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City Council Adds to Budget Authorization

Wed, 5 Dec 2007 21:16:38 -0800

On December 5, 2007, the Bainbridge Island City Council added to the motion it passed on September 26th which authorized the project budget. The addendum to the motion in verbatim reads:

Public Comments

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:20:09 -0700

The response was overwhelming positive when we rolled out the preliminary Winslow Way Streetscape design during Independence Day festivities. During the public workshop held August 1, islanders engaged in lively discussion about the various project elements, from sustainability to art to construction sequencing. Comments received via email since then have been more pointed about specific aspects of the design.

Outreach During Independence Day Festivities
At public events on the 3rd and 4th of July, 2007, City and Winslow Way Streetscape Design Team staff along with citizen volunteers provided the public with information about the proposed streetscape design through a combination of face-to-face discussion, posters, plans, written documents, and illustrative pavement marking. Information focused on the condition of the existing street and utility infrastructure and the proposed design of the street, utilities, vegetation, parking and transportation. The face-to-face contacts offered an opportunity for islanders to ask questions, get answers, and record their comments and feedback. The following summary includes both written comments received during the outreach and distillations of comments provided verbally to staff on hand.

Street Painting
On the morning of July 3, City and project staff painted a diagram of the existing underground infrastructure on the street, using water-based temporary chalk marking paint. The diagram included the location of existing pipes, written descriptions of the pipe material and function, and information about known flaws in the existing systems.

July 3rd Street Dance
During the July 3 street dance and fair, City and Project staff hosted a booth on the north side of Winslow way in front of Winslow Drug. Booth displays included design plans and sections, images of proposed materials and samples of design alternatives, and descriptions of the uses the street is being designed to accommodate. Visitors were invited to take away lists of frequently asked questions, cards with contact information and upcoming meeting dates, and pencils labeled with the address for the project website. From 5:00 to 9:00 PM, the booth was consistently well visited, with as many as ten visitors at a time.

July 4th Street Fair & Parade
During the Grand Old Fourth street fair and parade, the booth was located along Brien Drive near the Senior Center. From 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the booth was consistently well visited, with as many as ten visitors at a time.
A City backhoe decorated with balloons and banners providing information about the streetscape and the project website was part of the Fourth of July parade, with staff and volunteers walking alongside handing out project pencils and greeting spectators. The backhoe was accompanied by this announcement over the loudspeakers by the parade marshal: “Whoa, here comes a back-hoe! In about 18 months, we’ll be digging up our main street to replace under-sized and broken pipes. Check out the paint on the street to see just how bad it is! And be sure to take a good look at how they plan to put it all back together — Visit the Winslow Way Streetscape booth down on Brien Drive to see the concept design and give them your two-cents. And remember to support your local businesses during construction — slated to begin in early 2009.”
One banner from the backhoe has been mounted on the fence at the intersection of 305 and Winslow Way, and the other has been suspended over Winslow Way for a two-week timeframe.

Independence Day Volunteers
Downtown Residents
Debbie Lester
Todd Stabelfeldt
Don Willott
Arts Committee
Janice Shaw
Kelly Davidson
Amy Aspell
Elyse Kane
Toby Quitslund
Streetscape Advisory Group
Maradel Gale
Will Langemack
Ryan Vancil

Citizen Contacts
City and project staff estimate that over 500 people visited the booth on the 3rd and 4th. Of these, more than 300 engaged in some conversation with booth staff, and of these more than 200 engaged in detailed question-and-answer discussion with booth staff. Several thousand citizens witnessed the banners and backhoe in the parade. From July 1 to the 10th, the streetscape website received 233 visitors.

Summary of Comments Received at the Booth
Comments were generally strongly positive regarding the proposed design. With only one or two exceptions, concerns voiced pertained to other issues regarding changes to downtown, and not to the proposed streetscape. Comments taken about other projects are summarized at the end of this report.

Street design and sections
Both bicyclists and drivers generally accepted the bicycle plan for shared lanes in locations where bikes and cars function as equal elements of traffic. The proposal to use pavers in the area between Madison and Ericksen was received positively; however, accessibility advocates requested that the system be reviewed for acceptability for wheelchair users. The proposal to develop an inverted crown roadway with a center runnel between Madison and Grow was broadly endorsed. Several visitors asked if a round-a-bout was considered at the intersection of Madison and Winslow. Designers explained how round-a-bouts are typically preferred alternatives where vehicle traffic is predominant over pedestrian traffic, and therefore the idea was not being considered at that location.

Parking and delivery
Generally, the plan to maintain front-in angle parking was approved, with some reservations expressed regarding safety for bicyclists related to this proposal. Some visitors expressed concern for the loss of parking in the downtown core. The plan to maintain delivery parking on side streets and in morning-only load zones was accepted, with the caveat that the proposal is workable for business owners.

Utilities
The plan to replace existing underground utilities was strongly approved by all visitors to the booth. The proposal to replace existing overhead utilities underground was also enthusiastically endorsed.

Vegetation
There was strong support for using trees as a character-defining element of the street at the intersection of 305 and Winslow and through downtown, with some concerns voiced regarding excessive shade and debris.

Alternatives
The proposed alternative for not aligning Ericksen and Bjune was positively received, with some residents of the Bjune neighborhood specifically saying that the right turn only would pose no inconvenience, and others saying that the inconvenience would only be minor.

