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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStakeholder inputIOWA CITY DOWNTOWN AND PEDESTRIAN MALL STREETSCAPE PLAN UPDATE . DRAFT P | 20 FEBRUARY 2014 21 S t a k e h o l d e r I n p u t SECTION 3 Stakeholder Input IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN AND PEDESTRIAN MALL STREETSCAPE PLAN UPDATE . DRAFT P | 22 INTRODUCTION Stakeholder input guided the project throughout the plan- ning process. Key stakeholder groups include the steering and technical committees, the Iowa City Downtown Dis- trict (ICDD), Summer of the Arts (SOTA), and the Universi- ty of Iowa. The general public offered input during three public meetings and via the project website, inspiredown- townic.com. Summaries of the process and what the plan- ning team learned follow. STEERING COMMITTEE The project benefited from the keen interest and active participation of a steering and technical committee. The Committee was composed of City of Iowa City leaders, local business leaders, and representatives from the Iowa City Downtown District, Summer of the Arts (SOTA), and the University of Iowa. This group met approximately twelve times during the process to provide leadership and guide key decision making. The steering committee helped with the identification of goals and objectives, provided valuable insight on the existing infrastructure concerns, and reviewed and commented on proposed planning improvements for each of the streetscapes as well as the pedestrian mall. STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS The planning process began with a two day kick-off work- shop and included meetings with the key stakeholder groups: steering and technical committee, University of Iowa representatives, downtown business leaders, and Summer of the Arts leaders. These meetings were vital to the information gathering phase. The ICDD, SOTA and Uni- versity of Iowa meeting highlights are summarized in the following sections. IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT (ICDD) During the project kick-off workshop, local business leaders provided insight into a number of issues and opportunities of importance. Their ‘wish list’ follows. • Expanded event programming across Ped Mall and during the winter months. • Additional electrical capacity needed throughout downtown. • Additional water sources needed, especially through- out the Northside Marketplace. • Explore creative lighting opportunities across down- town and specifically at the alleys. • Enhanced bicycle accommodations are desired. • Businesses expressed a strong interest in learning about the feasibility of heated sidewalks. • Updated wayfinding kiosks are desired. • Business leaders suggested a memorable connection be created along Linn Street to link the Northside Marketplace and the Ped Mall. • Explore policy changes particularly with signage and outdoor cafes. STAKEHOLDER INPUT 7 TE C H N I C A L C O M M I T T E E 2 ST A K E H O L D E R 3 BU S I N E S S / P R O P E R T Y O W N E R MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY 12 ST E E R I N G C O M M I T T E E 3 EV E N T M O N I T O R I N G # OF MEETINGS 3 PU B L I C I N P U T 1 SU S T A I N A B I L I T Y W O R K S H O P 1 BI C Y C L E S T A K E H O L D E R FEBRUARY 2014 23 The planning team met with the business stakeholders three additional times. Prior to each of the public input meetings, business stakeholders were given a preview of the material to be presented to the public. Feedback from these sessions was generally positive and the majority of the stakeholders in attendance were in support of the sug-gested planning improvements. UNIVERSITY OF IOWA The University of Iowa has a significant physical presence throughout the Study Area. The Iowa Avenue Campus is situated between Downtown and the Northside Mar-ketplace. The University Capitol Centre, an enclosed of-fice and commercial building, is located at Clinton and Washington. Per the University of Iowa admissions repre-sentatives, ‘downtown is the selling point, it’s what makes University of Iowa different’. University of Iowa representa-tives met with the planning team to address the University / community interface. Their suggestions for the planning team follow. • Consider ways to celebrate the advancements of Uni-versity of Iowa research through public artwork. • Create a sense of arrival including a memorable gate-way at the Dubuque / Washington Ped Mall entry. • Enhance the ‘Clinton Corridor,’ a student gateway and link between downtown and University housing. • Activate blank windows