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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-02-05 Study Session MINASHLAND CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MINUTES February 5, 2024 Mayor Graham called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Mayor Graham, Councilor Hyatt, Bloom, Kaplan, DuQuenne and Hansen were present. Councilor Dahle was absent. 1. Public Input - None 2. Croman Mill Townmakers LLC Update Community Development Director Brandon Goldman introduced Mike McHaffey and Mike Weinstock. Weinstock provided an update on the clean-up. McHaffey provided a slide show on the Croman Mill Redevelopment (see attached): • Current Status - Summary • Generally good news on the cleanup • Grading • Pre-app Items Reviewed • Site map, Illustrations • Illustrations • Approximate Line of Annexation Area Boundary • Building Illustrations • Private • Design Guidelines • Johnson Economics Letter • ODOT and City Transportation Planning... • Critical Areas (Pond and stream) • Northwest Housing Alternatives - Alma Gardens at Orenco Station • Our Proposed Land Use Code (AMC 18.3.2) • Minimum Stats • Development Agreement - draft now in development • Family -wage employment... • 2010 Land Use Overlays and 2024 Potential Use Areas • Phase One Area • Economics Team • Thank you! Hanson congratulated the team for beginning the physical cleanup process but noted that the cleanup permit would expire in May of 2024. He asked if the team knew how long the cleanup process would take. McHaffey hoped it would be completed up by the May deadline but could not speak for the owner. City Council Study Session February 5, 2024 Page l of 6 Hansen stated the planning development focused on mixed overlapped commercial first and asked if they could instead focus on residential first. Weinstock spoke to the commitment and requirement from the City for job creation but confirmed there would be townhomes and apartments planned during the initial development phase as well. Hansen asked for clarification on the placement of residential units in the development plan. McHaffey explained and added that designated areas could be changed. Mayor Graham wanted to ensure the employment matched with the residential, as the City was very interested in possible economic development. Kaplan asked about housing density and if the developers were aiming for 15 units per acre, which McHaffey confirmed. Kaplan asked if the developers were looking to go beyond the minimum of 15 units per acre. Weinstock responded that the developers would go above the number for the multifamily dense areas, adding that he wanted to ensure that the development maintained a livable character. McHaffey spoke to the importance of having green spaces throughout the residential area. Kaplan asked about Rogue Valley Transit District going through the area. McHaffey confirmed that would happen and hoped for more frequent service. Weinstock thought it should run about every 15 minutes and wanted to see service expanded into the evening and night hours. McHaffey noted the walkability and bike - ability within the new development. DuQuenne thought commercial and residential should happen at the same time and asked about the square feet of the affordable units. McHaffey responded that the size of the affordable units was not yet specified and wanted a diversity of sizes. Weinstock added that they had met with an affordable housing attorney and were getting ready to hire a branding and marketing company for a marketing analysis. McHaffey referenced the housing need analysis the City adopted, adding that it would influence the development to determine square footage needs. Bloom asked if affordable housing included both rental and ownership and stated that he did not want people to be "locked" into one economic bracket. McHaffey agreed with Bloom's assessment. Weinstock added that the developers were also focusing on attainable housing in addition to affordable housing. McHaffey stated that the developers wanted housing diversity. Hyatt asked if the proposed bike path would link to the central bike path, which McHaffey confirmed. Hyatt asked if the affordable unit requirements would be deed restricted. McHaffey explained they needed to meet with affordable housing funders and wanted long term affordable housing. Weinstock was talking to a land trust that would require a 99-year lease in regard to keeping affordable housing attainable. City Council Study Session February 5, 2024 Page 2 of 6 Hyatt asked Goldman when the Council would get into the realm of ex parte contact. Goldman explained once the application was submitted, the quasi-judicial would begin and Council would need to avoid ex parte contacts. Goldman also clarified the code's requirements for affordable housing. 