Temporary Closure of Copenhagen Drive

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Based on guidance from the California Department of Public Health and the California Governor's Stay at Home Executive Order N-33-20 issued on March 19, 2020 to protect the health and well-being of all Californian's and to establish consistency across the state in order to slow the spread of COVID-19, Bown Act body meetings may be held remotely only. We have established alternative methods of participation in the City of Solvang Branding & Design meetings, pursuant to the California Governor's Executive Order N-29-20, which states: - Providing an opportunity to "observe and address" telephonically or otherwise electronically, alone, meets the requirement; and - Removing the former requirement from Executive Order N-25-20 of having "at least one publicly accessible" location from which the public may observe and offer comment. Executive Order N-29-20 now states expressly, "Such a body need not make available any physical location from which members of the public may observe the meeting and offer public comment." For September 23, 2020 Branding & Design Committee Meeting, the City will provide both remote and in-person participation options. We will adhere to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines and the health orders, a limited number of public will be allowed to enter at one time to provide public comment. Virtual participation will also still be available via Zoom or phone.

You may observe the live stream of the City Council meetings on www.CityofSolvang.com/YouTube.

Distribution to the Committee- Submit your comment via email prior to 5 p.m. on the Monday prior to the Board meeting. Please submit your comment to the City Clerk at: [email protected]. Your comment will be placed into the record and distributed appropriately. The following methods of participation are available to the public:

If you wish to make a general public comment or to comment on a specific agenda item, the following methods are available:

In-person speakers will be invited to make public comments first. Zoom speakers and those wishing to make a public comment by phone, will be invited to do so once all in-person public comment is received.

1. In-person. Due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, only one speaker will be invited into the Chambers at a time. 2. By phone- If you would like to make a comment by phone, please call into conference line 888 788 0099 (Meeting ID: 306 652 9195). The phone line will be open starting at 6 p.m. if you would like to notify the City ahead of time that you would like to speak on an item or during open public comment. We appreciate your advance notice to [email protected] ahead of time by noon on the day of the meeting if you plan on calling-in to speak.

3. Join Zoom Meeting – you may also participate by joining Zoom meeting at https://zoom.us/j/3066529195 (Meeting ID: 306 652 9195). If you wish to speak, please use the “raised hand” symbol. CITY OF SOLVANG BRANDING & DESIGN COMMITTEE

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA

Wednesday September 23, 2020 – 3:30 P.M. Council Chambers – Solvang Municipal Center – 1644 Oak Street

Members: Brett Marchi, Esther Bates, Jennifer Dryden Hess, Halina Wyluda- Kazmierczak, Rene Kaerskov

Staff: Xenia Bradford, City Manager Laurie Tamura, Planning Consultant

ROLLCALL

PLEDGE TO THE FLAG 1. PRELIMINARY MATTERS:

A. Public Comment: Requests from the public to speak to the Commission on matters not on the agenda

2. DISCUSSION ITEMS

A. Copenhagen Drive Closure Design – Community Workshop

3:30 p.m. – Discussion of technical materials followed by Committee members tour of the Copenhagen Drive Closure

5:00 p.m. – Community Workshop and Public Comment

4. COMMITTEE MEMBERS COMMENTS

5. STAFF COMMENTS (Oral reports only/no written materials provided in packet)

6. ADJOURNMENT “COPENHAGEN DRIVE CLOSURE DESIGN” BRANDING & DESIGN COMMITTEE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP Wednesday, September 23rd at 5:00 P.M.

On September 23rd, the City will hold a Virtual Community Workshop with newly appointed Branding & Design Committee to discuss design guidelines for the Copenhagen Drive. The City Council has recently approved a resolution to keep Copenhagen Drive closed through October 31, 2021 for COVID-19. Branding & Design Committee will develop design options which will guide the set-up for both the City common areas and businesses operating outdoors and will provide a cohesive look for the street closure to promote the City of Solvang charm and character.

Voice your opinion on Copenhagen Drive design this Wednesday, September 23rd. Branding & Design Committee will hold a technical discussion on Copenhagen closure at 3:30 pm, they will tour the Copenhagen drive and return to City Hall for the Community Workshop starting at 5:00 p.m.

To join Virtually, please join us by Zoom or Phone:

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3066529195 Meeting ID: 306 652 9195

1-888-788-0099 US Toll-free

Due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements, only limited in-person participation will be available. Limited number of people will be allowed in the Council Chambers at a time to make public comment in person.

Please go to www.CityofSolvang.com to provide your input via Survey ahead of time!

Solvang – Branding & Design Committee STAFF REPORT

FROM: Xenia Bradford, City Manager [email protected]

MEETING DATE: SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

SUBJECT: COPENHAGEN CLOSURE DESIGN GUIDELINES

RECOMMENDATION:

1. Receive staff report, Copenhagen Closure diagrams (Attachment 1), and survey results (Attachment 2) 2. Hold Virtual Community Workshop to receive public input on Copenhagen Drive Design for the closure through October 31, 2021 3. Review Chair of the Committee proposed Design Guidelines (Attachment 3), discuss and approve and/or set policy direction for next steps.

