Approve Scope and Work Plan for Highway 47 Land Use Planning and Image Efforts (Non-Traffic Issues)

The City's Strategic Plan includes an initiative to 'improve the image of key corridors' by using Property Owner/Citizen Engagement strategies to develop an adopted Statement of Goals. The primary corridors identified in the Strategic Plan include Highway 10, Nowthen Boulevard, Highway 47, and Armstrong Boulevard. The purpose of this case is to develop a work plan for Highway 47.

The purpose of this case is to focus on efforts specifically to Highway 47.

Staff has identified a need/opportunity to communicate an update to key stakeholders. In discussions with Highway 47 stakeholders, residents felt the need for additional study on enhacing the image, increasing retail, reducing noise, and improving traffic flows.

The Highway 47 Corridor Improvement Program Work Plan is recommended to have the following steps:

1. Background Data Collection: Stakeholder engagement, qualitative and quantitative data gathering
2. Determine key issues, barriers, and goals
3. Solutions: Develop list of potential solutions to solve key issues and meet goals
4. Adopt Final Plan

Community Engagement centers around three key milestones:

1. Identify the problem attempting to be solved. Identify the issues surrounding the topic.
2. Identify potential solutions generated by the community (City doesn't lead with solutions).
3. Evaluate and prioritize solutions.

The engagement effort is planned to be completed in one (1) year with six (6) to nine (9) months for engagement efforts and background research. This timeline is focused on developing a more comprehensive approach and new policies and programs. This is the typical length for a small area or corridor plan, in order to fully gather necessary data, research best practices, connect with affected agencies, and engage the community meaningfully.

In the meantime, Staff is working on several existing initiatives to improve the image of this corridor.

1. Code Enforcement Case Management on key nodes and violations.
   1. A cluster of cases exist at the Bunker Lake Boulevard and Alpine Drive Nodes.
2. Preparing a Streetscape Plan (landscaping, street lighting, signage)
   1. A draft signage plan/manual is attached. Please note that this is highly draft in format. Staff is finding difficulty in reducing costs of current sign design guidance and merging with new brand guidelines without sacrificing quality design. Before Staff expends more resources, it is desired to check in with the City Council on overall approach to make steps moving forward more efficient and cost-effective.
   2. Staff would like feedback on this exercise before moving forward. Currently, staff is working with WSB for a low-cost, high-impact project for signage that would likely cost 30% less than previously planned signage. The plan is working within the existing signage framework and marketing plan. Staff would like feedback as to whether the low-cost, high-impact signage is still desired. The City could spend more (approximately $40,000) on signage that would fit the Ramsey Brand and look simliar to COR signage.
      1. Should staff direct WSB to eliminate low-cost options, or should WSB continue to develop low-cost, high-impact signage?

There are other intermediary steps the Council could take for lower cost, shorter term policies.

1. More proactive enforcement along the corridor. For example, Staff does get multiple complaints about temporary signage along the corridor. Rather than waiting for a complaint, Staff could be directed to do a more regular, proactive, yet business friendly approach.

Alternatives

• Plan is Optional. This planning effort is not required by any statute and is not a required element of the City's Comprehensive Plan. However, this is a high priority for the City Council through its Strategic Plan. This planning project has been considered in the current budget.
• Shorten Length of Project. The current schedule shows a one year effort. If desired, staff could shorten the project timeline to three (3) to six (6) months. In doing so, this project would be prioiritized above other projects, and the level of engagement and thoroughness would likely decrease. However, with Council's desire to have actionable steps and movement in the process, this may be a desired timeline.
• Steering Committee. The City Council could establish an ad-hoc steering committee to guide this work. Given the scope of the project, Staff does not believe this is necessary unless the early stages of the process present the need. Staff believes the process can be administered within our existing structure of Council, Commissions, and Staff supplemented with three community workshops and one-on-one meetings as needed. Steering Committees are a valuable and transparent element of the planning process, however come with additional administrative overhead. Based on current Staffing levels and existing Commissions/Committees, the administration of another steering committee would be difficult. Staff recommends leaving this resource for Highway 10 Planning Efforts.
• Traffic Study. The City Council could add a traffic study component to this. Staff has had this conversation with Anoka County. At this time, it is recommended that the City simply review applicable alternatives from the circa 2006/2007 Highway 47 Study. Not all alternatives are still viable; however, there is still applicable data and approaches. A new study would range between $50,000 and $100,000.

This case is being handled as part of normal staff duties. No additional funding is being requested. Staff has intentionally left this work plan at a strategic level to allow flexibility in the approach as the process unfolds, while not requesting additional resources.

Staff recommends approval of the attached work plan.

Motion to approve the scope and work plan for the Highway 47 Corridor Improvement Program.