Agenda Prepared By: Community Development Department (925) 779-7038
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Agenda prepared by: Community Development Department (925) 779-7038 AGENDA SPECIAL MEETING Antioch City Council: Waterfront Revitalization Committee Mayor Pro-Tem Motts and Council Member Wilson FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2020 11:00 A.M. PURSUANT TO GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM’S EXECUTIVE ORDER N-29-20, THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD AS A TELECONFERENCE/VIRTUAL MEETING. OBSERVERS MAY VIEW THE MEETING LIVESTREAMED VIA THE CITY OF ANTIOCH’S WEBSITE AT: www.antiochca.gov/wrc/meeting/ Notice of Opportunity to Address the Waterfront Revitalization Committee There are two ways to submit public comments to the Committee: Prior to 11:00 a.m. the day of the meeting written comments may be submitted electronically to the City Manager’s office at the following email address: [email protected] . Include your comments in the email communication. All comments received before 11:00 a.m. the day of the meeting will be provided to the Committee at the meeting. Please indicate the agenda item and title in your email subject line. After 11:00 a.m. the day of the meeting and during the meeting all comments may be submitted verbally by dialing (925) 779-7038. Call-in comments will be heard by the Committee during the virtual meeting. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND CALIFORNIA LAW, it is the policy of the City of Antioch to offer its public programs, services and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability and require information or materials in an appropriate alternative format; or if you require any other accommodation, please contact the ADA Coordinator at the number or email address below at least 24 hours prior to the meeting or when you desire to receive services. Advance notification within this guideline will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility. The City’s ADA Coordinator can be reached @ Phone: (925) 779-6950, and e-mail: [email protected] NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS This agenda is a summary of the discussion items/actions proposed to be taken by the Committee. The Agendas, including Staff Reports, are posted onto our City’s Website 24 hours before each Committee Meeting. To view the agenda information, click on the following link: https://www.antiochca.gov/government/agendas-and-minutes/wrc/ AGENDA 1. ROLL CALL 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. PUBLIC COMMENT ON UNAGENDIZED ITEMS 4. ADOPTION OF OCTOBER 23, 2020 MINUTES 5. DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN 6. NORTHERN WATERFRONT UPDATE 7. MOTION TO ADJOURN: The Chair/Vice Chairperson will make a motion to adjourn the meeting. A second of the motion is required, and then a majority vote is required to adjourn the meeting. MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING Antioch City Council: Waterfront Revitalization Committee Mayor Pro-Tem Joy Motts and Council member Monica Wilson Friday, October 23, 2020 10:00AM 1. Roll Call Mayor Pro-Tem Joy Motts and Council Member Monica Wilson were present. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Introductions Community Members Sean McCauley, Matt Beinke and George Cardinale were in attendance, in addition to City staff Forrest Ebbs, Kwame Reed, Ron Bernal and Rosanna Bayon Moore. 4. Public Comments on Unagendized Items None received. 5. Discussion on Waterfront Revitalization On August 25, 2020, the City Council received an update on Ad Hoc Committee efforts to date. On September 8, 2020, the City Council took action to create a standing committee, now referred to as the Waterfront Revitalization Committee. It was noted that greater formality is required of a standing committee, including the posting of agendas in advance. Mayor Pro Tem Motts and Council Member Wilson have been designated as committee members. The following recommended actions previously discussed by the Ad Hoc Committee were revisited with updates: a) Second Street Closure between G Street and City Hall – After further research and communication with stakeholders, support for future closure of 2nd Street is not broadly supported. b) Parklets for On-Street Outdoor Dining or Business - The City has already acted to acquire and install barricades in the downtown with CARES funding. c) Speed Tables on 2nd Street – The speed of travel continues to be a concern. Methods for slowing cars along this roadway segment will improve pedestrian safety and promote a safe and walkable downtown. Such an approach is wholly consistent with the Downtown Specific Plan. The Public Works Department is currently working to develop a menu of traffic calming alternatives for application throughout the City. Specific projects would then be identified and integrated into the annual capital