URGENT!

An agenda item you should know about this is how it all begins.
City Council Meeting on Tuesday night 
7:00 PM   Jan. 21, 2014   (Following an executive session from 6-7 pm)
Citizen Comments Item # 7 (or email the council prior to 5:00 pm) - check for accurate time)

City Council Agenda Item 8.3 --  read the entire info for this item.  (Agenda packet  - starts on pg. 89)

Resolution 14‐01

Intergovernmental Agreement with Metro 

to Accept CET Grant for Southwest Employment Area Plan

  

Action

•   Resolution 14‐01, Authorizing the City Manager to Enter Into an Intergovernmental Agreement with Metro to Accept a Construction Excise Grant for Development of a Special District Plan for the City’s Southwest Employment Area (Selden) 
  IGAs are Metro's way to get local jurisdictions to be their "investment partners" in their transportation, land use and development plans.  Without them, Metro can only make plans, and ask if we want to be included.  Cities and counties can say no.
  
  
  

  INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND
  Since 2006, Metro’s Construction Excise Tax (CET) has provided local governments with planning grants to make land ready for development within the Urban Growth Boundary.
  On February 5, 2013, the City Council authorized the City Manager to submit “letters of intent” to apply for two Metro Construction Excise Tax Grants to provide funding for a Special District Plan for the city’s Southwest Employment Area, and a Lake Grove Village Center Parking Plan.   "To make land ready for development" says it all.  Follow the trail of areas mentioned that will be included in some way within this plan.
  
  In August, Metro awarded the City $80,000 for the Southwest Employment Area Plan project. The Lake Grove Village Center Parking Plan was not funded by Metro; however, this project will be completed with a grant through ODOT’s Transportation and Growth Management (TGM) program.  This is just the first hit of the addictive power of "free" money. Keep reading.
  
  DISCUSSION
  Project Objective
  The purpose of the SW Employment Plan project is to enhance opportunities for redevelopment and high quality job creation in this underutilized area of the city. Metro’s CET grant program is voluntary; CET grants are matched with City funds and support local land use planning with the goal of making land ready for development and removing barriers to private investment. With the assistance of a consultant team, the City will work with property owners, existing businesses, neighborhood associations and other stakeholders to set specific project goals, and to identify land use, urban design, transportation, and public facility improvements needed to create a thriving district and to encourage private investment. The resulting plan will include any necessary development code amendments, along with short‐ and long‐term improvement projects and financing strategies, consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
  "High quality jobs."  Really?  In the "live, work and play" model of urban planning, everyone has "high quality jobs?"  I read "voluntary" in there.  The CET Grants are VOLUNTARY.  For the most part, a lot of the zoning and codes people dislike were voluntary on the part of our city.  We did much of the damage to ourselves, and if this plan gets going, it will happen again, and when I read "private investment," I Immediately think of Urban Renewal, otherwise, why specify "private?" 
  

  
  

  The district includes approximately 90 tax lots, over half of which are less than one acre in size, with just a handful over two acres. The IP zone makes up the largest share of the area, and 
  
  

  The IPO was adopted by City Council in September 2011, and was seen as an interim fix until the Comprehensive Plan was updated and a more detailed plan developed for the district; staff noted during this process that a SW Employment Area plan was likely to follow the completion of the Comprehensive Plan update. In February 2013, the City Council adopted another code amendment to increase flexibility in this area by allowing fitness, exercise and sports facilities up to 20,000 sq. ft. in the IP and IPO zones. The plan process would look at the area holistically and determine whether other plan and code changes are needed to create a thriving district and to encourage private investment.  When was the public informed that the zone change was an "interim fix?"  It was my impression that the uses of industrial land expanded a bit - not that this was a precursor to bigger things to come.  
  
  
  

  Public Involvement
  Following approval of Resolution 14‐01, staff will begin to develop a Public Involvement Plan for the project. Involvement will focus heavily on property owners and businesses in the district, along with neighborhood associations and residents from the surrounding area. To promote ongoing involvement for these stakeholders, staff will ask Council to appoint an Advisory Committee that would also include staff from the City of Tualatin, ODOT and Metro. Additional opportunities for outreach and involvement will include stakeholder meetings, planning workshops with property owners and interested parties, public forums, and work sessions with the Planning Commission at key milestones. The Commission for Citizen Involvement is scheduled to review the Public Involvement Plan on April 14, and Council would be asked to review the Plan and appoint the Advisory Committee in May.  By including ODOT and Metro, Lake Oswego will be continuing the same transportation planning that is currently being done for our city's TSP which is part of the Comprehensive Plan.  All the parts fit together nicely with Metro's 2040 Regional Plan.  How much input do average citizens get to make and when?  Generally just comments at public forums after all the planning is finished.  Give comments to the Planning Commission (acting as Commission for Public ainvolvement) before April 14, and also the City Council.
  
  ALTERNATIVES & FISCAL IMPACT
  The $80,000 grant was awarded based on a City cash match of $30,000 and in‐kind match of $41,000 for staff time and supplies. The Planning Division budget for FY 2013‐2014 has sufficient funds to pay the City’s share of project costs estimated for May and June 2014 ($23,000).
  
  An additional $7,000 in City funds would be needed in order to complete the remainder of the project scope (see Exhibit A to Attachment 1). Council adoption of Resolution 14‐01, authorizing this grant project, should be made with the intent to allocate $7,000 in the 2014‐2015 fiscal year budget.  Plus $41,000 of taxpayer money that goes into staff time - it may be OPM, but it isn't free money.  If the Planning department has money left in its till before the end of the fiscal year, the Budget Committee should take note of what the department's needs really are.  Spending available resources doesn't save the city anything.  $23 + $7 + $41 = $71k
  
  If the Council does not accept this grant, planning for the Southwest Employment Area would be put on hold. Future grant opportunities could be pursued, or the Council could allocate City funds in the future. Delaying this project may conflict with stakeholder expectations...
  
  Read the entire proposal in the council agenda packet for details of what is being proposed.  Then call and write your council members prior to Tuesday's meeting!