and facades. • Enhanced lighting throughout the Northside Market-place is desired. • Consider alternative storm water management prac-tices. • A new wayfinding program is needed. • Enhance the Linn Street connection between Ped Mall and Northside Marketplace. SUMMER OF THE ARTS [ SOTA ]The Mission of Summer of the Arts (SOTA) is “to bring peo-ple together in the Iowa City Area to experience and en-joy the arts”. SOTA works “to encourage and facilitate the collaborative efforts to create arts and cultural entertain-ment in the Iowa City Area”. Notable events and festivals include the Arts Festival and the Jazz Festival, which at-tract nearly 40,000 visitors per event annually. The planning team met with SOTA representatives to learn more about their needs. The summary follows. • Additional electrical capacity is needed throughout downtown and specifically along Iowa Avenue and in the Pedestrian Mall. • Additional water sources are needed along Iowa Av-enue and Clinton. • More informal seating is needed at the Pedestrian Mall performance stage. • An overhead structure to shade and define the per-formance stage at the Pedestrian Mall is desired. STAKEHOLDER INPUT IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN AND PEDESTRIAN MALL STREETSCAPE PLAN UPDATE . DRAFT P | 24 PUBLIC MEETINGS To ensure the resulting plan reflects the needs of the larger community, the Iowa City Downtown and Pedestrian Mall Streetscape Plan Update was developed with significant public input. Three public input meetings were held in 2013 and were well attended with a combined attendance approximating over four hundred participants. Meetings were open house format with various stations for input. Each station was led by a member of the plan- ning team or a City representative. Attendees were able to offer comments and suggestions in a number of ways: via written surveys, general comment cards, hand-writ- ten comments on the presentation boards, and by direct communication with a planning team member. The key discussion topics and findings for each of the three public input meetings follow. Full summaries of each of the public input meetings are included in the Appendix. STAKEHOLDER INPUT | PUBLIC MEETINGS Public input meeting #3 promotional flyer FEBRUARY 2014 25 • Getting Around. Suggestions included wider sidewalks, improved pedestrian safety and walkability, more des- ignated bicycle lanes and sheltered bicycle parking, better signage, and pedestrian enhancements along Burlington. Enhanced bicycle accommodations ranked as the most important transportation related option to be addressed by the planning team. Many attendees would like to see an improved connection between the NSMP and the downtown core.• Sustainability. Attendees suggested recycling stations, permeable paving, solar panels, a conversion to LED lighting, and increased support for bicyclists, walkers and transit riders.• Programming and Special Events. Suggestions includ- ed trash and recycling stations, event programming during the winter months, and more readily available information about circulation and traffic modifica- tions. There was repeated interest in including Linn Street in the event and festival layout. PUBLIC INPUT MEETING #1 . MAY 2013 Public input meeting #1 was held at the Iowa City Public Library. Approximately 75 persons attended. Key discussion topics • Big Idea. If you could re-imagine the streets of down- town Iowa City, what changes would be made? If just one improvement/change could be made, what would it be? What other downtowns are considered ‘memorable’ and why? • Public Safety. Identify areas and intersections that are ‘pedestrian unfriendly’. • Public Spaces / Pedestrian Mall. Identify favorite / least favorite public spaces. Rank importance of pub- lic space components. • Streetscape Components. What components need the most attention? • Getting Around. How can we make downtown Iowa City and the pedestrian mall more accessible? What transportation options need to be addressed? • Sustainability. How can Downtown Iowa City become a leader in ‘sustainability’? • Programming and Special Events. How can event ex- periences be improved? Suggestions for other special events. What we learned • Big Idea. Public input indicated strong interest in more bicycle lanes, improved lighting and signage, im- provements along Burlington Street including activat- ing the blank facades and parking ramps, an inviting and welcoming entry to the Ped Mall at Washington, and improved surfacing of the Ped Mall. • Public Safety. Safety-related comments and sugges- tions