DISCUSSION:

On September 14, the City Council approved a Resolution to continue Copenhagen Drive closure to vehicular traffic through October 31, 2021 and directed staff to work with Branding & Design Committee to develop Design Guidelines for the closure and an implementation plan. The City Council also directed staff to develop a payment program to assist businesses with cashflow needs to implement the guidelines.

Background: In March of 2020, the State, County, and subsequently the City of Solvang declared COVID-19 pandemic emergency. The City of Solvang also declared Economic Cessation emergency due to the State and County disallowing retail and tourism sectors to operate. As the State and County began to relax COVID- 19 conditions and re-opening economy, the City of Solvang similar to other jurisdictions made changes to accommodate busines operations under changing social distancing guidelines.

The City Council approved temporary closure of Copenhagen street in June 2020. The purpose of the closure was to allow businesses to expand into outdoors for social distancing and to increase number of visitors Solvang could safely accommodate. Given State guidelines for COVID-19 and the roadmap for re- opening or shutting down sectors of the economy, depending on the number of COVID-19 cases, the City Manager recommends planning to maintain the closure through June 30, 2021.

For the short-term closure, IDK, as the City’s Tourism Consultant, developed a plan in coordination with the Tourism and Marketing Steering Committee. Due to a large number of businesses and jurisdictions engaging in similar efforts, inventory for furniture and other elements was limited.

The public feedback has been generally positive and IDK is monitoring the statistics. However, residents’ and businesses public comments submitted to the Council have indicated several areas that they would like the City to review.

Residents and Businesses:

1. The City has received several comments from residents and businesses located in downtown area concerning parking. The concerns are that there is not enough parking available or not enough disabled parking available near Copenhagen street. Some business owners have suggested re-opening half a block on Copenhagen adjacent to Second Street or making the block between First and Second Street one way to increase the number of available parking.

City Action:

Only one disabled parking spot was eliminated due to the closure. City staff have created an alternative temporary parking spot in the parking lot 2 near Visitor’s Center. The City has also set-up additional disabled and limited time parking on cross streets adjacent to Copenhagen.

In the short-term, the City will monitor availability of parking. To date, even though the number of tourists has increased, there has not been an overflow of parking into residential areas. Staff will place additional directional signage for available parking near the downtown area.

Partial closure of the block between First and Second street, would require substantial effort from the City to ensure public safety. If desired, the Council could direct staff to develop safe options for such partial closure and present the City Council with a budget estimate.

Steering Committee:

1. Several members of the committee expressed support for developing a more appealing longer- term set-up for Copenhagen street including design guidelines for parklets or alternative shade structures, fencing, and furniture.

City Alternatives:

A) The City Council formed and appointed members of the Branding and Design Committee (BDC) on August 24, 2020. The purpose of the Branding and Design Committee is to perform functions similar to those previously performed by the Board of Architectural Review. The

BDC committee changed structure of the membership and ability to apply for those who reside in Santa Ynez Valley rather than limiting to the City of Solvang.

The City’s function is to provide with regulations for the benefit of the City of Solvang. BDC will have the opportunity to develop guidelines for the Copenhagen closure.

Copenhagen Closure Marketing Value: Looking ahead, we have heard from various parties that they would like Solvang to look even more "European" around the holidays, and if Copenhagen Drive were to remain closed to vehicles through the holidays, that would mean that an open-air, holiday night market would be even easier to pull off...on an already-closed street. The lights are already in place, and merchants who would normally close their shops earlier in the evening, could then move their set-ups outdoors in a market setting. This also solves the problem which we still face, as to having zero semblance of "nightlife" in town -- a complaint which we continue to hear, and which COVID has made very hard to remedy.

-- On that same topic, having plans in place for something like a holiday night-market, would give us something to start to promote as soon as we see media requests for holiday topics (those types of requests will start to appear, very shortly).

-- And that, piggybacks off of the mainly positive media response to the Copenhagen closure. In June, the temporary Copenhagen Drive closure topic accounted for approximately 68% of the media coverage which I was tracking for the City. Coverage included attention from spots like SLO, which doesn't normally produce news on Solvang. And although SLO wouldn't necessarily be our target in different times, it is now -- because we're trying to attract drive-distance visitors to the City.

Out of this news coverage came that fabulous quote from a Solvang tourist, printed in the SYV News: "There's nothing like this in Calabasas," said Calabasas resident Steve Dangcil, seated at a new parklet structure with his 7-year-old, who was polishing off a serving of fries and chicken strips. "Being outside is a good idea. Who knows how long [pandemic] it's going to take. Solvang is usually a stop on the way to somewhere else, but now that I'm looking at this and how he [son] likes this, we're going to get back out and stay the night. I didn't think there would be so much going on here."

