Agenda - Council Work Session - 09/15/2009

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Surprisingly, there was a relatively broad recognition of the fact that this project has struggled in the past, that it is a <;ihallenge to move forward in today's economy and the expectation for some sort of progress seems to be appropriately tempered by the current development climate. There was recognizable support for the efforts of the City to "shepherd" this project to better economic times and, in fact, residents located within the Town Center seemed to appreciate the stability and potential for better opportunities going forward. There was generally positive feedback verbally as well. In both the individual meetings and the open houses, most remain optimistic that the plan will reflect the concept of a "downtown" for Ramsey and, despite the setbacks, are excited for the future. Perhaps the greatest take-away from this effort was the opportunity to re-connect with local residents and businesses to gain support moving forward. There is a general lack of understanding in the public about what happened in the past and how it may be different going forward. The open house in particular was a tremendous venue for our team, staff and council members to reconnect with residents and businesses to provide confidence in the completion of this project. As discussed, developing a clear vision and incorporating that into a revisited brand to bring to market will be essential to continuing this positive momentum. In summary, the stakeholders expressed a desire to see Ramsey Town Center become the downtown that was originally envisioned with a mix of uses and an urban core, but with some modifications to reflect the current marketplace and the historic rural character of Ramsey. We will work to revise the conceptual massing plans to reflect this feedback, and look forward to presenting this to the full Council on September 15th. Encl: August 20, 2009 Summary of Interview Feedback September 9, 2009 Summary of Stakeholder Feedback MEMORANDUM 2