PLANNING COMMISSION

GLADSTONE, MISSOURI

 

December 4, 2006

7:30 pm

 

 

 

 

Present:                                                          Council & Staff Present:

                        Ms. Newsom                           Les Smith, Mayor Pro-Tem

Ms. Alexander                          Scott Wingerson, Assist. City Manager

                        Mr. Boor                                  Melinda Mehaffy, Econ. Dev. Admin.

                        Mr. Reynolds                           Becky Jarrett, Admin. Assist    

                        Mr. Shevling                            

Mr. Suter        

Mr. Stanely     

Ms. Whitton

Ms. Abbott

Chairman Hill

           

Absent:           Mr. West

                        Mr. Steffens

                       

 

Item 2 on the Agenda:  Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Chairman Hill led the group in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Item 3 on the Agenda:  Approval of the November 20, 2006 minutes.

 

MOTION:  By Ms. Newsom, second by Mr. Whitton to approve the November 20, 2006 minutes.

 

The minutes were approved as submitted.

 

Item 4 on the Agenda:  Communications from the Audience.

 

None.

 

Item 5 on the Agenda:  Public Hearing on the Gladstone Downtown Village Center Master Plan.  Applicant/Owner:  City of Gladstone.  File #1290. 

 

Mr. Wingerson reported that the Commission’s role tonight is to gather information from staff, the developer and the public.   The ultimate desired outcome of this process is to ask the Planning Commission to amend the 1993 Comprehensive Plan to include the Gladstone Downtown Village Center Master Plan as an appendix.  Staff requests that the Planning Commission complete and close the public hearing tonight, but defer any vote until after the City Council has had an opportunity to provide input.  It’s anticipated that the City Council will be briefed on this meeting January 8, 2007.  This application would then be brought back to the Planning Commission, tentatively, on January 15, 2007, for an ultimate decision on a resolution.  The City Council does not have a role in this process, but more of a courtesy review role.  State Law requires that the Planning Commission pass a resolution to allow the Comprehensive Plan to be approved.  Once the Planning Commission passes a resolution in support of the Gladstone Village Center Master Plan as an amendment, that will be the last step in the process. 

 

Mr. Wingerson stated that the planning process used to create the Master Plan included a significant amount of background information that culminated in five open public meetings over the last year.  The Master Plan originally began with three primary goals: 

 

1.      To engage the community in developing a vision for a downtown in Gladstone.

2.      To insure sustainability.

3.      To elevate Gladstone to premier status.

 

Mr. Wingerson said that representatives from Gale Communities are here tonight to elaborate about those three goals.  The Village Center portion of the plan indicates:

 

            175,000-325,000 sf of commercial mixed use is proposed.

            400-700 residential units

            $90-$120 million total development costs.

            $10-$15 million infrastructure costs.

 

The Gladstone Plaza portion of the plan includes:

 

            100,000-250,000 sf of commercial mixed use

            1-400 residential units

            $35-$50 million total development costs.

 

Mr. Wingerson highlighted the flexibility that is contained within the plan.  It allows movement as the market directs.  He continued by stating that there are six total phases in the plan:

 

            Phase 1:  Community Center/ Natatorium  (Anticipated opening 12/07)

Phase 2:  Parkway alignment study (1-2 years)  Request for Proposals have been issued.   

               Staff is hopeful a contract will be awarded by the first part of 2007.

            Phase 3:  Gladstone Plaza Redevelopment (1-5 years)

            Phase 4:  Village Center Residential mixed use (2-10 years)

            Phase 5:  North Oak Couplet (4-12 years)

            Phase 6:  Parkway Construction (10-15 years)

 

Mr. Wingerson spoke of the Community Center/Natatorium as being the key to the short and long term success of the plan.  The facility contains approximately 80,000 sf and will host numerous competitive swimming and diving events as well enhance the recreation and fitness activities for Gladstone residents.   The facility is planned to open in December 2007. 

 

Gale Communities is currently nearing completion of due-diligence concerning the purchase of Gladstone Plaza.  Staff anticipates the acquisition will likely be difficult and extremely complex, and will likely take time. 

