Agenda - Planning Commission - 01/05/2017 - Special

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2. INTRODUCTION Parks and Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood provided a brief history of the Ramsey Town Center and The COR planning process. He said the community was committed to craft and confirm The COR Plan, which emerged as part of the 1998 Comprehensive Plan process. He stated a downtown area was embraced by a cross section of the community and commented how the first planning meeting was huge. Parks and Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood said the City sought input from the community by conducting planning charrettes, stating while staff observed residents fit items on a land map and created eight possible town squares plans. He said all proposals contained strong retail with a downtown element and a connected system of parks, trails and roads. Parks and Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood said the process led to a ballot question in 2001 to see if the voters wanted a town center in Ramsey and the 5,000 voters said keep working on a plan. He stated the citizen-led process was refined and a master plan was adopted by the City after which developers platted sites and a groundbreaking was held. He said the master plan served well for the past 10 years with revisions including a greenway in the center and is a symbol of prudent planning and citizen-involvement. He stated today The COR is half built out according to plan and that the City is seeking input on next steps. 3. PANEL DISCUSSION Community Development Director Gladhill introduced the panel and provided their background: James McComb, McComb Group Brian Pankratz, CBRE Stacie Kvilvang, Ehlers & Associates Jim Lasher, LSA Design/SRF Consulting Lance Bernard, LSA Design/SRF Consulting Craig Waldron, Hamline University, former Oakdale City Administrator 3.01: Overall Vision—is the current vision a market reality? Community Development Director Gladhill asked the first questions of panelist James McComb of the McComb Group: What stood out to you in your station area market study? What do you feel is the most promising component? What do you feel will be the most challenging component? James McComb, McComb Group, shared his background which involved retail shopping centers for close to 45 years, adding he has ridden 15 of the light rail systems in the country and has worked on station area development, planning and design in both the metro area and in the nation. He outlined estimated retail demand created by the Northstar corridor, explaining customers are present during two periods each day for up to three hours while the 200-300 riders get on and off the train. Mr. McComb said the study estimated a Northstar business would receive only 1% of its sales from ridership and serve only as a bonus to what they generate from the trade area. He said he did not see designs that made sense from a retail point of view where a The COR Market Panel Moderated Session / October 27, 2016 Page 2 of 9