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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/05/1998 - Report: - Wolf Pen Creek Oversight Committeeict9 oct-6-6,5rtc6 N oUeivu-Q,en, a , l 6�i�' Noy ��Qc°aaQ IVloQtuvi(� V�oU� OttR9i7 U IAMi�t1 ; Lzk& OC- DE[ WOLF PEN CREEK STAFF MEETING Monday, October 5, 1998 3:30 Am. Parks Planning Conference Room STAFF PRESENT Parks & Recreation N Stephen Beachy, Eric Ploeger, Peter Vanecek Engineering N Frank Simoneaux, Bob Mosley Development Services N Jane Kee Finance N Mark Cryan PR/Marketing N Kelly Chapman Budget N Jeff Kersten Public Works N Mark Smith 1. Dartmouth to Texas Avenue Channel Improvements and Street Extension: Channel improvements and the George Bush Street extension will be designed by a single consultant but may be bid as separate projects, depending upon the timing. 2. Existing Lake: Reconfiguration of the existing lake should be completed as a separate project. Possibly done as an in-house design project between Parks and Public Works. 3. Dartmouth/Holleman Intersection: a. The clean-up processs will continue. b. The parking lot will be considered as part of the channel design. c. Planter and railing improvements to proceed after the traffic signals are installed. The design process can begin now. 4. WPC Ordinance: Ordinance amendments will be go before the City Council on October 8, 1998. 5. Parks and Recreation: a. Begin work on intersection design and clean-up. b. Design of creek between Johnney Corinas and Kona's restaurants to be discussed with Development Services and developers. 6. Public Relations/Marketing: a. Draft press release; b. Put the digitized map on TIF file; c. Web site still under consideration; d. Pictures taken at Dartmouth and Holleman; e. Afsaneh is working on a brochure that will include information on goals and objectives, implementation, and a narrative for developers and citizens. o: \wpc\minutes. doc\ 10/6/98 7. Finance/Budget: Project numbers need to be set up for the major categories a. Public Relations/Marketing b. Street extension c. Channel improvements d. Restaurant Creek improvements o:\wpc\minutes.doc\10/6/98 PARI(5 Ot RECREATION CO«EqE STATION Facsimile Cover Sheet To: James Massey Chris Barzilla Kay Henryson David Hickson Skip Noe From: Steve Beachy e-mail: Company: Home Page: Phone: Fax: sbeachy@ci.college-station.tx.us City of College Station, Texas http://www.ci.college-station.tx.us 409 764-7413 409 764-3737 Date: 13 October, 1998 Pages including this 3 cover page: Comments: attached is the lastest version of the over sight committee flow chart and functions. I have added myself as the project leader as designated at the council meeting and the sixth item in the functions list has the word "direction" changed to "input" to clarify the roles of staff and appointed advisory committee. If there are no other changes, this will be presented to council on the 22d in this format. Thanks! WOLF PEN CREEK MASTf- R PLAN PROJECT OVERSIGHT / Parks & Recreation Board WPC TI1= Board Planning & Zoning. Commission Design Review Board City Council Oversight Committee Committee 1embersh ip City Council -epresentative Chair, Planning & Zoning Commission Chair, Parks & recreation Board Chair, WPC Tax Increment & = i nance Board Chair,WDC Design Review 9oard Public Works Departmen Parks & Recreation Department Office of Management and Budgej, Public Relations/ Marketing Deve l opmen� Services Department / 01r PARI(5 & RECREATION COEEEgE STATION Facsimile Cover Sheet To: James Massey Chris Barzilla Kay Henryson David Hickson From: Steve Beachy e-mail: sbeachy@ci.college-station.tx.us Company: City of College Station, Texas Home Page: http://www.ci.college-station.tx.us Phone: 409 764-7413 Fax: 409 764-3737 Date: 8 October, 1998 Pages including this 3 cover page: Comments: attached is a copy of the flow chart prepared for the wolf pen creek over sight committee. Please review and comment back to me or Ric Ploeger (764-3415) as soon as possible. WOLF PEN CREEK STAFF STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, November 2, 1998 3:30 pm Parks Planning Conference Room STAFF PRESENT Parks & Recreation - Stephen Beachy, Peter Vanecek Engineering - Bob Mosley, Frank Simoneaux Development Services - Jane Kee Finance - Charles Cryan PR/Marketing - Kelly Chapman Public Works - Mark Smith RFQ Update: Deadline is November 12th at 4:00 pm. Get to the Council in December meeting. Have someone as spokesperson (involved oversight committee to serve on panel). Go back in January with signed contract to Council. George Bush Drive East, drainage, trails and parking lot area; money comes out of TIF monies available for the next 2 years; should be drainage utility money next year, also. 2. Project Numbers/Accounting : Number of project numbers needed -- 1 -- George Bush East 2 - Creek 1 - Trails 1 - Landscape improvements I - Parking lot 1 - Printed materials (marketing) $7500. 