And THAT (above), is exactly what we're trying to accomplish, at the moment -- we're trying to convert passers-by and day-trippers, into overnight guests.

-- ALSO, we're still seeing interest in the Copenhagen closure, as people realize that the modifications made to accommodate the COVID closures are not going away, anytime soon. For example, Solvang's Copenhagen Drive closure will soon be included in a digital story on Westways' online platform, about outdoor dining opportunities in SoCal. (Westways magazine editorial profile: Founded in 1909 and distributed to the members of the Auto Club of Southern California, the region's AAA affiliate. Covers

3 regional, national and international travel, as well as food, lifestyle, recreation and automotive topics. Print Circulation/Audience: 4,500,000)

FISCAL IMPACT:

Depending on the Design, the City will incur costs to purchase equipment for common areas use. Further marginal costs may be incurred depending on the business assistance program. ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment 1 – Copenhagen Closure Diagrams (2 alternatives)

Attachment 2 – Survey Results Attachment 3 – BDC Chair (Rene Kaerskov) draft proposed Design

Branding & Design Committee Design Guidelines -Copenhagen Drive Closure

Q1 Are you in favor of Copenhagen Drive closure thrPugh October 31, 2021 between Alisal and First Street and between First Street and Second Street to BDDPNNPEBUF COVID-19 social distancing requirementsand allow businesses to operate outdoors?

Answered: 70 Skipped: 1

Yes

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES

Yes 84.29% 59

No 15.71% 11

TOTAL 70

1 / 6 Branding & Design Committee Design Guidelines -Copenhagen Drive Closure

Q2 What type of businessess should be allowed to operate outdoors?

Answered: 71 Skipped: 0

Restaurants

Wine Tasting

Retail

Massage

Hair & Nail Salons

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES

Restaurants 100.00% 71

Wine Tasting 91.55% 65

Retail 69.01% 49

Massage 38.03% 27

Hair & Nail Salons 49.30% 35

Total Respondents: 71

2 / 6 Branding & Design Committee Design Guidelines -Copenhagen Drive Closure

Q3 What is the most important element for Design Guidelines?

Answered: 71 Skipped: 0

Cohesive look

Functionality to accomodat...

Flexibility and...

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES

Cohesive look 46.48% 33

Functionality to accomodate wheather conditions 33.80% 24

Flexibility and affordability 19.72% 14 TOTAL 71

3 / 6 Branding & Design Committee Design Guidelines -Copenhagen Drive Closure

Q4 What should the design for Copenhagen Drive closure emphasize?

Answered: 67 Skipped: 4

Cohesiveness

Old charm Danish Town

Modern Look

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES

Cohesiveness 28.36% 19

Old charm Danish Town 71.64% 48

Modern Look 11.94% 8

Total Respondents: 67

4 / 6 Branding & Design Committee Design Guidelines -Copenhagen Drive Closure

Q5 What elements would you like to see in the design?

Answered: 69 Skipped: 2

Lights

Cohesive furniture look

Cohesive barriers

More plants

Umbrellas

Parkletts

Tents

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES

Lights 69.57% 48

Cohesive furniture look 62.32% 43

Cohesive barriers 71.01% 49

More plants 62.32% 43

Umbrellas 59.42% 41

Parkletts 33.33% 23

Tents 14.49% 10

Total Respondents: 69

5 / 6 Branding & Design Committee Design Guidelines -Copenhagen Drive Closure

Q6 Should the closure between First and Second Streets be moified to partially re-open the block to allow for traffic flow to Parking Lot 2 from Copenhagen Drive?

Answered: 70 Skipped: 1

Yes

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES

Yes 51.43% 36

No 48.57% 34

TOTAL 70

6 / 6

BRANDING & DESIGN COMMITTEE’s Look & Feel suggestion for:

TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF COPENHAGEN DRIVE

Direction by City Council:

“Consider adopting Resolution 20-1123, to Close Copenhagen Drive through October 31, 2021, between Alisal Road and First Street and between First Street and Second Street to vehicular traffic; and Direct staff to work with Branding & Design Committee to develop Design Guidelines for Copenhagen Street Closure and implementation plan to promote Solvang brand and character.”

Brand & Design Committee’s Goal:

Compared to most other towns and cities, Solvang is a specific-architecturally-looking and tourist focused destination that cannot allow a myriad of various street looks and different quality levels of outdoor seating areas.

In order to get some kind of consistency and quality into the street scape during the COVID- 19 temporary closure, a uniform planter style have been chosen to divide and cover each business’ outdoor seating along with certain rules for placement, umbrellas, heaters, etc.

Budget constrains have been considered.