3. Croman Mill Site Cleanup Update Community Development Director Brandon Goldman noted there was forward momentum regarding cleanup efforts. Goldman stated that on November 20th, 2023, SCS Engineering submitted a report to the Department of Environmental Quality regarding work at the site, adding that the plan had been approved. Greg Aitken, a temporary employee for the city who also formerly worked with DEQ, was brought in to help explain the report alongside Goldman. Goldman explained how the three areas of contamination were determined. He described them and what level of clean up would be needed. In terms of the expiration date, May 2024 was the end date, but the applicant could get a six-month extension. They were looking to truck out material over the next few months. There was some change on the site. Historically they had been removing wood waste material and other waste materials from the site. After consultation with DEQ, the group requested further information on the site to give it a clean fill determination, so the debris could go to a regular site as opposed to a specialized landfill. The next step in the plan was excavating the contaminated sites. Once that was complete additional testing would be needed to ensure the area was cleaned up to the correct standards. Kaplan asked if the owner could start with the first development area while searching for a landfill for the hazardous material. Aitken confirmed and explained that property owners were working towards developing as soon as possible. Kaplan asked about restrictions on finding places to deposit waste. Goldman said that there were not restrictions if it ended up in a landfill. Hansen asked about the 12,300 cubic yard number in the document. Aitken explained the 12300 cubic yards was an estimate and elaborated on the process used to determine the amount of material removed. Hyatt asked if there was any improvement in communications between all parties involved. Goldman responded that communications had indeed improved. Hyatt thanked Aitken for his involvement in the project. 4. Severe Weather Emergency Shelter Temperature Thresholds Mayor Graham introduced the topic and explained there was an interest in having the emergency shelter temperature threshold consistent with the rest of the Valley. Interim City Manager Sabrina Cotta further explained the item and difference in temperature levels. She spoke of all the factors that went into the decision to adjust the temperature. Bloom asked about a possible scenario where the City ran out of funds for the emergency shelter. Cotta explained they would go to the Council for an appropriation of funds. Bloom asked about the benefits of changing the temperature levels. Cotta explained Ashland's shelter tended to open its doors prior to others because of severe weather within the area. City Council Study Session February 5, 2024 Page 3 of 6 Hyatt noted Grants Pass did not have a shelter. Cotta thought they had opened a severe weather shelter but could not confirm. Hansen asked how much money had been budgeted for the shelter. Cotta responded there was $200,000 set aside. Hansen asked for population numbers in each portion. Cotta noted the 24-7 shelter was not part of this conversation and it held 24 people. The severe weather shelter held 20 people and described what a low barrier shelter was. The numbers depended on the weather with an average of 10-12 people. DuQuenne asked about air quality and unhealthy levels regarding the shelter being open. Sabrina responded that if the air quality index was at or above 150 the shelter would be opened. DuQuenne stated that did not support changing the temperature. Kaplan provided background on the present recommendation. He asked Sabrina what had changed to prompt lowering the temperature. He confirmed there was not an operational reason to change it. Graham noticed the City had not hit extreme heat and smoke. The heat threshold for opening the shelter was 950 F and during the day, the library was open and available. She noted the problem occurred at night if the heat did not come down and was concerned about the possible fiscal impacts of having the shelter open for weeks at a time. She asked Cotta about potential staffing issues with having the shelter open for multiple days due to extreme heat. Cotta thought the resolution allowed flexibility for cold and heat, while pointing out that there is an issue of staffing. For summer, she noted, the City would be looking at sustained heat over multiple days as a sign to open the emergency shelter. She added that smoke risks from wildfires could be a 24/7 situation that could potentially