3. Private Sector Development Update : a. On Harvey Road restaurants going up are a BBQ, Sonic, Corinas and Kona's b. Waiting on FEMA c. Hotel Conference Center - design review board on Wednesday d. Enlarge pipe for drainage across Dartmouth or Holleman 4. Landscape/Site Work Projects : a. Site work on upper hill was seeded; BVSMA did good job b. In winter, thin out trees and vegetation c. Corner lot bed across from WI'C - Add 4 more railings in height; widen walks to 6-8 ft. d. Clearing underbrush, walkways, etc. where private sector is located e. Minimal channel improvements 1 mile area 5. Brochure: a. Take out ordinance revision b. Map of master plan c. Add on to finance plan d. 4-color print brochure; use black & white for citizens newsletter 6. Other Business: Marketing Plans - send input to Kelly Chapman. Next meeting Monday, December 7th at 3:30 pm. o:wpc\oversite\ I 1-2-98.doc MEMORANDUM November 17, 1998 TO: Wolf Pen Creek Over Sight Committee FROM: Steve Beachy, Director of Parks & Recreation SUBJECT: Progress Report Number 1 Here is the status of several items related to the implementation of the Wolf Pen Creek master plan: 1. Site Work - The city -owned property at the intersection of Dartmouth and Colgate has been cleared. The silt ponds have been removed and the site has been graded to a gentle, uniform slope and seeded. Underbrush and the barb wire fence have been removed. The area will be available as "open space" for the neighborhood as well as for small festivals beginning next year. Cleanup of the city property on Hollemann Street across from the proposed hotel/conference center site will begin this winter. Work will include removal of underbrush, mowing and trash pick up. This should improve the appearance of the area and help facilitate the site planning work for future development. 2. Traffic signals - the preliminary design for the signals at Holleman and Dartmouth are complete. This project will be bid in the spring of 1999 along with the signals for Dartmouth and Southwest Parkway and the Olsen and George Bush intersections. The equipment for all three locations has been ordered and will take about three months to arrive. Completion is expected next summer. 1 3. Engineering Services - Requests for Qualifications to provide engineering services fro the design of channel improvements and the extension of George Bush Drive East have been prepared and distributed to interested firms. The deadline to receive the RFQs was Thursday, November 12th at 4PM. Five firms responded and a staff committee is in the process of evaluating their statements of qualifications. We made the decision to combine the channel design and the street & bridge design to facilitate this project. These two major elements have a direct relationship with each other and separate design processes would be impractical. Also, the RFQ includes provisions for the design of the parking area along Dartmouth, trail design coordinated with city staff and submission of revised FEMA flood map requirements. We plan to take a recommendation to the City Council at their meeting on December 10th. I have asked for David Hickson to appoint a member of the over sight committee to participate in the review process. A copy of the RFQ is included with this packet. Once council gives authorization to negotiate with a particular firm, we will begin working on the details of the contract which will be presented to the council for approval sometime after January 1st. This will be a major project that will have a very significant impact upon the area. 4. Landscape improvements - the parks planning staff is working on designs for the west side of the Dartmouth/Holleman intersection. Proposed features include the addition of more steel hand rails, planters and sidewalk improvements. The design is being coordinated with the traffic signal design to avoid complications with utility lines and signal poles. The design should be complete this year and bids solicited next spring. 5. Private sector development - four restaurants located along Harvey Road are in the planning stages. Two of these will be located across a tributary of Wolf Pen Creek from each other. Our planning staff will begin design work on the portion of the trail system for this area as soon as their site plans have been approved. This effort will be coordinated with the design work for the main creek channel and with the development services department staff. No time estimate has been developed for completion of this project. 6. Marketing - the large master plan that was prepared by the city staff has been copied onto a digital format to facilitate reproduction. This includes the ability to provide various sizes of copies and will be used in the production of a brochure related to the master plan. A copy of the draft brochure is included with this packet for your review and input prior to production. In addition, news releases will be prepared to high light key events during the implementation process. Special events will also be developed for certain occasions that warrant additional focus including ground breakings, completion of major project elements, etc. 2 The city staff steering committee has established a monthly project coordination meeting schedule to keep the development process moving forward. Copies of notes from the first two meetings are enclosed with this packet. I will continue to forward the notes from future meetings to assist in keeping you up to date on the various projects. The initial meeting of the over sight committee is scheduled for November 23d at noon in the Central Park office conference room. At that time meeting schedules can be finalized along with the procedures that the committee would like to adopt for this process. The role of this committee is essential to the success of implementation the master plan. I appreciate your willingness to serve in this capacity and look forward to making the vision of the plan become a reality. copies: Skip Noe, City Manager WPC Staff committee 3 WOLF PEN CREEK OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1998 - 12:00 NOON CENTRAL PARK CONFERENCE ROOM 1000 KRENEK TAP ROOM AGENDA 1 Discussion of Oversight Committee Responsibilities 2. Master Plan Implementation Update 3. Discussion and Consideration of Design Services for Creek Channel and George Bush East Extension 4. Discussion and consideration of proposed landscape improvements at the west corner of Dartmouth & Holleman 5. Other business/committee concerns 6. Adjourn MEMBERS PRESENT: STAFF PRESENT: VISITORS: WOLF PEN CREEK OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 23, 1998 COLLEGE STATION CENTRAL PARK David Hickson, Chairman; James Massey; George Dresser, Alternate; Kay Henryson; Dennis Maloney, Alternate Steve Beachy; Eric Ploeger; Peter Vanecek; Mark Smith, Bob Mosley; Frank Simoneaux; Jim Callaway; Kelley Chapman; Charles Cryan; Pamela Einkauf, Secretary None Present MINUTES CALL_T_Q_QBDE.R:. The meeting was called to order at 12:05 p.m. by David Hickson, Chair. 