McLean and Maple intersection. There are 6,000 field seats in the bowl. There is additional outfield seating, berm seating, and bullpens in the outfield. We may be able to host movies in the outfield area. There’s rail seating on either side of the bullpen. We want to have other events other than 70 ballgames a year. We could be setup to hold concerts and other events. There is a food court area behind home plate. We are moving bathrooms out along the concourse. We’re looking at integrating a kids area into the concourse. View from the Delano entrance. ADA access into concourse level. Notice materials of entrance reflect Delano. Landscaping – add trees to provide shade. It’s a short walk from a Q-line stop. There are 19 rows of seating. Concession and restrooms are up front so you can still see the game the whole time. The baseball team is big on fan interactions with the players. Want to make it family friendly. The field is natural grass. It needs to be installed by fall of this year to be ready to play by 2020. The field is recessed – 5 feet lower than LDS. We could have a camping event on the field for boy scouts for examples. We could host a football game. Community Feedback they’ve received. This is the last DAB – presented to Bike and Ped Board and transit board. People like the Delano tie in. People want some contemporary as well tied in. People want more shade and green space. If you are traveling westbound on Kellogg and you look to the north, how do you make the stadium inviting at night. People asked about bicycle parking around the stadium. We’re gathering all this feedback and will move forward with the design. C (CM Tuttle) – We’re looking for more options for bike share and possibly moving some closer to the ball stadium from underused areas. 3  Page |4 Q (DAB) – Looking at public transportation options, the Q line drops off near Sycamore and Douglas now. A – That’s part of the discussion. Q (DAB) – They’ll be able to play football here? A – For football, we’re looking at a retractable pitcher’s mound. Q (DAB) – Have you talked to the team about this? There’s not going to be many home runs hit out of this place. A – 340. Yeah. We’re presenting to City Council tomorrow on maximum design build budget. Tunnels, walls, and existing utilities. We had a pre-bid meeting in January, about 60 people attended. There will be a tunnel from the locker room to the dugout and we’re putting in an additional tunnel so there’s access to the field. ADA seating will be along the top of the bowl behind the wall. Q (DAB) – So, McLean will continue to be there? A – Yes, as it is depicted here, yes. But it could be blocked off for events. C (DAB) – My personal feeling is it would be nice for people to not have a street there. That road is just another wall almost. Q (DAB) – Who owns the land along the river? Where it says future development. A – It could be developed by the baseball team. Q (DAB) – So the team owns it? A – That’s all being worked out – nothing’s been defined on that. There’s another meeting tonight. I’m concentrating on the stadium. Q (DAB) – I missed the answer – team or City of Wichita? A – It’s part of the negotiation. Q (DAB) – The field is five feet lower, but it looks like you have to go up steps? That’s a few feet below the flood plain. You have to go up and the field is in the bowl. A – We’ve done a lot of research on ground water and we’re comfortable lowering it five feet. There will be a dewatering system as well. Q (DAB) – But why is it you have to go up then go down? A – Cheaper construction. A (Bohm) – Part of that is the concourse design, so it can be open. It is how typical modern baseball stadiums are designed now. C (DAB) – It seems dangerous to have all those steps. A – There will be ramps and an elevator. Q (DAB) – Where is it? A – There will be two elevators. One on the Maple side and one in the gift shop from the river plaza area. Q (DAB) – Those are strategically placed by ADA entrances? A – There will be ramps, and all entrances are ADA. Q (DAB) – Where are we in the design process? What’s still flexible and what’s already been decided? It feels like some elements are really thought out but some are not. Are there still elements that haven’t been decided? A – Tomorrow we’ll get going on infield playing walls and dugout tunnels and infrastructure of utilities – that’s the first bid package. For the façade of the building, we’re still looking at things. But the field walls are critical and utilities. C (DAB) – I’m assuming there are no renderings for the southwest corner. A (Bohm) – Not developed enough yet – there will be another round of renderings. C (DAB) – I’m concerned because that’s what you see from Kellogg. Q (DAB) – When will the renderings come out? Will there be any opportunity for community involvement? A – There are aspects that are tight. The design team is still working things out. The structure is being set, but the outside façade of the stadium still has moving parts. Next will be the seating bowl. Concourse widths – I didn’t mention this – above 30 feet wide. Las Vegas had theirs at 24 feet but had to do it all over again. We’re looking at shade structures out in