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Businesses press Council for clearer downtown construction timelines; staff promises outreach but warns of contractual limits
Summary
Downtown business owners signaled concern about short notice, access and potential holiday-season construction; Service Director Matt Hiscock said the City will prioritize communication, phasing and access but warned that contractors must be given the job site and that forcing a shutdown during holidays could trigger delay damages and raise costs.
Council Member Mike Reese relayed concerns he had heard from downtown business owners about short notice during past projects, possible impacts to front-door access and the risk that construction could occur during peak retail/holiday seasons.
Service Director Matt Hiscock said staff has prioritized communication and stakeholder outreach, including plans for a PR strategy, phased work to preserve access to storefronts and a planned stakeholder meeting once a CMAR is selected. "A big part of the process... was making sure that some of the things that Council Member Reese identified... was that accessibility to the front doors of businesses was present in terms of a priority," he said.
Hiscock cautioned, however, that once a contractor is provided the job site the City loses some control over means and methods and that instructing a contractor not to work during a specific period (for example over the holidays) could lead to contract delay claims and higher taxpayer cost. He said staff will try to minimize impacts, provide advance notice, temporary wayfinding and maintain access where feasible, and will convene business stakeholders with the CMAR and consultant team to review phasing and scheduling.
Council accepted the plan to continue outreach and agreed to delay final downtown funding votes until staff can supply refined schedules and CMAR cost input.
