Agenda - 03-20-2018 8-a - Minutes

Browse Search

4 Margaret Hauth reviewed the following information: 1 Background: 2 The Town and County both own properties downtown that may become available for 3 redevelopment or sale in the next five years or so. A map of the properties is attached. 4 Previously, both boards have indicated an interest in working together on how the properties 5 are disposed or redeveloped. Should the Town and County pursue a joint effort to determine 6 mutually desirable timing and uses for these properties using a small area plan process? 7 Options for that format are: staff meeting to offer options or a short-term committee with elected 8 officials and staff? 9 10 Margaret Hauth said both entities have parcels downtown that they want to return to the 11 tax roll. She referred to the map in the packet at their places. She said the Town owns the fire 12 department building, but a third entity owns the parking lot. She said this meeting provides a 13 good opportunity to further this discussion. 14 Chair Dorosin asked if the specific parcels could be identified. 15 Margaret Hauth said the museum, the annex, the police department and a portion of the 16 parking lot, 129 E. King, the current detention center, the fire department and parking lot. 17 Mayor Stevens asked if the timeframe for the Town’s properties could be identified, as 18 they are tied into the Town’s whole campus. 19 Margaret Hauth said the Town is currently renovating the Singer Gatewood medical/ 20 dental building, which will hopefully be completed by the end of the year. She said the Town’s 21 finance offices will move from the annex building to this new location. She said some police will 22 go into the annex, until the combined police and fire station can be built next to the medical 23 building on north Churton Street. She said the fire department and Emergency Services are 24 pursuing the building of a fire station in Waterstone. She said these two fire stations would 25 have to come on-line at the same time in order to have sufficient coverage, or the one in 26 downtown needs to remain. She said there is a 3-5 year timeframe on these projects. 27 Margaret Hauth said the Town’s properties that are listed for redevelopment are more 28 valuable as a package than individually. She said she would recommend selling these 29 properties together, on a preserve ownership of some of the parking to insure that it is not built 30 on. 31 Commissioner Price said she heard a rumor that the police station would be 32 deconstructed. 33 Margaret Hauth said the only plans for this building are to move out of it. 34 Mayor Stevens said it may take at least 3-5 years before the properties are turned over, 35 and he said the general notion is that these buildings will be redeveloped. He said the Town 36 needs the proceeds from these sales to fund other projects. He said changes in downtown 37 would have to go before the historic commission, but could offer a big potential upgrade for the 38 Town. He said the County properties are an unknown to the Town, and that is part of the 39 discussion the Town hopes to have tonight. 40 Town Commissioner Weaver said doors need to be kept wide open because revenue is 41 needed for other projects, and going forward she would like to make the RFPs inviting, such as 42 adding affordable housing, etc. 43 Jeff Thompson said that 129 King Street is a part of the Capital Investment Plan (CIP) 44 process, and there have not been any serious discussions about its future, should the BOCC 45 decide to relocate the public defender from this property to the lower level of the Link Center. 46 Jeff Thompson said the detention center is being studied, and moving through the due 47 diligence. He said this will go back to the Town board, and then to the BOCC. He said this is a 48 2-3 year process for that parcel to vacate. 49