 

Gale Communities is also reviewing appropriate development contracts for both Gladstone Plaza and the Downtown Village Center.  Those contracts are much more specific than the planning documents, but can’t happen until such time as the planning document can be used as a legal background. 

 

Mr. Wingerson explained that the Planning Commission had placed in front of them tonight an Executive Summary of the plan.  (50 were distributed throughout the audience and also viewable on the website at www.ed4gladstone.com)  The Commission was also provided with a replacement Appendix for their notebooks having to do with market support for the overall Master Plan.  Basically it contains revised numbers that show an increased market for retail and residential uses within the two areas of 64th & Oak and 72nd & Oak.  Mr. Wingerson closed by introducing Mr. Chris Cline of Gale Communities.

 

Chris Cline, Director of Planning, Gale Communities, addressed the Commission.  Mr. Cline said that he has been working on this project for a couple of years.  The Northland is near and dear to his heart.  He grew up here.  His grandmother lives just six blocks away and is where his kids are tonight.  Mr. Cline said that with him tonight is Mike Mandacini, Project Manager for this project and joining him shortly will be David Gale.  He said they are very, very excited to be here tonight to speak about the Master Plan and about creating a vision for the Downtown Village Center.  He asked for a show of hands of those who had attended one or more of the public meetings that were previously held.  (about 80 of the 100 people in the audience raised their hands).  Mr. Cline said that for those have attended prior meetings, most of the information will be the same. 

 

Mr. Cline went through the Master Plan Presentation (attached) beginning with the three primary goals that Mr. Wingerson went over.  He explained that the primary goals were formed from the five public meetings that were held over a year’s time.  The first meeting took place at City Hall on September 15, 2005.  This meeting was strictly to get feedback from residents.  The Gladstone parkway idea was first raised at this meeting.  The meetings quickly outgrew City Hall and therefore, moved to Kreeger Hall at Antioch Bible Baptist Church for the second meeting on December 1, 2005.  At this meeting talk began about what changes could take place in the Village Center.  Mr. Cline said that the discussion about the Gladstone parkway connection to 169 Highway really began to unfold.  Out of the three concepts offered, people seemed to gravitate towards the parkway.  As the parkway concept developed, Mr. Cline realized that the Hamilton Heights neighborhood would be impacted and convened a special meeting with just that neighborhood on January 19, 2006 to update them on the project. 

 

The third public meeting was held on February 23, 2006 at Kreeger Hall.  The final concept was becoming more clear at this point and people were beginning to like the idea of splitting N. Oak into one-way pairs.  They liked the parkway concept.  Mr. Cline said that at that meeting he definitely found out that residents did not like roundabouts! 

 

Each meeting seemed to grow in attendance.  The fourth public meeting was held on March 7, 2006 at Antioch Bible Baptist in the larger hall area.  At this meeting, the draft Master Plan was presented as well as all of the recommendations. 

 

Mr. Cline highlighted some of the information contained in the PowerPoint presentation.  Why redevelop in downtown Gladstone?  A lot of it centers on sales tax revenue and the decline.  The chart on slide eight shows in 2001 there was a peak in sales tax revenues, which coincides with the redevelopment of Prospect Plaza.  Then gradually since then, sales tax has declined to where it is today, which is down about $320,000 since 2001.  The other impact of declining sales tax revenues are the impact to property taxes and other taxes within the city.  In order to provide the level of service that the residents except, that revenue needs to come from somewhere. 

 

Mr. Cline spoke of Gladstone Plaza Shopping Center and stated that it has had a long, useful life; however, it’s best days are behind it.   There are a number of vacant stores in it now that contribute to the decline in sales tax.  He showed slides of corridors similar to N. Oak corridor and how they could be redeveloped and redesigned to create a special, well-designed area. 

 

Mr. Cline gave a summary of the Plan comments:

 

1.      “Speed up” the redevelopment of Gladstone Plaza.

2.      Combined “Twin Oaks” and “Gladstone Parkway.”

3.      Minimize the Parkway’s anticipated impact.

4.      Create and Improve Gladstone’s “Sense of Arrival.”

 

The anticipated phasing of the Master Plan was reviewed as previously stated by Mr. Wingerson.  Mr. Cline said that all of the Master Plan and Executive Summary will be placed on the City website for further review.  Mr. Cline said he would be glad to answer any questions at this time.