improvement plan. The Committee wishes to receive further updates in the future on the menu of traffic calming alternatives and potential installation on 2nd Street. d) Waterfront Dining District in the Downtown –The existence of the Rivertown Historic District in the Downtown Specific Plan was discussed. The Rivertown concept continues to have appeal, although the name is not universally known. There is ongoing interest for emphasis to be placed on Rivertown dining, specifically. Antioch’s waterfront landscape and affordable rents make it uniquely attractive. Wine bars and breweries are ideal pairings with dining establishments. Stakeholders continue to encourage the Committee to leverage the waterfront in ways that capitalize on entertainment, recreation and dining. Installation of appropriate signage and development of a robust marketing strategy to promote dining on the waterfront were identified as critical for success. A sense of place and identity are what will make Antioch residents and visitors think “I’m going to Rivertown.” Public Works is engaging a consultant to assist the City with wayfinding signage. The Committee wishes to receive further updates in the future as it relates to signage and marketing. e) Unreinforced Masonry Building (URM) Policy – It was noted that establishing an URM policy is not likely to produce the desired results. The concept is not widely supported by downtown stakeholders and it may create barriers to future occupancy of currently vacant buildings. Staff was asked to evaluate existing property maintenance standards and determine whether new policy is needed to achieve a higher level of maintenance as it relates to facades, paint and color palettes, etc. The Committee wishes to receive further updates in the future as it relates to efforts to improve maintenance standards. f) Wilbur Avenue - Wilbur Avenue is also waterfront property and in need of further discussion. It was agreed that this area and its job generating potential should be placed on a future agenda. The Committee requested a future presentation and update by Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover. g) Motion to Adjourn – m/s Motts, Wilson Next meeting tentatively scheduled for Friday, November 20, 2020 at 10AM STAFF REPORT TO THE WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE DATE: Regular Meeting of November 20, 2020 SUBMITTED BY: Forrest Ebbs, Community Development Director SUBJECT: DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN On February 13, 2018, the Antioch City Council adopted the Downtown Specific Plan to provide a new policy framework for activities and redevelopment in downtown Antioch. The process from initiation to adoption took approximately four years. The result is a comprehensive land use document that provides definitive policies and programs that will guide City action throughout the downtown area. The current copy of the Downtown Specific Plan is available at the link below. In California, Specific Plans are defined in Government Code and their contents, method of adoption, and other elements are prescribed. More information about the legal context of Specific Plan are in the links below. One of the main goals of the Downtown Specific Plan was to create an environment where outside investment could occur. Many of the prior policies were overly restrictive and precluded ordinary investments that aligned with the current economic environment downtown. Nearly all these barriers were removed and, today, a wide array of land uses and development types can occur in the downtown area. Another goal was to introduce new design standards to ensure that new development and remodels contribute to the historic feel and architectural character of downtown Antioch. All new construction and exterior alterations to existing buildings now require Design Review by the Planning Division and the default standard for alterations to older buildings is the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. A link to these standards is provided. Finally, the Downtown Specific Plan includes policies that direct City investment into capital projects and supportive programs in downtown Antioch. City staff recently assembled a multi-departmental working group to begin identifying accomplishments and goals to pursue these projects and programs. The Implementation Plan at the back of the Downtown Specific Plan is the basis for this work. Staff is asking the Waterfront Revitalization Committee to acquaint themselves with the Downtown Specific Plan in advance of the meeting. Particular attention should be paid to the Implementation Plan and schedule. A discussion of the Plan, its contents, and implementation is anticipated. Agenda Item # 5 Waterfront Revitalization Committee November 20, 2020 Agenda Item # 5 2 LINKS 1. Antioch Downtown Specific Plan: https://www.antiochca.gov/fc/community-development/planning/downtown-specific-plan.pdf