1. Discussion of Qvereight_CQmmitteeResponsibilities: Steve said the mission statement, functions, and an organizational chart had been included in all packets. The mission _._of_...the committee: the timely and efficient implementation of the master plan for the corridor. One of the keyJunctions: to provide input to staff concerning various projects. All committees were represented except the WPC TIF Board, and that committee will be represented once a chairman is appointed. Steve said he'd been appointed project leader by the City Council for the overall WPC Master Plan project in order to coordinate and help keep the process on track. He said the committee would try to resolve conflicts which may arise among staff or any of the boards, and there will be various project managers assigned throughout the process. 2. Master Plan Impiementati_on_Update: Steve said that since the master plan had been approved by the City Council, Parks had tried to implement as much of the plan as possible. Progress Report #1 dated November 17, 1998, showed everything which had been done. He said the map had been digitized so that it could be reproduced to any size. Monthly Progress Reports will go out to keep everyone up-to-date. Steve said good progress had been made and getting the Oversight Committee together and operating was a key step. Steve wanted to know if the committee thought that the format of the black and white WPC brochure would serve the needs of the different boards, commissions, and developers. He said that the final brochure would be double -sided, in color, and would state the vision and goal statements of the plan, along with the implementation steps. Kay asked if the FEMA dates shown in the brochure were going to be a problem as far as development permits being issued. Bob said not as long as current guidelines were followed, since the new guidelines would be Tess restrictive than the current ones. Steve said the FEMA map revision would be part of the bridge alignment and channel reconfiguration process, and should be started early in 1999. Once completed, it would affect development between Texas Avenue and Dartmouth. Steve said the next step in the brochure process will be to take bids for the printing. Depending on how long the printing takes, it could possibly be completed within the next 60-90 days. 2,000-3,000 copies should be sufficient. After some discussion about the cost and what the brochure would be used for, it was decided that it would be more cost effective to do the brochure in-house. An 8 1/2" x 11" bound format which could be expanded on, with an 11" x 17" map that folds into it, was discussed. It could be customized according to the different needs of the particular person looking at it and photos could be added. James stated that interest from developers in the area along the east end of the development, (from the bypass back to the amphitheater) had been slow. Kay said she could see the City getting more proactive with developers if it became apparent that there was not enough diversity, as far as the types of commercial businesses going in. 3. Discussion and_Consideration_of Design_SenticesJor Creek_C_hanneLand_George_Bush East Extension: Bob said and RFQ had been developed identifying 4 specific projects -- WPC drainage; George Bush East extension; Dartmouth/Holleman parking lot; and hike and bike trails. Five responses to the RFQ had been received and reviewed, with the number one recommendation being McClure Engineering. They will try to go to City Council with the top 3 names on December 10, 1998 for approval to negotiate. This would put it on the January 14, 1999 council agenda to authorize a contract. The responses received did not address to great extent the siltation problem, so finding an outside expert in erosion and siltation had been discussed and considered. The expert would represent the City as an additional team member, not part of the design team, and would provide advice and direction to the design firm in trying to develop something stable that wouldn't release an extraordinary amount of silt. Design features might be entered that would allow for silt removal, with ponds that slow the water down enough to drop the silt out. The ponds could periodically be cleaned out. McClure had a team approach for the four different project elements. The idea behind it was to be treated by one design firm, but finishing the projects so that they could be bid independently of each other as funding and the development schedule will allow. ,There had been a Turner -Collier -Braden siltation study done in 1997, however it didn't make specific recommendations but gave alternatives that would address the slope stabilization problems. It did not designate which application should go at a particular location. The new design needs to look at the specifics of