 

Chairman Hill asked if anyone from the audience would like to address the Commission in favor of the application.  Hearing no response, he asked for those in opposition. 

 

Kim Petrie, 6801 N. Walnut, addressed the Commission.  Mr. Petrie said that they have summarized this plan several times and gone over the various options and this “we’ll promise a high probability of increasing sales tax revenue...”  He would like to restate the obvious.  There are homes along this area (the parkway) that will obviously not survive this plan.  People will have to be relocated in some fashion.  Also, the idea of the crossroads is to provide quick, easy access to the center area to increase development and the ability of people to use the area.  They would have to have a high flow of traffic to meet those needs.  If the traffic cannot go up to Broadway to NE 72nd Street; it must flow through the proposed corridor, it will put a traffic burden on there.  Obviously the developer is going to build a plan to try and control some of the speed and noise, but it needs to be considered for the residents in the area. 

 

Ms. Abbott asked about the possibility of a grocery store at Gladstone Plaza.

 

David Gale, Gale Communities, 3620 SW Ward Road, Lee’s Summit, Missouri  64082, addressed the Commission.  Mr. Gale said that this (few speakers) is a great compliment to the several month process that was finished this spring.  Mr. Gale addressed Ms. Abbott’s question by stating that his staff is aiming for a 50,000 sf tenant for Gladstone Plaza, which would be like a Neighborhood Wal-mart or a Brookside grocery store.  A store like Hy-Vee or Dillons would need a 120,000 sf facility. 

 

Mr. Gale said that he would also like to address Mr. Petrie’s concerns regarding the parkway.    He explained that the Request for Proposal (RFP) will take the concept for the parkway and determine how wide and how curvy the road needs to be, which would minimize speed and traffic.

 

Tom Pryor, 405 NE 70th Street, addressed the Commission.  Mr. Pryor stating that he has no major opposition to the Plan.  His only concern would be phasing of the corridor construction.  He would like to see some kind of east/west traffic flow through downtown and if the phasing of the parkway would be bumped up to an earlier stage it might help the entire project.

 

Ms. Alexander said she is impressed with the due-diligence that Gale Communities has done.

 

Chairman Hill closed the public hearing.

 

Mr. Wingerson announced that staff would anticipate briefing the Council in early January 2007 and brining this back to the City Council in mid-January (15th).  The public should check the website (www.gladstone.mo.us) and Channel 2 for meeting dates and times. 

 

Item 6 on the Agenda:  Communications from the City Council and the City Staff.

 

Mayor Pro-Tem Smith said that the fact that there weren’t a lot of public comments this evening means that everyone did their job throughout the process.  It was a job well done. 

 

Ms. Mehaffy introduced Chris Helmer, Planning Specialist.  He will joining City staff on Wednesday, December 6th.

 

Mr. Wingerson congratulated Mr. Shevling on a successful year as Chairman of the Gladstone Chamber of Commerce.  He also said that as a follow up from the last meeting, he has an appointment scheduled with the developer tomorrow, so he will keep them posted.

 

Item 7 on the Agenda:   Communications from the Planning Commission Members.

 

Ms. Alexander said that having been on Dan Bishop’s Preservation Task Force where they asked for sidewalks, curbs and street lights, then the neighborhood group where they came up with the same identical things.  From the beginning, to watch this whole process, and see it development is very exciting.  The fact that no one spoke tonight means that people are pleased.

 

Mr. Reynolds said he would agree with that and said that he can’t speak more highly of the process that it is so inclusive that when we get to the public hearing, no one has anything to say!

 

Mr. Shevling echoed those comments as well; excellent job to City staff.

 

Chairman Hill asked if the sign at Ballet North is in compliance.  Mr. Wingerson said he would research it and report back.

 

 

Item 8 on the Agenda:   Adjournment

 

Chairman Hill adjourned the meeting at 8:35 P.M.

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted:

 

______________________________________    Approved as submitted _____

Becky Jarrett, Recording Secretary

 

 

______________________________________    Approved as corrected   _____

Brian Hill, Chairman