Minutes - Parks and Recreation Commission - 08/09/2018

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Motion carried. Voting Yes: Commissioners Leistico, Trappen, Bayer, Sis. Voting No: None. Absent: Chair Bennett and Commissioner Andrusko. 5. COMMISSION BUSINESS 5.01: Acknowledgement of the Preliminary Cost Estimates for Municipal Plaza in the Waterfront Parks & Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood presented the preliminary cost estimates for Municipal Plaza and the Waterfont. These preliminary costs are based on square footages, approved by the Park and Rec Commission during their last meeting. He noted these estimates will be helpful in updating the CIP and also by way of comparison to the cost estimates done in 2014. These will also help staff evaluate the phasing for the two park spaces, if that route is chosen. The apartment next to the park is breaking ground on Monday of this week, and there should be some rudimentary landscaping improvements to match their finished landscaping when that project is completed next year. Staff will begin looking at tree costs and hardscapes and look at what some of those first-phase costs will be. A splash pad may also be looked at as a first phase, given the community desire for a splash pad, but not necessarily. There is no action necessary by the Commission. He simply wants the Commission to see the work that led into developing the cost estimates. He pointed out the color-coded system for understanding the financial figures. Chair Bennett arrived at 6:40 p.m. 5.02:Acknowledge Restaurant Incubator Feasibility Studya Resilient Communities Project Parks & Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood presented the feasibility study, which is very pertinent to the future plans for the waterfront. The community is desiring more restaurants, especially in The COR. At the same time as that planning has occurred, a resilient communities project has been happening. Staff asked the Resilient Community folks to look at that park space as a business incubator, and they prepared a report, which is an attachment to the staff report. He highlighted a Restaurant Customer Draw Area (CDA), which has research showing that for a good restaurant, a CDA is 30 minutes. That is to say, a family will not drive 30 minutes for a fast-food restaurant but will drive up to 30 minutes for a nice restaurant. The goal for the waterfront area is to create a destination outing, allowing families to spend several hours there and partaking of the amenities and the restaurants. Parks & Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood also pointed out research on the median age, median income, disposable income, and annual expenditure for food outside the home. Within a 30-minute CDA, $132 million is spent presently on food outside the home. The report shows that the Ramsey customer draw area will spend $110 million for lunch and dinner annually. Vice Chair Sis pointed out the study shows restaurants in this area seem to have a better chance of succeeding. Park and Recreation Commission/August 9, 2018 Page 2 of 4