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Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes • July 15, 1997 Page 6 1 Vote on the motion: Bergstrom, Delmonico, Franzese, Horst, and Makowske voted aye. 2 Gondorchin and Thompson voted naye. 3 Motion carried. 4 Chair Bergstrom noted this request will be considered by the City Council at their meeting on 5 July 22, 1997. 6 VII. OTHER BUSINESS. 7 1. Review of Draft Comprehensive Plan Update. 8 Chair Bergstrom thanked the members of the Task Force for being present. He stated that he 9 had observed a lot of detail and ideas from discussions at meetings in the Draft Plan was 10 quite pleased with the content. 11 Mr. Bill Weber, BRW, Inc., explained the Draft Plan included Introduction and Goals, 12 Community Profile, Land Use and Urban Design, Transportation Plan, Housing Plan, Park 13 and Recreation Plan, Public Facilities Plan, and Implementation Program. He noted the 14 Appendix items were not included in the Draft Plan which was submitted this evening. 15 Mr. Weber explained that at the start of the Comprehensive Plan Update process, the City stated it considered itself a "village" and that has been the driving force behind the 7 Comprehensive Plan. The town square is made up of Central Park and the civic element in 18 the middle of the City. There is an identifying main street and two or three identifying 19 crossroads. There is a commercial center on the north and south ends of town and there are 20 five or six very fine residential neighborhoods surrounding the core of the City. 21 There are opportunities to enhance this image with landscaping and other improvements on 22 Silver Lake Road, especially-with the rebuilding of the bridge; opportunities for enhancements 23 by private entities with the redevelopment of Apache Plaza; opportunities for continued 24 enhancement in the Kenzie Terrace area as the City continues to acquire land in that area; and 25 the entrances and exits to the City can be marked clearly with defined landscaping. Another 26 possible improvement would be providing bike lanes and signage and tieing into the regional 27 bike parkways on St. Anthony Boulevard and possibly Stinson Boulevard. 28 Transportation improvements would occur primarily on Silver Lake Road with the possibility 29 of the addition of left turn lanes and enhanced appearance. Another possibility is replacement 30 of the stop sign at 29th Avenue NE with a small traffic circle. 31 Suzanne Rhees, BRW, Inc., noted there is a lot of interest in the City to improve and expand 32 the park system. There has been the creation of a Parks Advisory Task Force which is 33 investigating options for redesign of Central Park. Improvements could be made to the play equipment at Silver Point Park and Emerald Park. Another possible concept would be to relocate the City's Public Works site and redevelop that property as a neighborhood park.