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Memo- Hopkins LRT Station Study & SWLRT Alternatives Analysis Update Public Warks Department Memorandum From: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council Rick Getschow, City Manager ~ Steven J. Stadler, Public Works Director To: Copy: Date: June 8, 2006 Subject: Hopkins LRT Station Study & SWLRT Alternatives Analysis Update The Henne~in County Board is scheduled to approve the Hopkins LRT Station Study at its June 20t meeting. The consultant, IBI Group, was selected by City and County staff through a qualification-based selection process. The $75,000 study will be funded by Hennepin County Housing, Community Works and Transit Department. Attached is an excerpt from IBI Group's proposal covering the study's methodology and scope. The study is scheduled to be completed in 6-8 months. It's anticipated the initial kick-off meeting with city and county staffs will occur within 30 days, the first community meeting/Stakeholder meetinglTechnical Advisory meeting would be held shortly thereafter. Katie Walker, Hennepin County Project Manager will attend the Work Session to update the City Council and answer questions on the upcoming Hopkins LRT Station Study. Additionally, she'll provide an update on the ongoing SWLRT Alternatives Analysis and 11th Avenue South LRT crossing study. STATION AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN ~olo. . IBI Group's fundamental planning and design philosophy stems from a belief that a community's strengths - the natural, historical and cultural qualities that make it unique - can provide a solid foundation on which to build plans for the future. Because we build plans upon a local foundation, our planning process relies on participation by the local community. Because public participation plays such an important role in nearly alllBI Group projects, our planners and designers have developed excellent communication and public facilitation skills. Our public participation process encourages meaningful input from the community and enables IBI professionals to help the community build consensus around a core set of project principles. These principles, in turn, help shape the ideas and concepts that emerge from the planning process. Of course, the hallmark of a truly successful plan is the ability to put the various elements of the plan into action. Plans and designs must be formulated with an eye towards their eventual implementation if they are to be of any value to our clients. As a result, implementation issues such as market realities and the fiscal challenges faced by municipalities and government agencies are injected into the planning process at the earliest stages. 4.1 Scope of Services IBI Group has structured a work program for the preparation of the Station Area Development Plan that responds to the RFP's emphasis on establishing a practical, financially feasible development plan for LRT stations in the City of Hopkins. Almost every planning process considers implementation. Feasibility, however, means far more than simply listing what to do. Station area development and surrounding redevelopment will require future public investments. The Station Area Development Plan must formulate a strategic approach that helps the City and County use available funds to achieve desired results. The following scope of work maintains the format of the work tasks listed in the RFP and adds tasks based on past experience in similar projects. Task 0 - Project Start-Up Task Description: Following consultant selection, a start-up meeting will be held with representatives of Hennepin County and the City of Hopkins to introduce the Project Manager and Assistant Manager, to verify project goals and objectives, review and sign-off on the work program and budget, and to deliver the Public Involvement Process/Communication Plan. At this meeting, copies of relevant plans/prior studies will be passed on to the consultant team. Team Resources: Gary Andrishak, IBI Mark Koegler, HKGi ~ November2005 IBI GROUP 8 STATION AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN Deliverables: Consultant Contract Public Involvement Process/Communication Plan Meeting Minutes Technical Memorandum re: Prior Reports Task 1 - Study Area Inventory Task Description: In conjunction with the Project Start-up task, the consultant team will commence with preparation of its site inventory process. The inventory process will include physical analysis the three alternative station locations, shooting of site context photographs, developing Station Area Evaluation Criteria: available land, land and building value, and transportation infrastructure, etc. Base mapping in CAD format and aerial photographs will be requested of the client, GIS mapping will be prepared to an agreed-upon list of site indicators. An 'Opportunities & Constraints' map will be developed for each of the three sites. Team Resources: Warren Rempel, IBI Brad Scheib, HKGi Erick Villagomez, IBI UI Leatham, HKGi Deliverables: Base Mapping Site Context Photos GIS Mapping Opportunities & Constraints Mapping Task 2 - Future Land Use Impacts/Development Opportunities Task Description: Alternative schematic development scenarios will be developed for each of the three proposed Station Area sites for both the short-term (pre- transitway/2015) and long-term (post-transitway/2015-2030). Alternatives will adhere to the tenets of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) regarding, among other things, mixed-uses, compact development and street-facing buildings with pedestrian- friendly precincts. In each scenario, it is understood that enhanced connections from the transitway/ station area alternative to downtown Hopkins is of prime importance. The three alternatives developed will be scored against the Evaluation Criteria Matrix developed in Task 1 in consultation with TAC members in search of the preferred alternative. In addition, public preference and concern resulting from the Public Involvement Process will influence the preferred plan. Team Resources: Gary Andrishak, IBI Mark Koegler, HKGi ~ November2005 IBI GROUP 9 STATION AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN Warren Rempel, IBI Brad Scheib, HKGi Erick Villagomez, IBI UI Leatham, HKGi Deliverables: Three Alternative Station Area Development Plans Evaluation Criteria Matrix, leading to Preferred Station Area Development Plan Task 3 - Access/Circulation Plan Task Description: In the knowledge that Integrated Community Plans require land use planning and transportation planning to be undertaken in parallel, each of the three alternative schematic development scenarios will involve an overlay regarding site access and circulation. A full range of multi-modal mobility options, including automobiles, public transit, pedestrian and bicycle access will be analyzed in relation to alternative development options. Team Resources: Andy McNally, IBI Gary Andrishak, IBI Erick Villagomez, IBI Simon Kai, IBI Deliverable: Technical Memorandum Documenting Station Access/Circulation Plans Task 4 - Downtown Connectivity Task Description: A detailed analysis will be undertaken between each of the alternative station areas and downtown Hopkins in the realization that the Central Business District cannot suffer unduly if the decision is made to locate the station area on the periphery of the city. It should be noted that IBI Group recently completed a streetcar study for suburban Vancouver, BC. Team Resources: Andy McNally, IBI Gary Andrishak, IBI Warren Rempel, IBI Simon Kai, IBI Deliverable: Technical Memorandum Documenting Connectivity Analysis Task 5 - Parking Impacts and Requirements for Park and Ride Task Description: Preferred Park and Ride locations, site access and capacity will be analyzed. Best practices regarding management strategies will be included, as will November2005 IBI GROUP 10 STATION AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN the potential for retail/mixed-use development within parking facilities. Issues of urban place-making and public safety associated with parking structures will also be reviewed. Team Resources: Andy McNally, IBI Gary Andrishak, IBI Brad Scheib, HKGi Simon Kai, IBI Deliverables: Technical Memorandum Documenting Strategies for Park and Ride Lots Task 6 - Funding Issues Task Description: Costing estimates for each station area components, including Park and Ride Facilities and site infrastructure improvements will be conducted prior to the selection of the preferred alternative. It should be noted that Tony Steadman, of Steadman & Associates, has costed every major rapid transit project associated with three phases of Vancouver's SkyTrain system, including transit stations, Park and Ride facilities, guideways, rolling stock and site infrastructure upgrades. Team Resources: Gary Andrishak, IBI Tony Steadman, S&A Deliverable: Cost Breakdown for all station areas Task 7 - Public Involvement Activities Task Description: IBI Group, in combination with HKGi, have undertaken numerous, meaningful public involvement programs within the Twin Cities region. For the Hopkins Station Area Development process the firm suggests that it conduct an outreach program that consists of the following components: Stakeholder Workshops Public Open Houses Newsletters/Project Handouts It is suggested that three interface dates be held with the public, adhering to the following topics: Issues/Ideas Alternate Concepts Preferred Concept As the IBI Group team is based beyond the Twin Cities, experience has shown that the most cost-effective manner to conduct effective public involvement programs is ~ November2005 IBI GROUP 11 STATION AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN as follows: Stakeholder Workshop (limited, selected attendance of 24 to 36 attendees) running from 11 :00 AM to 1 :00 PM in 'working lunch' format. The consultant team will prepare all base materials, including mapping, presentation boards, PowerPoint shows, etc. for use by team. Public Open House is conducted later that same day, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM in a venue most convenient to local public. Key consultant team members are in attendance, as are representatives of client group. In addition to presentation boards developed for each of the three phases of public involvement, consultant team produces Comment Sheet/Exit Survey for use by attending public. Immediately following the Stakeholder Workshop/Public Open House, the consultant team produces a Station Area Development Plan newsletter- while events are still fresh in everyone's mind - for distribution to all attendees. Costing for Public Involvement Process under separate cover. Team Resources: Gary Andrishak, IBI Mark Koegler, IBI Deliverables: Presentation Boards PowerPoint Shows Comment Sheets/Exit Surveys Newsletters Task 8 - Study Reports Task Description: In addition to various Technical Memorandums described above, the consultant agrees to issue an Interim Report at the halfway point (3 month) of the study, as well as a full report at study's end (6 month). The final report will include an executive summary as well as a full-color highlight brochure describing the preferred concept in bullet point form. In addition, the full report will be delivered in digital PDF format on CD-ROM. Team Resources: Andy McNally, IBI Gary Andrishak, IBI Mark Koegler, HKGi Brad Scheib, HKGI Shannon Harvey, IBI Deliverables: 10 Copies of draft report 20 Hardcopies of final report 10 CD ROMS ~ November2005 IBI GROUP 12 STATION AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN Task 9 - Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meetings Task Description: Beyond the Start-up meeting, the consultant team agrees to attend regularly scheduled T AC Meetings. Again, for reasons of cost control, Gary Andrishak, IBI Project Manager proposes to attend two of the four TAC meetings, in the knowledge that Mark Koegler, HKGi Assistant Project Manager will attend all four T AC meetings. However, should the client agree to the extra charges associated with the Public Involvement Process, these dates can be held a day prior to TAC meeting to enable Andrishak to attend all scheduled meetings. Team Resources: Gary Andrishak, IBI Mark Koegler, IBI Deliverable: Meeting Minutes ~ November2005 IBI GROUP 13