City Council Planning Sessions

1. City Council Planning Agenda Documents: 2015-10-26 CITY COUNCIL PLANNING AGENDA.PDF 2. City Council Planning Minutes Documents: 2015-10-26 CITY COUNCIL PLANNING MINUTES.PDF 3. City Council Planning Draft Minutes 11-23-2015 Ps02 Documents: 2015-10-26 CITY COUNCIL PLANNING DRAFT MINUTES 11-23-2015 PS02.PDF 4. City Council Planning Downtown Streetscape Design Team Ps04 Documents: 2015-10-26 CITY COUNCIL PLANNING DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPE DESIGN TEAM PS04.PDF  WHEATON CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION WHEATON CITY HALL – COUNCIL CHAMBERS 303 W. WESLEY STREET, WHEATON, ILLINOIS MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015 - 7:00 P.M. AGENDA I. Call to Order II. Approval of Minutes – October 12, 2015 III. Public Comment IV. Downtown Streetscape Design Team V. City Council/Staff Comments VI. Adjournment During the Public Comment portion of the agenda, the presiding officer shall recognize any person requesting to be heard on any of the planning session agenda items only. Persons speaking during Public Comment shall not speak longer than three (3) minutes and shall be permitted to speak only once. Visitors must remain quiet and not engage in behavior that interferes with the Planning Session. The presiding officer may, or upon a majority vote of the council, request any visitor who violates any provision of this paragraph to leave the council chambers, and such visitor shall thereupon leave. Any person providing public comment shall address the presiding officer only and shall not proceed with remarks until recognized. When recognized, the person shall state his or her name and address. Cross floor discussions are prohibited. If a member of the City Council has questions of any person who has provided public comment, that person may address the specific question.  MEMORANDUM TO: Record FROM: Susan Bishel, Public Relations Coordinator SUBJECT: Oct. 26, 2015 City Council Planning Session Minutes DATE: Oct. 27, 2015 CC: Mayor and City Council, City Manager, City Clerk, Department Heads The Planning Session took place in the Council Chambers, Wheaton City Hall, 303 W. Wesley St., Wheaton, Illinois. Those attending the Planning Session included: Mayor Gresk, Councilwoman Fitch, Councilman Prendiville, Councilman Rutledge, Councilman Saline, Councilman Scalzo and Councilman Suess. Also in attendance were City Manager Rose, Assistant City Manager Dzugan, Director of Planning & Economic Development Kozik, Director of Engineering Redman and Public Relations Coordinator Bishel. The session began at 7:00 p.m. and concluded at 7:30 p.m. The following items were discussed: I. Call to Order The Wheaton City Council Planning Session was called to order at 7:00 by Mayor Gresk. II. Approval of Oct. 12, 2015 Planning Session Minutes The Council approved the Oct. 12, 2015 Planning Session Minutes. III. Public Comment There were no public comments. IV. Downtown Streetscape Design Team City Manager Rose stated at the Oct. 12 Planning Session, the City Council heard two design team proposals on the Downtown Strategic & Streetscape Plan. Upon the Council’s request, Assistant City Manager Dzugan prepared a summary of two other design firms that City staff interviewed in the previous phase of the selection process. City staff would like to receive input from the Council on which design firm they would like to select for this project. City Manager Rose stated based on the presentations and proposals, City staff believes Design Workshop exceeded the Lakota Group in their knowledge of the project and their concentration on streetscape improvements. City staff also believed the Lakota Group’s proposal put too much focus on the French Market portion of the project, which presents challenges because of complex land ownership issues that still need to be worked out. City staff believes the streetscape improvements are the most important element of this project. Some Council members stated they liked the creativity the Lakota Group showed in their proposal and believed choosing the Lakota Group would bring a fresh perspective to the project. Also, Council members stated they thought the Lakota Group did a good job illustrating the project’s return on investment. Some Council members stated they liked that the Lakota Group has completed a number of successful local projects that are more similar to Wheaton than some of Design Workshop’s example projects from different parts of the country. Other Council members expressed preference for Design Workshop based on the job the team did with the original plan and their great knowledge of this project because of their previous work on it. Council members also stated Design Workshop’s proposal includes a shorter timeframe for completion and a lower cost. While Council members stated they believe