plaza areas as well. Q (Public - Tim Johnson) – I’ve spent over a decade in public administration, worked on some projects, also was a city planner – I’m strongly in favor of dispersed parking and making pedestrian and bike destination. I like the idea of a robust wayfinding plan attached, but some sort of visual connectivity that shares the design 4  Page |5 of this with the most important and closest parking facility so people have visual cues. I’m curious how Lawrence Dumont and its long history will be interpreted in the new facility? Not just in a museum, but in the design element? A (CM Tuttle) – Regarding wayfinding – there will be a wayfinding plan throughout downtown – it will be really robust and this will be part of it. We will be promoting active transportation instead of just cars. Q (DAB) – I echo putting in Wichita and other elements – looking at this stadium – without signage, how do I know this is Wichita? I can’t tell. A – The baseball team was pleasantly surprised about the response from the baseball team naming contest. It’s been narrowed down to six, but that might tie back into the city. C (DAB) – There was a bust of Dumont in there. I would like to see that in the new stadium. A – I salvaged that. And some signage and other things. 9. Aquatics Master Plan – Update and Discussion Brian Hill, Park and Recreation, presented on the Aquatics Master Plan (AMP). He has been with the project since the start in 2011. He showed a map of the various locations for pools and splash pads. He showed a timeline of the project since 2011. There are 12 pools, many are over 50 years old. They were supposed to only last 30 years. They are still useable today, but with money in CIP we asked if we should have an aquatics program and the response was overwhelmingly yes. They did constant surveys and collected data. They put out a 2017 master plan. Then they heard a lot of feedback on the plan, so they went back out to get more feedback. Some of the things that changed include operational changes – pool hours increased. Now they are 11am – 5pm, 6pm – 8pm Monday –Friday. They are adding 52 open swim hours per week per pool from only 30 hours. The season was extended as well. We’re talking about scenario three today. That is the option with six pools and splash pads. It will increase cost recovery and be more efficient with tax payer dollars. He showed a breakdown of operational costs for the basic plan and the enhanced plan. Boston Park would transition to a water playground. The theme is aviation. There are some natural turf areas. You see shade and landscaping. They are creating one new area Harrison Park – one thought was to make them unique and exciting. You don’t see them in other cities. These will be created uniquely just in Wichita. Plainview – not too far from this area. It’s an addition. There’s nothing there now. The theme is Storm on the Flint Hills. Things that make Kansas unique. He showed charts of cost comparisons. Savings of $340,000 per year. Aggressive CIP timeline. Six projects a year for three years. Three pools and three splash pads. They will be done by 2021. The next step is to incorporate feedback into the final plan. Q (DAB) – What determines the priority of the first pools and splash pads? A – That hasn’t been determined yet. We want to see which scenario gets picked. We need to know if we close, we want to make sure a pool is still open close by. Q (DAB) – It’s not based on how it’s listed? A – No, it’s just alphabetical. C (CM Tuttle) – Kids can ride a city bus for free in the summer to the library, parks, pools, and the new splash pads. Q (DAB) – Are the pools and splash pads free or do they cost? A – The splash pads are free – the pools still have a cost. $2 kids $3 adults. It’s only gone up 25 cents since 1998. We want to make sure we can still get kids in. Q (DAB) – Slide 12 showed net loss and annual savings. Help me understand that a bit. 5  Page |6 A – Increase in net loss – we were spending $22 million, now we’re only spending $18 million. Action Taken: Motion made to receive and file presentation and commentary. Motion PASSED 9- 0-0. 10. CUP2018-00052 Dave Yearout, Metropolitan Area Planning Department, presented an application on behalf of (Centennial American Properties C/O Brody Glenn) requesting Amendment Number 1 to the Tallgrass East Commercial Community Unit Plan (CUP) DP-168, located on the east side of North Webb Road approximately ¼ mile north of East 21st Street North. The amendment concerns Parcel 4-B and proposes construction of an enclosed, self-storage warehouse that will be 3-stories and 45 feet in height. Parcel 4 is the old Granite City. What has been submitted is a request to modify restrictions on that property to allow buildings up to 3 stories – asking for a self-contained, self-service, climate-controlled storage facility. Requesting up to 45 feet. The company doing this is represented tonight. We had a similar request on the west side of town at 13th and Tyler from this company, and a 3rd site at Kellogg and Webb, but that won’t go through zoning. The need for an amendment is because the property is Limited Commercial (LC) and self-storage is not