Laserfiche WebLink
Session 1910 <br />January 26, 2004 <br /> <br />Mayor Adams reasserted that the City Council needs to be prepared to take action which <br />may not be popular with citizens. He rejected the suggestion that University City has not <br />accomplished anything in terms of redevelopment. Ms. Welsch wants to persevere with <br />redevelopment of Olive Street Road. Mr. Wagner wants to plan for the future. Mayor <br />Adams said that if the major consensus of the Council is to preserve neighborhoods, he <br />does not see what kind of redevelopment is possible; to make a major impact there must <br />be change to neighborhoods. <br /> <br />Councilmember Welsch reiterated that there would be a benefit if the City Council <br />supported her suggestion, as suggested by Mr. Wagner earlier. She pointed out that she <br />had supported the Proposition K Committee when she was asked, even though she had <br />reservations, and now she feels that kind of support is needed for her suggestion. <br /> <br />Mayor Adams pointed out that if the City Council supported the task force there would be <br />the subliminal suggestion that they would support the group's suggestions. His position <br />remains that he questions the work of this group or of any other group, in the area of <br />economic redevelopment, unless the philosophy of the City Council changes. He asked <br />Ms. Welsch if the purpose of the group Is it to understand the potential of economic <br />redevelopment? Ms. Welsch responded that she would like the Council to agree to being <br />open to looking at development and redevelopment in the City with no preconceived <br />notions about what can be done, what benefits will be offered; to be open-minded about <br />it, and to consider options and to decide upon them as they arise.. "Can we just say that <br />we are starting with a clean slate with what we will or will not do?", Ms. Welsch wanted to <br />know. Mayor Adams questioned this. He said that to do what she wants to do would <br />require rescinding a Council policy. Ms. Welsch said the procedure for initiating <br />development which the City Council should take is this: 1) to advise the City Manager of <br />what they want done; 2) then the Council would generate the vision and present it to <br />developers. Mr. Ollendorff said that is the way things are currently done. Ms. Welsch <br />disagreed and said that now the developer approaches the City with a proposal and the <br />City writes a Request for Proposal to fit the developer's plan. Mr. Ollendorff countered <br />that City Council generates the plan, e.g. North and South, tries to get a developer <br />interested and then the City reacts to their specific proposals. Ms. Welsch said that was <br />not what she had been told. Mr. Ollendorff said the first step is to ask for proposals based <br />upon requests from the City Council, with the help of City staff, but also listening to <br />comments from the citizenry. Ms. Welsch wants to call in expertise of citizens to help <br />advise the Council. <br /> <br />Mr. Munkel, calling for closure, suggested that Councilmember Welsch meet with her <br />committee to generate some ideas about development over a period of six months to a <br />year. Ms. Colquitt said she would like to see this group work with the Plan Commission; <br />that everyone wants to see development. <br /> <br />ADJOURNMENT <br /> <br />Page 5 <br /> <br /> <br />