the creek and apply the solutions at the appropriate locations. Some hard surface lining of the creek may have to be done in some locations, but the idea is to make it as soft and aesthetic as possible. The expertise they are looking for will assist in the oversight of the project so as to avoid a rerun of the previous project. In order for the project to be a success, will mean looking at the entire project from the bypass to Texas Avenue, knowing what is upstream (west of Texas Avenue) and creating a design that will work there. The whole thing must be implemented in order for it to work and not just a piece of the system, as was done before. This project will be done on a much larger scale. McClure understands that silt control is a major part of the design, and in order to be sure that the design they present will effectively deal with it, there will be an expert to review their design plan. 4. Discussion and Consideration_of Proposed Landscape Improvements_atthe West Corner of Dartmouth and Holleman: Steve said staff had been working on the project in order to have some visual impact relatively soon. Landscaping is currently in place on the east corner of the intersection and something will be done on the opposite corner as well. Pete Vanecek gave a brief presentation. Additional hand -railing will be added for safety reasons. Sidewalks will be widened to either 6' or 8', with brick pavers or a brick pattern in concrete. A raised planter bed similar to what is there now will be installed with another sign and irrigation. The drain pipes are only 1'-2' deep, so no trees will be planted, only native -type plants and shrubs. Some of the slopes are difficult to maintain, so Pete proposed some type of native grass or plant that would get only 2-3' high and wouldn't need to be mowed. For color, crepe myrtles will be planted along each side. Some improvements will have to wait until after the creek has been addressed and retaining walls are in. In the short term however, the area that floods periodically will be smoothed out so that it doesn't look eroded and some grass planted so that it looks nice. The landscaping will be bid out. The design of the signal lights that will go in has been coordinated with Mark, and they are due to be installed in 1999. Pedestrian signals will be added to the existing light poles. There was discussion about making sure there was coordination regarding what was done in that area to make sure everything matched up. Steve stated that even though it will take a while for the creek channel improvements to get underway, improving the appearance of the area is something that could be done early on and fairly quickly. Immediately to the west of the site, the city -owned property which is heavily wooded, will be cleared of underbrush so that it can be mowed and maintained, leaving the significant trees. It will look more like a park than just vacant property. The site location for the plaza, which will go in on Holleman, will not be decided on until the conference center is finalized. The design for the plaza will be done in-house. There was discussion about coordinating through the Design Review Board, all colors that will be used at the intersection with the colors that will be used at the Conference Center. Dennis asked if McClure Engineering could be present at the next meeting to discuss the design and to see what the City and the engineers have in mind. Steve said the first Monday at noon was the most favorable meeting time chosen, however the first Monday in January -- the 4th -- they would not be under contract. Steve suggested January 11, 1999 for the next meeting. Dennis requested to see a Conference Center site overview at the next meeting. George asked if they had an idea of the sequencing for the construction. Mark said money for the drainage improvements and the bridge were in the current year's budget, but the trails and parking lot are not. Trails to the restaurants within the corridor would be done as a separate project and worked on in-house, simultaneously with the design work. The bridge and creek improvements will be started in 1999. Kay asked if it would be possible to use any of the property where Harvey Road and the George Bush extension meet, as an entry focal point, or if signage for vehicle traffic could be put up indicating the way to the Conference Center. Jim said it may not be particularly easy or cheap to do, but it wouldn't be impossible. Mark added that as the Texas Avenue widening project continued it might be smart to set aside an area to create a focal point at that intersection also. 5. Other_BusIness/Committee Concerns: George asked what the responsibility was, if any, with regards to marketing and promotional activities to enhance both private development and public acceptance of the Wolf Pen Creek work. Steve said the committee should decide how much and in what direction it wanted to go. George suggested putting it on an upcoming agenda to see how it should be coordinated with public relations. He said he's interested in tying in with the business community, and in enhancing the value of what is being done from the point of view of the citizens of College Station, but wasn't sure how to go about it. Steve said some basic marketing had been done, and that the public needed to be kept aware of what was going on. Dennis suggested having some type of activity, walk, or contest involving school age children. A key opportunity would be to have some type of special event when the bridge and the street are completed. 6. Adjourn; The meeting adjourned at 1:37 p.m. 4d(iL