CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Receive an update from the DuPage Children’s Museum 5th Avenue Working Group and the commuter parking report.
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Amy Emery, TED Operations Manager
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
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BACKGROUND:
On October 3, 2017, City Council approved a motion to engage and authorize Ryan Companies to conduct community engagement and market research to determine feasible and beneficial options for the redevelopment along the 5th Avenue corridor for the purpose presenting a concept plan for redevelopment of the 5th Avenue area (the "Design Concept") to City Council for its consideration. The motion included several amendments including the caveat that Ryan Companies present a status report at a City Council Workshop every two months. Continuation of the process was contingent on an affirmative Council vote. Required workshops and affirmative votes occurred on:
• December 19, 2017
• February 20, 2018
• April 17, 2018
• May 15, 2018
• July 17, 2018 (Council directed votes to coincide with milestones going forward)
Project milestones to date have included:
• Kick-Off Meetings & Group Input Sessions (October - November 2017)
• Initial Community Survey (November - December 2017)
• Establishment of 5th Avenue Steering Committee (January 2018)
• Establishment of 6 Technical Working Groups (March 2018)
• Land Use and Height Survey (March - May 2018)
• Release of Working Group Recommendations (June 4, 2018)
• Release of Initial Concepts (August 22, 2018)
• Establishment of DuPage Children’s Museum Working Group (Sept 18, 2018)
• Independent City Advocate, S.B. Friedman, hired (October 16, 2018)
DISCUSSION:
DuPage Children’s Museum Working Group (DCMWG)
On September 18, 2018, City Council directed an additional working group be established focused on the future of the DCM. Specifically, the City Council asked for a recommendation in 60 days from this new working group as to whether the DCM should remain at its current location or consider relocating to an alternative site in Naperville.
To initiate this effort, Mayor Chirico, Councilwoman Gustin, and City Manager Krieger participated in a DCM Board Meeting on Saturday, September 29, 2018. The DCM Board is looking at opportunities to address existing and future needs from its current location and evaluating possibly moving elsewhere in Naperville. The DCM Working Group held their initial meeting on October 10, 2018 and established a plan moving forward, assigning completion tasks to working group members. The DCM Working Group held their second meeting on November 5, 2018 during which each group member provided an update on progress made to date. Currently, the working group is awaiting some key cost components from third-party sources for potential options, and as such is unable to provide a recommendation at this time. All cost information needed by the working group to move forward is expected to be received by the end of November. Once that information is in hand, the DCM working group will reconvene to evaluate options. It is expected that the DCM working group would be in a position to make a recommendation in early December. Therefore, it is expected that the recommendation will be included on the December 18, 2018 City Council agenda.
Commuter Parking Supply Analysis
On October 16, 2018, city staff provided an overview of the current commuter parking system, existing conditions, baseline data pertaining to waitlists, train boarding data, and a recommended methodology to use going forward to determine how many parking spaces could be added to have a measurable impact on commuter parking permit waitlists. Attached is a report that summarizes the information above and provides an analysis regarding expansion of the commuter parking supply.
NEXT STEPS:
For more than a year, the community has been very engaged in the 5th Avenue Project. The process has reached a point where City Council direction is needed to inform concept development efforts should the project proceed. Specifically, City Council is being asked to weigh in on the following topics (more detail is provided in Attachment 1):
• Inclusion of Attainable (e.g. below market rate) Housing
• Specific land uses to be included or excluded
• Changes to Kendall and Burlington Square Parks
• Changes in the overall number and/or location of commuter parking spaces from the status quo
• Overall height restrictions
• Provisions for Pace and kiss and ride operations
In addition to these items, City Council, has also determined direction regarding the inclusion of the DuPage Children’s Museum is also a key question to address.
Council consensus on these key elements is critical for the process to move forward. Without this direction, additional community time and resources will be spent creating and discussing designs that may not reflect the desired direction of City Council, are not financially viable, or successful in achieving a consensus of desired community goals.
Ryan Companies requested on September 18, 2018 for City Council to authorize the project move forward to Phase II (Baseline Concept Creation). City Council tabled action on that request until December 4, 2018 to:
• Further evaluate the input provided by the community
• Review and consider the recommendations of the 5th Avenue Steering Committee
• Receive additional information related to commuter parking from city staff
• Receive recommendations from the DuPage Children’s Museum Working Group
• Consider guidance from the independent City Advocate
The direction provided by City Council can then be incorporated into Ryan’s Phase II (Baseline Concept Creation).
FISCAL IMPACT:
On October 16, 2018 City Council hired SB Friedman to serve an independent professional advocate under a contract not to exceed $100,000.
The final scope of any redevelopment and associated financial impacts are not yet known. Any City costs associated with redevelopment will be subject to the review and approval of the City Council.