span for weeks increasing the expense. Cotta added that opening severe weather shelter in November could be tricky in relation to cost because of not knowing when the shelter might be open again during the winter months. She brought attention to the risk that precipitation has on people staying outside during the cold. Bloom asked if the current resolution superseded prior resolutions, which Graham confirmed. He noted that the prior resolutions had some structure but noted the areas of improvement that the current resolution did not address. Hansen noted that in 2013, the City of Ashland's temperature threshold for opening the shelter was 200 F. Public Comment City Council Study Session February 5, 2024 Page 4 of 6 Echo Fields/Ashland/Drafted the current policy in 2021 and pointed out that it took a year to get it enacted. She noted the need to balance public health with resource constraints for the city. She felt that lowering the temperature to 250 F puts people at risk. She noted a lot of elders were accessing the shelter and spoke to their vulnerability of extreme cold and heat. She added that if the City was interested in adding smoke to the reasons to open the shelter, it would require some significant changes. Amy Cuddy/Ashland/Spoke about her time volunteering at both shelters on Ashland Street. She thought changing the temperature requirements to 250 F was inhumane and Ashland was better than that. She knew there were competing priorities and thought the Council should start with the basics of keeping the shelter open. Aki Robinson/Ashland/Opposed the temperate change. She felt that anything below 320 F and about 950 F was harmful and changing it would cause more deaths. Vanessa Houk/Ashland/Read from a letter she sent to council a month before about a dream of people who had passed due to dangerous weather. She shared several stories of the unhoused who had been killed because of exposure to inclement weather. Jason Houk/ Ashland/Proud to has past partnered in providing shelter and understood that it requires a lot of structure. He opposed decreasing the temperature threshold and shared how they had helped people through shelters. He felt that the Fire Department needed to provide water and cool spaces. He commented on smoke shelters, feeling that the shelter should provide masks during those times. He wanted to give staff the freedom to tackle the issue to the best of their abilities. Debbie Neisewander/Opposed the policy and did understand why reducing the temperature threshold supported public safety and reduced climate change risk. She thought there was a hidden agenda. Spoke to the unhoused feeling like the City did not want to make them comfortable and wanted to run them out of town. She hoped to change the mindset somehow. She spoke about the cooling shelter being open for five days last year with between 7 to 16 people in attendance and the clean air shelter being open for four days last year, with between 1 to 4 people in attendance. She spoke about the shelter being opened that previous Saturday (02/02/24) with 9 people in attendance. She wanted greater resources to be available when the shelter was opened for consecutive days. Spoke about recent challenges with the Night Lawn and hoped the Council would take into consideration the additional challenges. Ruby Nicol/Ashland/Explained they did not ask to be homeless and explained how impossible it was to get out of homelessness. She spoke to her sobriety and has been homeless for six out of seven years. She currently lived in a broken-down van and described City Council Study Session February 5, 2024 Page 5 of 6 the difficulty in staying warm. Graham reminded the Council that their job was to provide staff with direction on what to do next. She went around the table and asked each member for their view and suggestions. Hyatt noted that she was at the original meeting to change it to 320 F and supported the policy that Echo Fields had brought forth. She did not want to see the threshold changed. Bloom did not think the threshold needed to be changed but supported creating structure around the shelter environment. Kaplan was not interested in changing the thresholds. DuQuenne was not interested in changing the thresholds. She was interested in looking at shelters during smoke/ air quality events. She agreed with Bloom on focusing on the shelter structure. Hansen was not in favor of changing the thresholds and was disappointed in the current amount budgeted to keep people safe via the shelter. Graham noted the first year of the biennium for shelter nights at 320 s was experimental. She thought staff should explore smoke shelters and possibly pull that cost per night figure down and find