addressed inadequate lighting levels at Northside Market Place (NSMP) and at the alleys. Specific streets and intersections described as unsafe include NSMP, Linn Street at Iowa, Gilbert, north Ped Mall entry, Burl- ington and the intersection with Gilbert, College. • Public Spaces / Pedestrian Mall. Favorite public spac- es include the Weather Dance fountain and ICPL. The intersection of Dubuque and Washington and Black Hawk Mini Park were the least favorite public spaces. Family friendly opportunities, festive/seasonal lighting, plant material, and public artwork were ranked as the most important public space components. Benches are desired along Linn Street between the Sr. Center and ICPL. • Streetscape Components. Attendees feel lighting needs the most attention. Lighting is followed, in order, by wayfinding and signage, plant material, site furnish- ings, sidewalk paving, and finally, public artwork. Approximately 75 persons attended public input meeting #1 Voting for favorite / least favorite public spaces in study area STAKEHOLDER INPUT | PUBLIC MEETINGS IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN AND PEDESTRIAN MALL STREETSCAPE PLAN UPDATE . DRAFT P | 26 PUBLIC INPUT MEETING #2 . SEPTEMBER 2013 Public input meeting #2 was held at the Sheraton Hotel, Amos Dean Ballroom. Approximately124 persons signed in with overall attendance estimated at 200 participants. Key discussion topics • Wayfinding and Identity. Public input on alternate wayfinding concepts. Identification of priorities. • Streetscape Planning Concepts. Which streetscape components are considered the most important? What are the main safety issues associated with streets in downtown Iowa City? What improvements would you like to see at the alleys? • Pedestrian Mall. Planning alternatives at Black Hawk Mini Park, Weather Dance Fountain / Performance space, entry options, and children’s play zone. What we learned • Wayfinding and Identity. Gateway features are con- sidered the highest priority wayfinding element. Infor- mational kiosks and banners were considered lesser priority elements. • Streetscape Planning Concepts. Public input indicat- ed lighting is the most important component to ad- dress followed by safety, identity for Iowa City, and pedestrian comfort. The lack of bicycle lanes is consid- ered the main safety issue associated with Iowa City streets. Attendees would like to see improved lighting at the alleys. • Pedestrian Mall. Generally, the public was split over the two Black Hawk Mini Park options. The public would like to see the planning concepts for Black Hawk Mini Park become more welcoming, with intimate seating areas, a shaded performance space, and a design that recalls and celebrates the history of the park as a place for all people. Comments pertaining to the Weather Dance Fountain / Performance space ranged from requests for more flexible open space to more organization with more fixed seating. The shad- ed permanent stage was well received. The height of the story walls was questioned and many expressed concern with their height. The public feels the exist- ing Weather Dance fountain is enough and a second spray feature at the north entry is unnecessary. There were many comments pertaining to the ‘unsafe brick surfacing’ and need for a layered lighting framework. Approximately 200 persons attended Public Input Meeting #2 STAKEHOLDER INPUT | PUBLIC MEETINGS FEBRUARY 2014 27 PUBLIC INPUT MEETING #3 . NOVEMBER 2013 The third public input meeting was held at the Sheraton Hotel, Amos Dean Ballroom. Approximately 60 persons signed in with overall attendance estimated at 150. Key discussion topics • Streetscape Planning Concepts. Review final planning concepts at each street. Concepts address transpor- tation enhancements, wayfinding and lighting, sus- tainability opportunities and other proposed improve- ments. • Enhanced Bicycle Accommodations. Proposed loca- tions for designated bicycle lanes and sheltered bicy- cle parking are mapped for input. • Wayfinding and Signage Opportunities. • Pedestrian Mall Planning Concepts. Planning con- cepts for Black Hawk Mini Park and North Ped Mall En- try, secondary destinations, feature public art piece, and expanded play opportunities. What we learned • Streetscape Planning Concepts. Feedback was gen- erally positive and the majority of the persons in atten- dance were in support of the suggested streetscape planning improvements. Additional improvements and enhancements were requested for South Linn Street. • Enhanced Bicycle Accommodations. Attendees re- sponded favorably to the proposed