City staff told the Community Redevelopment Agency on May 22 that several downtown projects are progressing but timelines were adjusted to avoid overlapping major road work, and the CRA appointed three new members to its advisory committee.

Staff said the Main Street streetscape project (from the trail to Broadway) will be pushed to summer of next year to avoid simultaneous major road construction, and that the Skinner Boulevard project is ahead of schedule. "We're gonna go ahead and push that back into next year. We didn't wanna go ahead and rip up another road at the same time we have Skinner going on with detours," a staff member said about the Main Street work. Regarding Skinner Boulevard, staff reported the road is expected to be open both ways by September, utilities work may run into January, and landscaping is tentatively scheduled for March.

On a planned crosswalk near Sandpiper, staff said the crosswalk was designed and put out to bid but received no bidders; the city plans to pair that work with another project to secure a contractor. Staff also described progress on the adaptive reuse of the former City Hall (the pocket park and modular restroom component), saying design is nearing completion and bids will be solicited with the goal of starting construction in late fall and completing the park by year-end; modular restrooms (a second phase) were described as taking about seven months for delivery and were estimated on the record at approximately $500,000.

CRA Director (staff member) reported the city leases a nearby parking lot from Deborah Bushnell; the lease option allows an additional year and the owner has indicated interest in continuing the arrangement at an affordable rate, with the city covering property taxes. Staff also said the farmers market operator's option was extended for five years.

The CRA advisory committee chair, Alan McHale, delivered the advisory committee report to the board, noting the committee received updates on the Main Street Exchange (a private development concept that includes a proposed 400-seat theater), Skinner Boulevard, parking-garage planning, and other downtown projects. The advisory committee expressed concern that a 400-seat theater could strain downtown parking on event nights and encouraged further review.

On appointments, the board moved and approved the appointment of Mary Blair Carr, Paula Upton and Sydney Marks to the Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Committee; the motion passed unanimously. The board also approved a three-year continuance of the advisory committee per Ordinance 92-01.

Commissioners raised concerns about rising downtown rents and the potential effect on the mix of retail and restaurants; staff and commissioners discussed incentives and other tools to keep a balanced live-work-play downtown. Staff said they will pursue a design-build RFQ for the parking garage to better refine cost estimates before returning to the county on interlocal and financing issues.