both design teams did an excellent job with their proposals and presentations, the majority expressed a preference for Design Workshop based on their past performance, extensive knowledge of this project, and their focus on improving the streetscape in the downtown. In response to Council questions, City Manager Rose stated staff will prepare a contract for the Council’s formal consideration. Assistant City Manager Dzugan stated Design Workshop will then develop three different concepts, each presented with different price points for materials and other considerations. The Council will then make selections based on the options presented. In response to Council questions, Assistant City Manager stated if the Council is not satisfied with the options Design Workshop presents, the Council can advise the design team to come up with alternate options. Assistant City Manager Dzugan stated the design team will also be getting feedback on their ideas from community stakeholders. V. City Council/Staff Comments There were no City Council/staff comments. VI. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. 10/26/15 Planning Session 2  MEMORANDUM TO: Record FROM: Susan Bishel, Public Relations Coordinator SUBJECT: Oct. 26, 2015 City Council Planning Session Minutes DATE: Oct. 27, 2015 CC: Mayor and City Council, City Manager, City Clerk, Department Heads The Planning Session took place in the Council Chambers, W aton City Hall, 303 W. Wesley St., Wheaton, Illinois. Those attending the Planning Sessio ed: Mayor Gresk, Councilwoman Fitch, Councilman Prendiville, Councilma dQe, Councilman Saline, Councilman Scalzo and Councilman Suess. Also in City Manager Rose, Assistant City Manager Dzugan, Director of Plannii pment Kozik, Director of Engineering Redman and Public Relations sion began at 7:00 p.m. and concluded at 7:30 p.m. The followir I. Call to Order The Wheaton City Council Plan nil II. Approval of Oct. 12, 2015 PI The Council approved the Oct. 12, 201 Ill. Public Comm There were no pubi IV. Dow’ City n, the City Council heard two design ic Plan. Upon the Council’s request, Assi a sum iary of two other design firms that City staff intervi n process. City staff would like to receive input from the uld like to select for this project. City Manager n the presentations and proposals, City staff believes Design Workshop exceeded roup in their knowledge of the project and their concentration on streetscape improve ity staff also believed the Lakota Group’s proposal put too much focus on the French arket portion of the project, which presents challenges because of complex land ownership issues that still need to be worked out. City staff believes the streetscape improvements are the most important element of this project. Some Council members stated they liked the creativity the Lakota Group showed in their proposal and believed choosing the Lakota Group would bring a fresh perspective to the project. Also, Council members stated they thought the Lakota Group did a good job illustrating the project’s return on investment. Some Council members stated they liked that the Lakota Group has completed a number of successful local projects that are more similar to Wheaton than some of Design Workshop’s example projects from different parts of the country. Other Council members expressed preference for Design Workshop based on the job the team did with the original plan and their great knowledge of this project because of their previous work on it. Council members also stated Design Workshop’s proposal includes a shorter timeframe for completion and a lower cost. While Council members stated they believe both design teams did an excellent job with their proposals and presentations, the majority expressed a prefer for Design Workshop based on their past performance, extensive knowledge of this pr nd their focus on improving the streetscape in the downtown. In response to Council questions, City Manager wepare a contract for the Council’s formal consideration. Assistant City ign Workshop will then develop three different concepts, each ints for materials and other considerations. The Council will then ions presented. In response to Council questions, if the Council is not satisfied with the options Design Workshop pi the design team to come up with alternate options. pn team will also be getting feedback on V. City VI. The 10/26/15 Planning Session 2  Donald B. Rose City Manager TO: Honorable Mayor & City Council DATE: October 21, 2015 SUBJECT: Downtown Streetscape Design Teams On October 12, 2015 the City Council heard presentations from Design Workshop and Lakota Group relating to their proposals for our Downtown Strategic and Streetscape Plan. At our October 26, 2015 Planning Session, I would like the Council to discuss your thoughts regarding the presentations and the direction you desire to proceed in with regard