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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes March 16, 1999 Page 6 1 question has not been addressed,but the Commission believes that people using the park for 2 other purposes will spend time at the play area. 3 4 Stille asked for a construction timeframe: Mr. Koehntop stated that if the final plans are 5 approved by the City Council next week,bids will be put out in April for construction to 6 commence in May and the park to open in July. 7 8 Kaczor stated he lives on 33rd Avenue across from the proposed play area, and parking is a 9 problem along that street especially as parking regulations are confusing. Mr. Koehntop stated 10 the Commission plans to do extensive, attractive landscaping along 33rd Avenue. 11 12 2. Discussion.of Goals for 1999. 13 Bergstrom stated he believed the joint worksession with the City Council on March 9., 1999 was 14 an open and frank discussion at which the Council expressed their support for the Commission's 15 desire to take on a larger role. 16 17 Makowske stated the Commission should act quickly to produce results in the near term so the 18 Council will see that.they are determined to take a more active role in City planning. 19 20 Bergstrom stated that the Apache Plaza/Opus issue has not gained momentum, and the Mayor 21 had discussed potential new owners of the St. Anthony Shopping Center. Horst stated the new 22 owners had met with the Council previously, and he met them and was favorably impressed with 23 their plans for the shopping center. He added they are interested in other sites around the 24 shopping center and they have rejuvenated several other shopping centers in the area. 25 26 Bergstrom asked whether the sale has closed. Horst stated the potential new owners have signed 27 a purchase agreement and expect to close within 60 days. Bergstrom stated the City Council has 28 hired Mr. Dick Krier to do additional planning for the shopping center, and questioned how that 29 will dovetail in with this acquisition. 30 31 Ms. Moore-Sykes stated Mr. Krier's plan takes the whole area into consideration_and not just the 32 shopping center. Horst stated he questions the value of Mr. Krier's input at this point since the. 33 new owners will do whatever they want with the property. Bergstrom reiterated that Mr. Krier is 34 reviewing the entire area. 35 36 Kaczor stated that discussions at the joint worksession seemed to indicate that St. Anthony 37 shopping center is more viable than Apache Plaza. Bergstrom stated he and Ms. Moore-Sykes 38 plan to meet with City Manager Mike Momson on March 29, 1999 at 12:00 P.M. with regard to 39 the joint worksession, and invited interested Commissioners to attend. 40 41 Makowske asked what the Commission's next step might be with regard to the priorities 42 discussed and decided upon at the February 16, 1999 meeting. Bergstrom stated the Mayor was 43 supportive of the Commission's proposal for the hiring of an economic development specialist