R2003-60 AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT - Laserfiche WebLink

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ECONOMIC AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT MEMORANDUM No. 03-29 April29, 2003 TO: Honorable Mayor Paul Osborne and City Council FROM: Steve Ga City Manager (�- A. J. Krieg , conomic and Urban Development Departme Steven J.Va Steenhuyse,Long Range Planning Manag SUBJECT: Contract for Phase II,Decatur Urban Corridars Revitalization Study: HOK Planning Group SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the HOK Planning Group of St.Louis be � retained to complete the Decatur Urban Corridors Revitalization Plan,Phase II. ' BACKGROUND: The Illinois Tomorrow Corridor Planning Grant program is funded from State and Federal transportation funds and is intended to help communities plan for future transportation needs and impacts. The City received a$100,000 grant from the program in late 2000,which was used to hire the HOK Planning Group of St. Louis to complete a study of the US 36 and Business US 51 surface highway corridors through the City. In October of 2002,the Planning Division applied for and received a second grant from the Illinois Tomorrow program, in the amount of$160,000. This grant(80 percent Federal, ten percent State, and ten percent local match)will fund Phase II of the Urban Conidars Revitalization Strategy. This study will have three elements: 1)extend the corridor study to the marked State routes through the City: Illinois routes 48, 105 and 121; 2)creation of specific land use recommendations and regulations for the corridors, and 3) completion of targeted land use and market studies for three aging commercial areas on the corridors: the Oakland/Grand/Route 48 area,the"Five Points"area(Eldorado Street/North 22nd Street/East US 36)and the commercial area along North Water Street and North Main, from Eldorado Street north to Grand. The consultant will study existing land uses and traffic patterns along the corridors and make recommendations to the City regarding zoning,the use of overlay districts, and other tools to make the conidors more traffic-efficient and more aesthetically pleasing. Staff was very pleased with the work done by HOK on the Phase I project. Their familiarity with the city and the corridors makes them a logical choice to complete Phase II. HOK will partner with Development Strategies,Inc., on the market studies for the targeted commercial areas. The attached scope of services meets the City's objectives to create a plan that will lead to improvements on the corridors and in the targeted commercial areas. POTENTIAL OBJECTION: Staff is not aware of any objectors. INPUT FROM OTHER SOURCES: Prior to execution of the contract between the City and HOK,the consultant's work plan and budget must be approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation. In practice,IDOT has nearly always approved a city's choice for consultant services. , STAFF REFERENCE: Please contact Lon Ran e Plannin Mana er Steven J.Van Steenhu se at 424- g g g g Y 2790, e-mail: vansteen(a�decaturnet.org BUDGET/TIME IMPLICATIONS: The $16,000 match is already in this year's budget. The project will be completed within the current fiscal year.