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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2018.02.23 Special MinutesMINUTES McCall City Council Special Meeting McCall City Hall -- Legion Hall February 23, 2018 Call to Order and Roll Call Business Agenda Adjournment CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL I Mayor Aymon called the special meeting of the McCall City Council to order at 9:00 a.m. Mayor Aymon, Council Member Giles, Council Member Nielsen, and Council Member Sowers, all answered roll call. Council Member Holmes was absent. City staff members present were Anette Spickard, City Manager; BessieJo Wagner, City Clerk; Kurt Wolf, Parks and Recreation Director; Michelle Groenevelt, Community Development Director; Delta James, Economic Development Planner; Nathan Stewart, Public Works Director BUSINESS AGENDA I A Proposed Waterfront Plan North of Marina Parks and Recreation Director Kurt Wolf presented to the City Council the potential improvements to the waterfront and shoreline North of Mile High Marina and into Brown Park. This area is located in the current McCall Redevelopment Agency (MRA) district and has support for funding of docks and other improvements from the MRA. This project also has opportunities for public - private partnerships and has the support of Mile High Marina. The project concept is to use docks and a pier along with a buoy line to section off a place in the lake for non motorized activites. Part of the concept is to include an area for an olympic size "pool" area with swim lanes. Director Wolf explained that the cost for the docks, pier and anchors for this project was about $210,000, with the addition of the swim area, costs could be up toward $300,000. Director Wolf stated that at this time the concept is a proposal only. If there is support from the Council to persue these improvements then neighborhood meetings would need to happen. He was hopeful that the project could come to fruition as soon as the spring of 2019. He stated that he would make the proposal to the MRA for funding oportunities. Director Wolf stated that at this time there had been lots of public support. The Council asked a few questions and overall showed general Council support for the project. MCCALL CITY COUNCIL Page 1 of 3 February 23, 2018 Special Meeting Conceptual Community Space and Boat House Proposal Presentation Jim Pace presented the conceptual proposal for a community space and boat house structure on City owned property known as the Spruce Street right-of-way and Hill Climb Park. He stated that the objective was to build and sustainably operate a publicly accessible building for meetings/events/dancing, combined with year round non -motorized light watercraft storage, on the city owned parcel. This building would support a complementary city project to build docks for non -motorized watercraft access to Payette Lake, on city property immediately north of the Mile High Marina and extending towards Brown Park. Mr. Pace stated that the project would support the McCall Parks and Recreation plans to build light watercraft docks on the waterfront facing this property. He stated that it would also provide paddlers and rowers of non -motorized watercraft with a safe and easily accessible space to store gear as well as enter and exit the lake. Mr. Pace stated that the project would also provide critically needed event, dance, and meeting space available for rent to both private and public entities. Mr. Pace outlined the details of the steps needed to make this type of project a reality. 1. Develop community support, enthusiasm and funding for the design and construction of the boathouse/events center. 2. Determine the best arrangement for building ownership. City owned and operated? A collaboration between the city and local philanthropic and/or sports clubs? A private/public partnership? 3. After extensive community participation, complete a design. 4. Establish ongoing financial support through event space and boathouse storage rentals. Mr. Pace then gave a detailed project outline stating that the parcel lends itself to a two story design, with preliminary architectural programming indicating a building 100 feet long on the East-West axis and 52 Feet wide on the North -South axis. The ground floor would be a daylight basement emptying on to E Lake Street, would provide an opportunity for a garage door accessed, no -step approach to the city docks. These docks would be designed to accommodate stand up paddle boards, canoes, kayaks, rowing sculls, and other human powered watercraft, plus provide a protected lap swimming space on the dock side facing the shore. Community members could rent rack space for their watercraft from the building management. The upper floor of the building is envisioned to consist primarily of a large 4350 square feet danceable floor, bathrooms and storage for tables, chairs, and maintenance. Event space rents could provide a substantial portion of the building's income, making the building self sustaining, perhaps enough to finance a mortgage and lessen the need for construction donations and grants. The upper floor provides handicap accessible, flat access from Mill Street, and is located less than a block from the city owned parking area on Fir street. That parking lot is envisioned to be the primary parking option for events at the proposed events center. It was identified that street improvement would be needed to accommodate the project. The project is in the urban renewal area. It was identified that additional meeting space and facilities are needed with the different city programs that are happening. It was discussed that some kind of scoping effort to see what the community support there is would need to take place. The concept suggests less motorized vehicle traffic due to the ability to store non motorized boats. A suggestion was made that a recreation district could pay for the facility and be owned and ran by the district. MCCALL CITY COUNCIL Page 2 of 3 February 23, 2018 Special Meeting The City Council considered the following questions related to the boat house and public facility concept: 1. Is the Council supportive of this concept on the City owned property? 2. Is the Council supportive of this facilty being publicly owned and operated by the Parks and Recreation Department? After some discussion there was general support from the Council. Some concerns around the costs and the number of large projects already in the plans for the City were voiced. Council asked some clarifying questions that included how much staff time would it take to run this facility. Council also voiced concerns and discussed that if the City went down this path what other oportunities would there be for this property; should the City go into the event planning business; would it provide a service to the community; could it be a store front for City Recreation program operations; and where is the line between a business and a public space. ADJOURNMENT 1 Without further business, Ma p���, ymon adjourned the meeting at 11:00 a.m. ATTEST: 1 " N.% a = J kie J. A on . BessieJo agn r, City Cler Homo MCCALL CITY COUNCIL Page 3 of 3 February 23, 2018 Special Meeting