out what is driving the cost up. Overall, Council was not interested in changing the thresholds. Bloom wanted to have a separate conversation about the structure and rules in the resolution. He thought rules should be added to the resolution. Cotta recommended stricter contract rules. She also suggested the City could put out a request for proposal for the whole year and structure things differently within the shelter. She added that smoke/air quality would present a different kind of challenge and structure to meet that challenge. DuQuenne thought it was important to have a review of the shelter after the winter season and wanted to add it to the calendar. She also suggested having an after -season review for heat and smoke as well. Graham responded that staff would bring the suggestion back in April. 5. Adjournment of Study Session The meeting was adjourned at 7:02 p.m. City Recorder Alissa Kolodzinski Attest: Mayor Tonya Graham City Council Study Session February 5, 2024 Page 6 of 6 Croman Mill Redevelopment Update Ashland, Oregon F ' Downmwn Unhrersity - North only '-•'� I -- To -- n TO - Freevrr�y - _ r.. California ~SITE _ , i.. City Council Presentation Townmakers LLC February 5, 2024 Current Status - Summary 01, 16- AW • Oregon DEQ has generally good news on cleanup • Current owners have offered to do rough grading through cleanup per our plan; LIDAR topography is being conducted • Good pre -application conference in November • Johnson Economics will supplement economic analysis to break out commercial and industrial • ODOT has provided comments on intersection design and scope of Traffic Impact Analysis, which is now under way • Critical areas survey is now under way • We are in talks with several experienced affordable housing developers • We are developing an updated land use and zoning ordinance for the site, which will also include a development agreement • We are proposing an infrastructure finance partnership (TIF) for public improvements — major streets, paths, parks, infrastructure for affordable housing Generally good news on the cleanup Ilk. ` PLANS FOR MIXED USE FACILITY IN THE WORKS ASHLAND PLANS FOR MIXED USE FACILITY IN THE WORKS ASHLAND \V auoertv Grading Current topo data is from 1998 • Need to identify stockpiles, plan for what remains (fill, strippings, etc) • Need to provide preferred fill areas (e.g. roads, dropoff area) al Pre-app Items Reviewed - Land Use Ordinance Amendment — 18.3.2 - Transportation System Plan amendment - Comprehensive plan amendment - Zoning and Comp Plan Map Amendments - Annexation Application (includes full plan for first phase) - Outline Plan Subdivision Review - Site Design Review - Development Agreement - Transportation Impact Analysis - Economic Opportunities Analysis Update - Housing Capacity Analysis Review - Other related reports (critical areas, tree protection etc) 11`F •9 r -. r _ ,. fix,Fnt . ge,. ll A CROMAN MILL DISTRICT - ASHLAND , OREGON - MIKE WEINSTOCK, TOWNMAKERS LLC. TOWN PLANNERS AND DESIGNERS: QAMAR & ASSOCIATES. AND STUCTURA NATURALIS - JANUARY I. 2022 • A APPROXIMATE LINE OF ANNEXATION AREA BOUNDARY ------��----------------- ------ ----------------- FJlji BAWA - \ /nRIVAi ! rA11L�Ox SMALL W-1114 CR pviC n �.." ►lMN+0uHs5 �. `,J •`f/ lam. ��,'._•�rA��r.•. l Jx rr•rt 'W ENTRANCE TO NEW MAIN MEET S F (/ hPNGDDOfRtYEM �Snr�TYAJW 'r oG B0 U� F� 0 Phase One includes a representative sampling of all buildings in future phases, including "compatible industrial," commercial, and residential, as well as parks and open space. The residential includes single- family as well as multi -family. orm ~~ ~~ /---- -� | { U { ~~ ~~ /---- -� | { U { e JOHNSON ECONOMICS A.gust 3, 2023 Mike w —he' I—M•aeas bear Mr Welnstoek, the wrpose or cols latter n W ltpmt e, the liitwngs o' u, Eveho— 0­1oh,lie, Maill, (FOA) opeam rue tM C,h, of Athlard, OraYon, at to W appy to yov propot,0 r,day.l —h, d its Croman M"a tit. in Atn4nd At you know, vfe te[ently —oleted .n addrrdum to update the City t 2007 MA I'd— g arc our key tirdmgt at ieY apply h ytw tie • lepeM,bnM.pareMf Mwmreydaaadfm[,wranit reedy. rAYPpYn evsottAf0 MA1Iy the Rate's eeviaa+ernr ,a.vl.r.eaaar W,Campe"e—PYngwA. eseYt wlhaw,doMlp,rry rk:'w b'dotf/h,ycaaFce,f flrC MA9nte iNtrMMsthe futl�a� empbY*nenl BrpMhaM demand fw Mp4 ,,— law h,s peen sloWsh Wee 3C07 Uvng a reaspnabte forward p,odeclim from lhn dues. ihi, rt"-. tunenl surpWso11016 aer,t of industrial/ e boil bleacres. whe,tat thee it 611 bue0abk—5—lable at View Doman Mill tire Tharof-4. hen wleh a Ideal reeone of tM .nd, W/M<e land M the Croman MIII site, the Oty would rats- a wrplut <! 