bicycle accom- modations and would like to see how they fit within the larger bicycle network. Brightly-painted, solid-color bi- cycle lanes were suggested. The proposed sheltered bike parking locations seemed appropriate. There were requests for on-street bicycle accommodations along Iowa Avenue and Linn Street and for bicycle parking along North Linn. Per the public, the existing bicycle racks are heavily used along Iowa, North Linn, Dubuque and Washington and need to considered in the final planning concepts. • Wayfinding and Signage Opportunities. Wayfinding kiosk requested at Linn and Washington. There was mixed reaction to the banner program. Some liked the banner program and associated flexibility, others described the banner program as ‘small town’. • Pedestrian Mall Planning Concepts. The EcoLAB and smaller play space at Black Hawk Mini Park received positive feedback. There was mixed reaction to the proposed Video and Sound Gardens. Comments ranged from ‘video wall may invite vandalism’ to ‘video wall will be a big draw’. The idea of a feature public art piece at Black Hawk Mini Park was positively received. Voting indicated a preference for an inter- active public art piece versus a water feature or struc- ture (obelisk or column). Public voting on feature public art piece at Black Hawk Mini park. STAKEHOLDER INPUT | PUBLIC MEETINGS IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN AND PEDESTRIAN MALL STREETSCAPE PLAN UPDATE . DRAFT P | 28 MINDMIXER Throughout the entire planning process, the public was able to submit ideas and provide ongoing feedback on- line via the project website, inspiredowntownic.com. The online forum paralleled the offline planning effort and par- ticipants were able to vote on preferred planning com- ments, post images, and submit suggestions to the team during each phase of the project. The site was launched during the information gathering phase so the planning team could learn more about ex- isting conditions and public sentiment regarding what’s working and what’s not, and what components of down- town Iowa City and the Ped Mall need the most atten- tion. As the team prepared planning concepts, feature topics requested public input on the varied alternatives, transportation enhancements, bicycle accommodations, wayfinding elements, and Black Hawk Mini Park. Public in- put was valuable and generally, the feedback garnered via the website complemented the offline feedback. Total traffic reports 5,554 visits to the site. Approximately 435 persons actively participated on the website by con- tributing ideas and comments. 51% of the participants were female, 49% were male. Average age was 43 years. List of sample feature topics and public response • What kinds of play would you like to see incorporated in the downtown? Majority of respondents would like to see a play area with options for climbing such as earth mounds, and vegetation. • What components of Downtown Iowa City streets-capes and public spaces need the most attention? Sidewalks, green infrastructure, plantings. • How can the alleys become an asset to downtown Iowa City? Add creative lighting, artwork and murals, consider them as flexible event spaces, consolidate dumpsters and improve paving. • How can we make Downtown Iowa City and the Pe-destrian Mall more accessible? Participants requested enhanced bicycle accommodations and improved signage. • Which two improvements do you think are MOST im-portant for Market Street? Designated bicycle lanes, inviting arches and lighting, accent plantings and benches. • What are your overall thoughts and opinions about the Dubuque Street concept? Extend the Ped Mall character from Washington to Iowa Avenue and add wayfinding signage to announce the Northside Mar- ketplace. STAKEHOLDER INPUT | MINDMIXER 391 TOTAL ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS GENDER AVERAGE AGE AGE RANGE POST CODE FEBRUARY 2014 29 STAKEHOLDER INPUT | MINDMIXER IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN AND PEDESTRIAN MALL STREETSCAPE PLAN UPDATE . DRAFT P | 30 Running power cords during events is problematic Temporary generators along Iowa Avenue Typical crowd during Friday Night Concert STAKEHOLDER INPUT | EVENT MONITORING EVENT MONITORING In an effort to better understand how the downtown and pedestrian mall is currently functioning during festivals and events, the planning team attended three events during the information gathering phase: the June 7-8 Arts Festival, a Friday Night Concert on July 26, and a University of Iowa home football game on August 31. A summary of