Meeting Summary
Lake Stevens Downtown Subarea Plan & EIS Planned Action Ordinance
Stakeholder/Committee Meetings & Community Meeting #2 November 1, 2016
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Summary The second of the Lake Stevens Downtown Subarea Plan committees/stakeholders meetings and Community Meeting #2 was held on November 1st, 2016 in Lake Stevens. During that period, the consultants presided over a total of 7 one-on-one and group meetings with the Executive Committee, Citizen Advisory Committee, and key stakeholder groups at the Community Center located at 1808 Main Street, Lake Stevens, Washington. The Community Meeting #2 was from 6:00 pm-7:30 pm at the Community Center and attended by over 50 community members.
Meetings and Workshop Purpose The purpose of the meetings and workshop was to:
Project Process &Schedule
Review Community Meeting #1 findings Present fundamental elements for revitalizing downtown and Main Street Answer questions Identify public support for the fundamental elements Each meeting began with the consultants presentation of the project purpose process and schedule (shown above right), summary of Community Meeting #1 and a review of suggested fundamental elements for further refinement. Following the presentation, at tendees discussed the fundamental elements during a question and answer session and completed individual response sheets. Written response sheets (shown below right) were provided to all with the purpose of identifying support for the fundamental elements. The following pages include:
Fundamental Elements
The Fundamental Elements Response Sheet Tally from the November 1 Meetings Meetings and Response Sheet Comments
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Fundamental Elements The following goals were identified as a result of input gathered from community surveys, stakeholder interviews, meetings with the Executive Committee/Citizen Advisory Committee and 80 response sheets collected during Community Meeting #1 on September 7, 2016. Fundamental elements for revitalizing downtown were developed in response to the community goals and were presented and reviewed in consultation with stakeholders, meetings with the Executive Committee/Citizen Advisory Committee and community members in attendance at Community Meeting #2. The community goals are as follows:
Land Use Ensure Downtown is a Vibrant Destination Increase Visibility, Use & Access to the Lake Preserve & Enhance Creeks/Wetland Areas Create a Public Gathering Space/Plaza Provide for Civic Uses Downtown Provide Adequate Parking for Businesses/Public Areas
Circulation Enhance the Street Environment & Encourage Walking Improve Access to Centennial Trail Improve Road Connections & Vehicular Circulation To set the stage for redevelopment, eight fundamental elements were identified that represent essential public improvements necessary to attract and catalyze investment of existing public and private properties along Main Street and adjacent to Lake Stevens. The fundamental elements include: 1) North Cove Park Expansion— enlarging the existing park allows for the opportunity to expand views to the lake from Main Street thereby increasing visibility, use and access to the lake, providing an opportunity for a public gathering space and plaza, and ability to accommodate a variety of daily and community wide events. Expansion would occur on city owned property and possible acquisition of adjacent private parcels. 2) Community Facilities— with the relocation of the library to the west side of the lake there is a community desire to provide for civic uses downtown. A community center/conference facility is proposed for a site south of North Cove Park and adjacent to the boat launch parking lot. The facility would include senior and family activity areas, multi-purpose rooms, meeting rooms, assembly/banquet room, restrooms and a kitchen. The site consists of two publicly owned parcels and would require the acquisition of a single private parcel. 3) Main Street Improvements— to ensure downtown is a vibrant destination and streets are enhanced to encourage walking and biking, Main Street is proposed to be widened 23’ along the west side of the street. The widening will incorporate a wide sidewalk and bi-directional protected bikeway. Additional improvements include adding curbside parking, widening sidewalks on the east side of the street, adding pedestrian scaled street lighting, landscaping and street furniture. 4) Main Street Retail— with the relocation of the library and museum, publicly owned land could be made available for redevelopment. The proposal is for new retail and office development as a complement to the Main Street Center. This new retail development would incorporate storefronts oriented to Main Street and North Cove Park and provide an opportunity to activate the park and ensure downtown is a vibrant retail destination
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5) Municipal Parking— a reserve of public parking is essential to allow for and encourage new development and redevelopment of existing commercial and retail uses downtown. Located on a vacant lot behind Jay’s Market a parking area would be well located to Main Street retail and appropriately sized to accommodate adequate parking for businesses and public areas. The proposal is for creating a public parking lot and possible future parking structure. The site is privately owned and would likely need to be acquired by the city. 6) City Hall— The City’s current proposal to relocate city hall from downtown to the west side of the lake in conjunction with the library relocation and new police facility. As an alternative to the current proposal and to provide for civic uses downtown a portion of the site proposed for municipal parking has been identified as a potential location for city hall and an opportunity to preserve this civic function in the downtown. 7) Neighborhood Connections— a number of community destinations including schools, parks, and the Centennial Trail are outside of a typical walking distance from downtown. In addition, the majority of resident’s are also located outside of a typical walking distance to downtown and destinations, such as the lake, North Cove Park and the Boys and Girls Club. In an effort to promote an enhanced street environment & encourage walking/biking and improve access to Centennial Trail, the proposal is for the creation of a number of safe and direct mixed use paths that provide neighborhood connections between destinations and improved access to the Centennial Trail.
