City Council Meeting Date: September 15, 2020
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Mitzi Alex Baker, AICP, Community Development Director
Title
Presentation: Brief Update on Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan.
Body
Action Requested:
No Action/Informational
Summary Report:
Staff will present a brief update and preview of the draft Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan materials.
The Riverfront Enhancement Advisory Committee (REAC) was established at the end of 2018 as a temporary committee to advise development of a Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan. The City Council adopted a resolution 2018-115 in November 2018 to create the Riverfront Enhancement Advisory Committee to further the City's strategic priorities, including:
* "riverfront enhancement";
* "enhanced tourism"; and
* "expanded downtown"
All of which contribute to "Economic Development: A Community That's Economically Thriving".
The Council adopted resolution further established an expectation that a Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan that include the following elements:
* Prioritization to align with the strategic plan; and
* Concept plans for strategic park improvements; and
* Identified short term and long term projects and funding sources; and
* Preservation and conservation of the riverfront; and
* Identification of stormwater management project priorities; and
* Strategies for increased active use of the riverfront; and
* Opportunities for business expansion on the corridor.
Over the last 18 months, the REAC had the benefit of significant support from the National Park Service through a Technical Assistance Grant, as well as a consultant team that joined the project to augment the effort to create concept diagrams and prepare the Plan documents.
The draft Plan is not a "doorstop" plan, but a series of brief documents that quickly covey the grand opportunity Northfield has to develop its riverfront area as a Regional Park destination.
Action Plan materials will be mad...
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