observa- tions and findings follow. Arts festival summary • During the arts festival, power is an ongoing problem for the food vendors including a lack of consistent power and power shortages. The running power cords are problematic and they are heavy for volunteers. Many of the power receptacles located in trees are damaged. • Exhaust and noise from the temporary generators are unpleasant. • The north ped mall entry is challenging, congested, and loitering is a concern. • The vendor tents create a tunnel-like effect along public sidewalk. Some of the businesses owners com- mented they “do not like the back of house along the public sidewalk and facing the storefronts.” • Vendors suggested phased access / set-up, specifi- cally along Washington Street. Friday night concert summary The concert was well attended by users of all ages, includ- ing children and especially families. Pedestrian use of the alleys was noteworthy, as many used the alleys as connections to move across Downtown. Seating was near capacity throughout the evening, with many attendees bringing camping chairs for placement atop the Weather Dance Fountain Plaza. A number of people were standing due to the lack of seating and views to stage area. The biggest challenge observed was created by lack of space between the stage and the crowd. Located at the ‘crossroads’ in the Pedestrian Mall, east/west pedestrian circulation proved challenging and awkward. Creation of a space that minimizes circulation between the stage and viewing area is encouraged. The playground area is extremely popular, as well as the benches immediately adjacent to the playground. An absence of supporting activities and/or programming was noted leading up to the concert. The overall pedestri- an activity level across Downtown was quite high. Restau- rants appeared to be busy prior to the concert. Mobile vendors were located across the Pedestrian Mall. Minimal activity at vendor carts was noted early in the evening, although activity appeared to pick up as the younger crowd started to move in around 9 pm. Home football game summary • The area around the vendor carts sees very high pe- destrian volumes at 10 pm and at bar close as users leave the bars and gather or order food from one of the mobile vendor carts. Most depart to the east or through the pedestrian alley adjacent to the Sheraton. • Light levels are inadequate at the vendor cart area. This, in part, is due to the dense tree canopies ob- structing the light sources. • To improve the Ped Mall image, trash and mainte- nance service is needed during times of high pedes- trian use. FEBRUARY 2014 31 SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOP A sustainability workshop took place on July 31, 2013 at the Iowa City Public Library. Attendees included members from the steering and technical committee and repre- sentatives from University of Iowa Environmental Services, Project GREEN, Bright Green Strategy, Iowa City Climate Advocates, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Major topics included permeable pav- ing systems, bioretention planting areas, stormwater har- vesting, and energy-efficient lighting systems. A workshop summary follows. • The varied types of permeable paving systems were discussed. As an example, the gaps between pavers are typically smaller at pedestrian areas versus vehic- ular areas. Permeable paving systems are considered bicycle-friendly. • Permeable paving system maintenance requirements include sweeping of the aggregate back into the gaps between pavers. A ‘no sand’ mandate occurs during the winter months. • Trash and debris will need to be removed from any bioretention planting areas on a regular basis. • Conversion to LED lighting systems across Iowa City is considered a high priority. • Photovoltaics could be considered at proposed shel- tered bicycle accommodations and at transit shelters. • A ‘green alley’ program was identified as an opportu- nity to better integrate the alleys with the downtown fabric and to demonstrate the City’s commitment to sustainability. STAKEHOLDER INPUT | SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOP Downtown 13 blocks Building footprint: 983,300 ft2 Sidewalk: 768,700 ft2 Street: 426,600 ft2 Total Study Area: 2,245,900 ft2 [ 51.6 acres ] Impervious Total: 2,178,600 ft2 Pervious Total: 67,300 ft2 Northside Marketplace3.5 blocksBuilding footprint: 167,200 ft2Sidewalk: 177,500 ft2Street: 148,500 ft2Total Study Area: 579,100 ft2 [ 13.3 acres ] Impervious Total: 493,200 ft2Pervious Total: 85,900 ft2 3% PERVIOUS 15% PERVIOUS 97% IMPERVIOUS 85% IMPERVIOUS