conditional by right. The only change from the application in the staff report is that we discovered the developer and owner enlarging land by getting more land that is vacant right now. There will be another application to amend in another two months. The overall size of the structure is no different than what can be built – 3 story office buildings could be built and we wouldn’t even be here. Opti Life Center just to the east for example. Staff is recommending to approve. There’s some documentation that needs to be covered, but in terms of what’s being requested, it’s not out of character for what could be there now. The concerns I’ve received are dealing with other concerns with self-storage. This is different than what we are used to. The developer will explain the difference. Access to a drive-in facility, so not the same noise issues. This is different than what we’ve seen. It is scheduled for the planning commission on the 21st. After staff presentation, DAB members and residents in attendance asked and shared the following questions and comments: Q (DAB) – Can you explain more – some negotiations are still going on adding additional space? A – The documents they submitted for the overall area was larger than just that one parcel. It’s been confirmed they are finalizing negotiations with the owner to buy another piece of ground, but that wasn’t included in the original application. Q (DAB) – How much area? A – 50 feet. Q (DAB) – What’s behind that now? A – Nothing. A vacant lot. Q (DAB) – You said it’s the same as right now, but an office building can only be 35 feet. A – That would need to change, but it’s just 3 stories. C (Tankersley) – I have a couple slides if Dave is ready. Q (DAB) – One question – page two of the packet says restrictions on gross floor area of 1,600 feet, but increasing to 110,000 feet. A – It’s a larger building in terms of footprint, but not height. Larger footprint. C (Tankersley) – We’ve partnered with Goldman Sachs on a storage portfolio program. Wichita was selected as our second city. We are currently in Tulsa with three sites. The area Dave mentioned showed a sliver of land that’s not part of the current parcel. The reason we’re building it slightly taller is so you can drive into it. 6  Page |7 We’re changing the self-storage model completely. There are no exterior doors. You drive into a portal. It’s big enough for a medium box truck. There are two elevator banks inside. It’s out of the weather. We’ve seen it done in Utah and Florida. It will have more of a retail feel. That’s why we’re trying to go into retail areas. People would use it more if they passed it more. We’ve done studies and it generates maybe eight trips extra in peak hours. People don’t use our facility in peak hours. We tried to minimize everything we can, but we scale up our footprint because we try to make sure we have enough facility for the population. It is only a storage facility, no other retail is inside. To explain the layout of the interior of the storage facility. There are roughly seven spaces inside. Seven cars or four trucks, minimal amount of parking. As per the current Tall Grass CUP guidelines, we’re respecting all landscaping buffers and other guidelines. Our brand that we’re working with is Extra Space. #1 brand in the country. They are great operators and do a great job. There are a couple of different exterior color options. There’s another site to the west we’re really excited about. Q (DAB) – Do you have a picture of what it would look like from the north side, so if you live in the house behind it? A – No not yet. Q (DAB) – It looks like the top floor has windows is that correct? A – No those are individual panels. Q (DAB) – No lights? A – No lights. That would be intrusive. Q (DAB) – If I lived there, I could live with 35 feet, but not 45 feet. Could you make it shorter? A – The economic model requires it. C (DAB) – I wouldn’t support it at 45 feet. Q (DAB) – This would be tallest building in the area wouldn’t it? C (DAB) – I used to live in the house backing up to this. It was 30 feet and the tallest in the neighborhood. C (DAB) – I agree with Nazir. I wouldn’t support it. Too high. Q (DAB) – Could you get more square feet in another area? C (DAB) – You could lose a floor. C (Tankersley) – You tell me it works or we don’t buy the property. We are conscious about being good neighbors. We follow design guidelines. Q (DAB) – Are you worried about security? Can anyone drive in? A (DAB) – No, you have to have a unit to drive in. Q (DAB) – 24-hour access? A (DAB) No. It will be manned from 6am to 10pm. There might be an after-hours key system to midnight Q (DAB) – Will there be an attendant there during the day? A – Yes, there’s a sales office that is manned. C (DAB) – These are not bad projects – a lot less to worry about than say Dillon’s. But I know you don’t want to see 45 foot buildings. I will make a movement to approve without the height. Q (DAB) – Can you say what would be on the top level? A (Yearout) – There are certain things that can go on top. There are screening requirements in residential. Parapets and other things. It’s different than residential, the code in residential. C (DAB) – Another issue is there’s no sign saying the property is under consideration for zoning. A (Yearout) – I heard from the company saying it was supposed to go up last weekend and it was gone the next day. C (DAB) – It’s always gone the next day. A – We got a lot of calls from the signs. And the letter went out. Q (Public) – Janie Koala – The concept sounds interesting. I just wish it wasn’t 45 foot tall, not near our pretty white wall. The design looks nicer than I thought, but what if you change it to something ugly? A (Tankersley) – Then no one would use it. It has to be attractive. But we have guidelines for design as well. Q (Public) – David Nelson – My property faces the expanse of this. It expands property line of the lot. My biggest concern is the 45 feet. Parapets could go up to 50 feet. Other things, if you look at Opti Life – there’s a huge HVAC system that isn’t shielded. 7  Page |8 Q (Public) – Aaron Zurch, 2347 N Stony Brook – An 8 foot concrete wall. That’s our view, sun, breeze, swimming pool. This is what I have to see. It’s not just 45 feet. The footprint is expanding. You want to modify everything. I bought my house with a set of rules. My sunset will be 2 hours earlier every night. That’s where my kids play. Cookouts and swim parties. You’re turning day into night that much faster. My next question is why? Is there even a need for this thing? There’s only 70 percent occupancy in Wichita. Why here? Why not other areas that aren’t residential? *Suggested several areas* I have to imagine there are other areas that won’t require modifying CUPs. It’s a beautiful building, but it doesn’t need to be put there. It’s not like Opti Life, because it’s away. But even that feels like it’s in my back yard. But this is bigger and so much closer to our houses. C (Public) – Ander Vandersville – Stony Brook – The map you showed is a good representation of where this falls. Look from north to south and you’ll understand why we’re all upset. C (Public) – Camille Dilahay – I live in the middle of that neighborhood. I’m concerned about property value. There are a lot of older people looking to sell to younger individuals. There will be a lower value when we go to sell. Comps will go down in the neighborhood and neighborhoods nearby. And the size of homes require a certain amount of income to upkeep them. Lower property values might mean people move into there and can’t keep them up. C (Public) Pam Romlen – 2359 N Stonybrook – I just wanted to say I agree with everything that has already been said. C (DAB) – I hear and agree with the 45 feet issue – but on the comments about why they choose here. I have to assume there’s been talk about it. I appreciate you coming here and going through the process with us. But that’s the process. I don’t feel like rules have been violated, but thank you for going through it. C (DAB) – Move to reject the application based on 5 codes. The building is not in character of the neighborhood. Q (DAB) – You’ve got this building in Tulsa? A (Tankersley) – Yes, and one in Georgia. Q (DAB) – Have you seen property values going down? A – I haven’t experienced that anywhere. One site in Tulsa is in a similar location to this one down there and everyone seems to be pleased. Q (DAB) – Knowing that area, I’m still surprised this building is nice – but what’s the need? I’m inclined to agree – I would like to see it, but if I lived there, I wouldn’t like it. C (DAB) – There’s a motion on the table – if you vote yes – you are voting to reject the staff recommendation. Q (DAB) – Could we vote yes but with other amendments? A (Yearout) – You have a motion, you have to vote on it. DAB member Nick Howell recused himself from the vote. C (DAB) – If you vote yes on the motion you recommend killing the project. Action Taken: Motion made by Nazir Jesri to **ACCEPT the application with an amendment that the building not be allowed to be over 30 feet tall. Seconded by DAB member. MOTION PASSED 8-0-1 **Because the stated motion was to amend the application as presented, the vote in favor of the motion was a vote to REJECT the application as presented. C (CM Tuttle) – There will be an MAPC meeting about this – did you all get the letter? This now goes to MAPC on Feb 21st at 1:30 pm. Q (DAB) – Will it go to MAPC as presented? A (Yearout) – Yes, the same staff report and same issues. Because you have acted ahead of that meeting, I will inform the MAPC of the vote here. C (DAB) – Residents can attend this meeting. I recommend you all do that. 8  Page |9 C (Yearout) – You can file a protest petition on that. (He explained the process to the residents in attendance) Q (Public) – Will MAPC be aware of what happened tonight? A (Yearout) – Yes. C (CM Tuttle) – The DAB would be supportive if it was within the 30 feet. C (Yearout) – This is coming as an amendment because self-storage is not an acceptable usage for the purpose of land, height, and overall mass. C (Public) – We got the letter and it is extraordinarily deceptive. Meeting was adjourned at 8:38 p.m. The next DAB II meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Monday, March 18, 2019, at Rockwell Branch Library, 5939 E 9th St N, Wichita, KS 67208. 9