10 5 Wildaole acres • Ar ap&,vas.IntowrMaphSop e.01ofi6 dues whits tmddbeey—hioderedu C n AIN TM m.Chl work wellmmnjunaion lath w rpuM-erg mold and,eidental, at Yosr plan propose A'ofwvrhsrendYr Mr Srarei deeadwe repWehuthu, eh, Cy esgpah/prnraNptmtnrg .*A and es tlpKMr—rh.r dre Oman MoTWt tatp—wondppp'fVWyrolepw Mt MI wrlo,0aarrcM ugclry. Yaui plan alas to meet etmx Aoalt with a mu or industrial, atrc .nit •eden4.1 You .bo note teat there i> nvw , nrtigl need fo, mare dwese ,.lean af(at rep—h the Ott', 2022 Hpye-ry Needs Analyas) hd thu qou,,%tan be cornpem tary ,o ompanbl. ,rduatrW, eftk. and real, by PrordK an u�lly ompetiov<'FvewexkplaY neRMorhaMtor PmpiWMtas w<II>t<mpbswsln my op�nyn and bsud a� my hnd�rgt. [Mtn . reafan.Ne ao V oxen that n repp^tre to the CAy't>leted Bays la re prppxsdm,btihyw.ipbaw.wed wtv earM.arn anen.�en,rmrpw,erMrAe nhedl8ea+toAayeeapnxee hrerm ws6ebw(ph5[rary/ Midbndrxmen, emir ewetaatenpw.cre b.-naidwmaYeandues. me r.latirety n�gn .awe rp. rrpaent W une pu m<t nm tn< g+eay �n.rrrexa wrc.ms der work�ra nom none at w.n a<hvn.. bat.d Wtin +and Fve ork form t. putnWrlynth!wake of the COvsD pendema.Ine ewdrrce suggests teat tone trenM were already develop hlg balers the panda-{ have decelerated duraig M<pandn— and are IikNr to Mra�ae atsvrAles.u:le66sr,nwn,kaenpt _ sd3/ra-in,BdA+,.stlpm«a • drouetepvido t,www.e,anapa,Yamw, adn.yMNduavaai Mr„ndYef r;,rad7,2 -aeduse Ytigh5f4f, wA2h/Mritese., hew —Mr wr,, under tors rormula,.n-4, emplW rn<nt OmNtY vmuld a 10 empbyeei cer ure I]/3 ! IB r 2/3 ! 6, dwidM Dv 31. we.n �n mY opirvon �t a reasoiuDle prolectwrde target rwn,,.,hoQropptMrodiaiwewrwaMaYadlrkaY� alas Meagp 7/3W,tivM .+apM pdnu, afar Meer rdrdpereA l.+wtYr YMOete., ine+dneAYe-.rtn✓,evar,3edwe,. wdn tbwl r,ady M.,.td with appropnat. I.tta,ment and -shoot Owe, I bar.. uo— Mill w.a be well-povnoned to capture the mawnum potent,sl market retponu lath , empetitne oMerw` A dOp/ 9f ow EOA update is ,tt,ened. I w�l l Dc nappy to answer dry opes[rom yw mry hart. inC<r[IY. 3teaYMtl4paa ♦dYlaa 1dMe1fltl10b11D{IC AMMNWY rotlro.rt ApxeMO [OAC,w.w Mat see pAdt 7 e Critical Areas (Pond and stream) Northwest Housing Alternatives — Alma Gardens at Orenco Station Our proposed land use code (AMC 18.3.2): 1. Create flexible, market -facing zoning that allows the highest possible achievement of public goals 2. Specify coherent, walkable public realm while allowing a mix of uses 3. Deliver an agreed minimum of employment lands within each phase 4. Deliver an agreed minimum of tenant -ready employment spaces in each phase 5. Achieve Climate -Friendly Area designation Our proposed land use code (AMC 18.3.2): 1. Does not modify the existing Croman Mill District plan for other property owners within the district (except relating to street alignments to connect to our plan) 2. Creates two new zones: Compatible Industrial and Commercial — Mixed Use ("CIC-MU") and Residential — Mixed Use (R-MU) 3. Establishes a baseline of area for each, but allows adjustments to meet changing market demand 4. Development agreement controls phasing, minimum amounts, infrastructure, etc. Another key feature of the draft Land Use Ordinance is to preserve as much flexibility as possible in responding to the market, while providing additional baseline commitments of land uses and buildouts by phase through the Development Agreement. The Development Agreement would commit to a formula of delivery for each of three phases, prior to commencement of subsequent phases, corresponding to the takedown schedule agreed to in the Townmakers' purchase and sale agreement for the property, as follows: Minimum Minimum Maximum Minimum Employment Employment Housing Affordable Land Areal Buildings3 Area° Units (80%AMI)5 Per Entitlement) In addition, the draft Land Use Ordinance will set the terms of achieving the State's "Climate Friendly Area' designation as sought by the City for the Townmakers property specifically. a Net lot areas served by completed infrastructure. Surpluses carry over to reduce required minimums in subsequent phases. a Tenant -ready shell spaces. Surpluses carry over to reduce required minimums in subsequent phases. ° Net lot areas served by completed infrastructure (number of units to be determined per density parameters) s Minimum as required by statute, in addition to "middle housing" and "attainable housing" e (Last phase would not have minimum conditions for subsequent phases) Crwan Mdl Neighbmhood, Ashland, Oregon Qj— " — i- - Dnw 0 A Phase One Area r . s i y a Economics Team: • Jerry Johnson's EOA update shows we meet State requirements • Thad Wilson is proposing a public -private model for public infrastructure to unlock wider benefits for the full district and the city as a whole Jerry Johnson Principal, Johnson Economics it Thad Wilson Senior Vice President, MuniCap Thank You!