Key words in working towards goal:

SPEED

BUDGET

COHESIVE AND STYLISH LOOK

NON-OVERWHELMING LOOK

BLENDING IN

TEMPORARY

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR DESIGN INTENT ONLY AND FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION.

Open Restaurant authorization

Food & Beverage Business (hereinafter F&B business) rules for compliance should include:

• Outdoor seating, both Street Seating and Sidewalk Seating, may not exceed the F&B business’ frontage width. • For Sidewalk Seating, there must be a minimum seven-foot clear path free of obstructions between the seating and the curb. Seating along the F&B business’ wall on the sidewalk must be limited to one regular chair wide. If the sidewalk allows for additional because of larger sidewalk it can be used for additional seating. • Street Seating on the street in front of the F&B business’ frontage cannot exceed beyond the current parking strip, i.e. where the fire lane starts. • Street Seating must be marked and enclosed by the City of Solvang specified dividers as follows: At least one divider on the side and one divider for every 7 foot of F&B business frontage. • F&B business must provide their own tables, chairs, umbrellas and heaters, etc. • Tables and chairs must be of a certain quality level. Colorful plastic will not be allowed. • Umbrellas must be one color only and the fabric should be made of non-faded linen/cloths material. • No tents or other structures are allowed. • Heaters must be gas operated without any cables. • Neither Street Seating nor Sidewalk Seating cannot block: o No Standing/No Stopping Anytime zones o Doorways o Fire Department access (e.g. lane in the middle of Copenhagen Drive and within 15 feet of a fire hydrant) • Social distancing, hygiene and other health guidance must be followed. • F&B business must adhere to all local, state and federal requirements relating to accessibility for people with disabilities, including path of travel, minimum table heights, and clearance requirements.

Fire Department access lane

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e Stree Seating

NYC officeMayor’s Source: https://www1.nyc.gov/offic

will be placed on asphalt, and thereby s /divider s street scape without taking it over. is picked since the planter of the planters/dividers color color or grey or grey The black blend in without competing with the architecture. The same is the idea for the green and flowers to blend in with the

OPTION 1 FOR DIVIDERS:

https://www.amazon.com/Artigwall-Boxwood-Hedge-Divider- planter/dp/B077SG6RRG/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Artigwall&qid=1600066065& sr=8-5 $349 plus sales tax / free shipping

OPTION 2 FOR DIVIDERS:

https://www.fencescreen.com/NatraHedge/8-ft-artificial-boxwood-freestanding- hedge.aspx $250 each plus sales tax / free shipping

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:

Flexibility: Purpose of flexibility: Farmers market, Fire lane access, Temporary solution.

Source: RK

What happens behind your barrier stays behind your barrier:

Source: Resident photo

PLANTERS WITH FLOWERS (the look and the smell)

Flowers and plants are encouraged. Black planters only. No plastic planter pots.

NOT RECOMMENDED:

HANGING STREET LIGHTS (the look)

Highly encourage (City to resolve Fire Department truck access)

White only (NO COLORS)

THE PARKING ACCESS

Temporary solution to Copenhagen Drive access to the parking lot.

PERMANENT CLOSURE OF COPENHAGEN DRIVE

A LONGTERM AND GREATER INVESTMENT

THE “GROUND” WORK

The Danish Pedestrian street = Cobblestones

Possible option is to “play” with the cobblestone and insert a subtle mosaic that symbolizes the immigration from East (Denmark) to West (California) or some other way to tell the history of Solvang (without taking away from the architecture).

A WATER FEATURE (the look and the sound)

A water feature with a Danish history and reproduced in a small scale will fit well into the Solvang history as well as being a place to sit and gather for tourists and residents alike.

The Caritas Well (Danish: Caritasbrønden), also known as the Caritas Fountain (Danish: Caritasspringvandet), is the oldest fountain in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was built in 1608 by Christian IV and is located on Gammeltorv, now part of the Strøget pedestrian zone. The figure group is originally carved in wood by the German wood carver Statius Otto in Elsinore for casts afterwards to be made in bronze. The figures depict the greatest of the three theological virtues, love or charity (caritas in Latin), symbolised by a pregnant mother with her children.

By CucombreLibre from New York, NY, USA - Copenhagen-056, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53834514

The Stork Fountain is located on Amagertorv in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It was a present to Crown Prince Frederik (later Frederik VIII) and Crown Princess Louise in connection with their silver wedding anniversary in 1894. It depicts three storks about to set off. Since 1950, it has been a tradition that newly graduated midwives dance around the fountain. n 1888, the Society for the Beautification of Copenhagen announced a competition for a fountain on the prominent square to celebrate the upcoming silver wedding anniversary of Crown Prince Frederik (VIII) and Crown Princess Louise on 28 July 1894.

By Ludwig Pacifici from Paris, France - Copenhagen, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php ?curid=34930972

Location