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Response Sheet Tally- Fundamental Elements A tally of the public response sheets collected indicate a high level of support for a majority of the fundamental elements. Those elements recieving a positive approval rating will be refined with greater detail and identification of phasing and cost implications. A decision regarding the location of city hall will occur as a parallel proces to this Downtown Subarea Study and a decision will be rendered through discussion and vote of the City Council .
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Response Sheet Comments Below is a summary of the comments identified in the response sheets collected from the committees, stakeholder meetings, and Public Workshop #2.
1) NORTH COVE PARK EXPANSION Great ideas! Large park is great as well as Main Street and community conference facilities Open up Stevens Creek on Main Street with a small bridge and lighting to add interest. North Cove: like the idea of splash pad North Cove Park expansion should include the properties in the northwest corner Expand North Cove Park but not at the expense of downtown retail or other revenue generating uses.
2) MAIN STREET IMPROVEMENTS I love the street concepts Great ideas! Large park is great as well as Main Street and community conference facilities
3) COMMUNITY FACILITIES There is no room for a rowing facility in the space marked ‘boat launch and rowing facility’ An absolute minimum rowing house shell would be a 60’x20’ with about 50’ needed for clearance to get a 60’ rowing shell out of the building Great ideas! Large park is great as well as Main Street and community conference facilities Historical Museum: add to community facility I am a docent and member of the Lake Stevens Historical Society (museum and Grimm House)—Please contact me if you need contact info for our current president to enable conversation regarding retainment of the museum. Enough boat parking? Add public moorage to boat launch and rowing facilities Love the idea of the expanded park, conference center/community center, rowing w/ kayak and paddle boards.
4) MAIN STREET RETAIL It makes more sense to add retail and amenities which will draw people downtown- not city hall I love the street concepts Love the Main Street idea with trees all the way to Hwy 92 Very good proposal—Would like to see further ideas related to the vibrancy of the retail/restaurant area
5) MUNICIPAL PARKING I would hate to see surface parking—would rather it be a parking structure I believe that if you want to attract residents that are outside of the downtown area, especially to accommodate those that cannot walk/bike etc… that you optimize your parking What about the property behind Bond Field? Seems like parking is light.
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Response Sheet Comments (Cont.)
6) CITY HALL Mixed use in location of the proposed city hall might provide more activity in the downtown area over extended time frame. While city hall facilities are historic for this area, it does not bring people downtown. City hall should be in the civic complex with police and library. I am not sure if the city is planning to remain downtown permanently. Right now the plan is to stay in our current location for 3-5 years. Locate city hall with the library and police. City hall has to go to frontier Village area Love the example of Whitefish city hall With the growth of the city expanding its boundary, city hall should be located more to the center of that boundary limits Mixed feelings about siting of city hall. I hadn’t considered locating behind Jay’s Market. Convenient walkway between Lakeshore beach and North Cove Park. City hall ‘no response’ The site on the west side of the lake would be better for city hall, but your concept for city hall downtown would be good. Move City hall to Chapel Hill
7) NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS Love the boardwalk concept—could it extend north along shore to the park? The bike trail connecting the trail along 16th should be done ASAP. Not in phases that takes many years. I love the bike connections I think the connections to the trail are outstanding and will draw people to the downtown. N Lakeshore Drive- I like boardwalk idea w/ two way traffic. Don’t like one-way idea (eastbound) I am very concerned that N. Lakeshore Drive not be made into a one-way (eastbound) land because 20th St can be closed to thru traffic due to icy conditions, causing westbound traffic to revert to N Lakeshore Drive. If N Lakeshore Drive were not two-way during icy conditions there would be no way to get to Lundeen Parkway and adjacent areas. I like the options for the boardwalk along N Lakeshore Drive. I am concerned about option of one-way to Mitchell if it increases traffic through neighborhood to get to 20th Street
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Response Sheet Comments (Cont.)
8) Other The three houses on the lake have to be purchased The post office has to go to Frontier Village area I am a huge fan of the proposal! Loved it! Take the best practices from others and then make it ‘Lake Stevens’ Has the book by Mitchell been read? Or visited the museum? Use some real historical elements to make LS be unique. Consider not a museum but a mural to represent history— Skiers, train turn around, logging to summer cabins, the immigrants who developed the area—make this a call to artists to offer representation. I support total redevelopment of downtown. I support density and taller buildings away from the lake. I really liked all the options discussed. Great work! Great work everyone! Much needed improvements. I am so excited to see my hometown finally grow up! Nice work! It came together well. Incorporate boardwalks in the wetlands area Really good presentation. Thanks. Against city taking eminent domain of private property Eliminate N Lakeshore Drive from Main Street to the beach After talking to people to not widen E. Lakeshore Drive with the most dangerous curve in the city and ignore the east side of the lake shows us that the city is not concerned about safe growth. Are there any housing options if the park is expanded other than the Williams property? Possibly condo development to the north of the park. Multi-family housing is needed to make downtown somewhere people actually live.
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