to retaining one of the consultants. In this memorandum, I would like to provide a little background information on how we got to this point and the staff’s opinion with regard to this selection process. The City Council was previously presented with implementation scope diagrams which highlighted the complexity of each of the \Plan’s projects and resources necessary to implement the various components of the Plan. We also presented the Council with funding and revenue options that could support the costs associated with completing the largest component, public infrastructure. There was a general sense expressed by all that the scope of the public improvements identified may be too aggressive. At this point in the process, the Council and staff felt it necessary to better define the expense side of the equation. Once expenses are more accurately defined, the Council would be in a better position to evaluate with more certainty supporting revenue options which could lead to a prioritization of projects. For this reason, the staff has been moving in a direction to present the City Council with a process to explore expenses. The primary goal of the Request for Qualification and Proposal process was to select a design finn that could develop three (3) concepts/schematic designs for the four street types festival, - pedestrian, other and South Main Street. The three (3) concept designs would reflect different standards and price points. In addition, only one concept design would be provided for the French Market and Central Park. The primary focus and objective of Phase I was the review of multiple options of streetscape with different scope and price points so that the City Council could then select the streetscape type and funding commitment most appropriate for the community. The staff team involved in the Request for Qualification and Request for Proposal process reconmiended to the City Council that both Design Workshop and Lakota Group present their qualifications, experience, and approach to complete Phase I of the Downtown Strategic and Streetscape Plan. The staff team concluded both design firms were qualified to complete Phase 1. In all likelihood, the design team selected for Phase I will continue design services for the remaining phases which include preliminary and final streetscape/engineering design, construction drawing development, bidding, and construction observation. This selection would therefore represent the start of a long term partnership. Although both design teams were selected as being most qualified and very capable of completing the identified services, the staff team unanimously felt Design Workshop edged out Lakota Group by offering a more comprehensive understanding of the focus of the engagement; that being the development of streetscape options. Design Workshop submittals and both presentations exhibited the most careful understanding of the Phase I work. The streetscape is the largest component of the downtown strategic plan both in scope and cost. Design Workshop’s submittals and interviews reflect the streetscape focus. The staff team thought Lakota Group spent too much time and detail discussing the French Market in both their interviews and documentation. (The $52 million Plan cost identified $360,000 budgeted for the French Market structure.) The French Market is also one of the more complicated projects due to the number of entities involved (City, County, Union Pacific, Bensidoun USA), the limited land area and the fact that TIF money cannot be used for construction of new buildings. Design Workshop’s streetscape focus is also emphasized in the review of the number of hours to be allocated to specific labor categories. Design Workshop showed 1 80 more hours in the streetscape planning process than Lakota Group. Lakota Group allocated 367 hours to the French Market while Design Workshop 180 hours. Design Workshop also identified 115 hours during Phase 1 to research and review accent lighting. The staff team believes accent lighting could be a very creative and cost effect approach in establishing a unique downtown Wheaton experience. Statistical Summary of Proposals Design Workshop Lakota COST • Labor $169,990 $182,457 . Reimbursable Expenses $7,750 $7,298 SCHEDULE • Number of months to complete 6 8 HOUR BREAKDOWN . Streetscape Planning 670 hrs 490 hrs • Civil Engineering 276 hrs 206 hrs • Architect/French Market 180 hrs 367 hrs • Other o Shook (lighting) 1 15 hrs - o Planning Resources 84 hrs - o Spaceco (constructability) - 150 hrs Total Hours 1,325 hrs 1,213 hrs For the staff team, the focus of Design Workshop on the streetscape component throughout their presentations, documentation and hourly breakout showed an understanding of the importance of the streetscape, public infrastructure, component of the plan and therefore edged out Lakota for this engagement.