SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Authorize expenditure of an additional $60,000 from CRA Project Fund 388-94885, ULI Implementation, to amend the existing professional services agreement with HR and A Advisors, Inc. for the Imagine Clearwater: Downtown Waterfront Master Plan Project as described in the additional scope of services.
Body
SUMMARY:
The master plan for the waterfront/bluff area was identified as a priority for the City of Clearwater by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Advisory Services Panel during their study of Downtown Clearwater in June 2014. City Council awarded a contract to HR&A Advisors, Inc. to prepare the Imagine Clearwater Downtown Waterfront Master Plan in April 2016. The primary objectives of this plan is to better connect the bluff and the waterfront with the remainder of Downtown, create a strategy for economic development, activate the waterfront, define a parking strategy and create opportunities for waterfront events to benefit downtown businesses.
Since the contract was awarded several options for an aerial transit system have been presented that would link Downtown Clearwater to Clearwater Beach. In order to understand the technical and economic development implications of such systems, the Planning and Development Department believes that an evaluation of possible downtown terminus locations should be conducted. As the current Imagine Clearwater contract has both a transportation and economic development component, it can be expanded to include this work.
The proposed additional scope of services includes data collection, analysis and preparation of a memorandum that identifies specific downtown sites for an aerial transit terminal. The memorandum will detail the positive and negative implications of each site in terms of connectivity, economic development potential and ease of implementation. The additional scope of services can be accommodated in the Imagine Clearwater project schedule.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Staff recommends funding this additional $60,000 from 388-94885, ULI Implementation, which will increase the Imagine Clearwater project total to $438,000. This project code was authorized by the CRA Board on August 31, 2015 for purposes of implementation of ULI Report initiatives.