City Council Meeting Date: October 12, 2021
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: David Bennett, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Mitzi Baker, Community Development Director
Title
Update and discussion on Bridge Square Improvements in context of the Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council discusses the draft Bridge Square Improvement in context with the Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan.
Summary Report:
In 2014 the City created a Vision Plan for Bridge Square. As part of that vision plan, four alternatives were created for Bridge Square. Since the plan completion, no improvements have been made to Bridge Square.
Fast forward to 2018, as part of the City Strategic plan, the City created a Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan that was adopted in 2020. One of the early initiates in the plan is to related to Enhancing and Activating Riverfront Parks. Bridge Square is an early initiative, so the City needs to take those four alternatives, understand what we have learned/changed recently for Bridge Square and come up with a final concept, cost, and implementation plan.
The City has hired the team of Bruce Jacobson, Bob Close, and Julie Aldrich to assist in this process. Their team has reviewed the 2014 Bridge Square Alternative along with the input/comments within the plan, met with City staff and developed a draft concept pulling features from the different alternative.
For Tuesday’s worksession (Task 5 on slide 11 of the presentation), we would request initial feedback from this revised concept from Council before this is goes out for public input. Questions, comments, ideas on additions or revisions related to this version or input on other alternate options. The public input process (Task 6 on slide 11 of the presentation) would include context of the Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan, the Future Vision for Bridge Study (2014), and this current concept for input.
After public input is received, the project team will meet with Council (Task 7 on slide 11 of the presentation tentatively December 7) to inform the Council of public input and provide an opportunity for Council collaboration on refining the preferred concept plan and provide project direction for the next steps.
The consultant would then prepared a final concept for Bridge Square based on the Council consideration. From there the costs and an implementation strategy will be developed (Task 9 of slide 11 of the presentation). The tentative date for final concept plan approval is January 4, 2022.
Alternative Options:
Individual councilor questions, discussion and feedback on the preliminary concept plan that include initial thoughts and features (slide 6 of 11) along with any process clarifications (slide 11 of 11).
Financial Impacts:
Not applicable at this time.
Tentative Timelines:
ü August 8, 2017 Council adoption of Strategic Plan Summary (2018-2020)
ü October 9, 2018 and November 13, 2018 Council approved Resolution Establishing Riverfront Enhancement Committee and Mayoral Appointments
ü December 1, 2020 - Council resolution approving Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan
ü June 15, 2021 - Council approved Strategic Plan (2021-2024)
ü June 15, 2021 - Council approved motion to support park priorities within the Riverfront Action Plan to include Years 1 through 5.
o October 12, 2021 - Council Update/Input on Draft Bridge Plan
o October 12 - Nov 23 - Public Input on Bridge Square Plan
o December 7 - Council - Collaborate and Refine Bridget Square Plan with Council
o January 2022 - Adopt Plan, Cost, and Phasing/Implementation Bridge Square Plan