Schedule and Budget
It was typical for visitors to the booth to ask about the schedule and budget for the project, and to ask about the funding mechanism. Staff indicated the anticipated start date was no earlier than 2009 and the anticipated total project budget was approximately $20.5 million. Some visitors expressed enthusiasm for the project and wanted to start sooner, while some expressed reservations about whether the work could start so soon. Generally, visitors responded well to the proposal to provide the City Council with a budget strategy for review and approval in public session.

Feedback on Other Projects
There was significant discussion regarding other proposals for downtown Winslow, predominantly regarding the proposed development standards and the development of a parking garage. While City and project staff felt it was vital to distinguish the streetscape project from the other projects, it was also deemed important to engage citizens in discussion regarding their concerns in order to take advantage of the opportunity to communicate face to face.

Generally, visitors to the booth indicated concerns regarding the proposed height limits downtown. However, upon more detailed discussion, visitors generally indicated they understood the proposals to allow an uninterrupted vertical façade to the full height limit. When it was explained to visitors that the development standards would not allow this, their concerns were generally alleviated. It was strongly suggested by at least one visitor that the streetscape project use its high visibility to include at lease one perspective rendering of the street articulating potential future development under the proposed development standards.

Design Issues Raised During Festivities — Next Steps
Confirm pavers proposed are acceptable regarding accessibility issues — community volunteer Jenna Clark has volunteered to help evaluate and test paving systems using her motorized wheelchair.
Confirm delivery options workable for downtown businesses – Design team and City to continue working with downtown businesses and addressing their delivery needs.
Address concerns about trees and effects on light and views – Design Team to develop list of issues to address with tree plantings and solutions to those issues as part of the vegetation technical report.
Address concerns regarding funding – City and Design Team to develop funding strategy alternatives along with analysis of the costs and benefits of each strategy for review and approval by City Council as part of the funding strategies technical report.

Comments Received in July via E-Mail
Thirteen islanders submitted their thoughts on the preliminary design via email during the month of July. Some are concerned about the overall scope of the project while most focussed on particular aspects.

Scope
While generally acknowledging that the utilities below should be repaired, those concerned about the scope of the project question the need to improve the surface elements, due to perceptions of excessive cost, limited benefit and changed character of the streetscape. Others suggested expanding the scope, such as converting the core area to a pedestrian mall, implementing a trolley service circulating throughout downtown and connecting Ericksen and Hildebrand.

Trees
The overall quantity and scale of street trees generated concerns about excessive shade and obstruction of sight lines to shops and oncoming traffic. Tree litter and associated clean up costs were also cited.

Sidewalks
Some consider the existing sidewalk widths adequate.

Parking & Deliveries
The reduction in lane widths which prohibit delivery off-loading in the middle of the street caused concern for some, as did any reduction in on-street parking stalls between Madison and Ericksen.

What We Heard at the August 1 Public Workshop
Approximately 50 islanders offered their thoughts on the preliminary design during a 2-hour workshop featuring roundtable discussions on various topics summarized below.

Sustainability
The discussion of sustainability revolved around several themes: the preservation of the character and use of the street is one of the elements that keeps Bainbridge a sustainable place to live; sustainable and recycled materials should be incorporated into the design as much as possible; and, education and outreach regarding the sustainable elements of the design should be celebrated and used as a practical example for future development.

Vegetation
The discussion of vegetation was focused on issues of species, placement and maintenance requirements. Although most of the participants agreed that the addition of trees and landscaping would have a positive impact on the street environment, there were concerns regarding the size of the canopy being out of scale with the character of the street. Also, there was concern that certain species would block sunlight in the spring and summer months, and that the spacing of the trees should consider clustering in order to avoid a suburban look.

Art
The discussion of art within the framework of the Streetscape generally revolved around the notion of preserving the character and perceived evolution of the street, while creating space for new opportunities. Art was also identified as the means by which to address adapting to and accepting change.

Construction Schedule and Budget
This discussion was focused upon generating ways to keep people coming downtown and supporting downtown businesses during construction. Particularly important was informing visitors how to move about town during different phases of construction, and sponsoring events such as construction tours to keep downtown active. The budget discussion centered on identifying the costs and peripheral effects of only replacing utilities and not providing any above-ground improvements, as well as considering several funding strategies for different elements of the plan.

Non-Motorized
The discussion of non-motorized issues was heavily focused on accommodating mobility and sensory-challenged individuals. As a result, the design team should give thoughtful consideration to issues surrounding surface treatments, transition areas from pedestrian to vehicle realms and vice versa, and the placement of underground vaults. The addition of bicycle racks was also mentioned as being an important element of the streetscape.

Parking and Delivery
This discussion was particularly centered around the concept of a future downtown parking garage, and its relationship to the streetscape project. Proposed access points from Winslow Way to the garage should and are being considered during this phase of the streetscape design. There was also a discussion of the continuing use and possible expansion of the rear alley behind the north side of Winslow Way in conjunction with the construction of a future garage. Participants in the discussion thought that contacting delivery companies to review schedules, provide advance notice of the construction period and to point out how dedicated delivery spaces will work along the future Winslow Way would have a positive impact on future deliveries. See the Street Design discussion for more information on how participants reacted to the proposed on-street parking plan.

Street Design
The street design discussion covered issues ranging from intersection design to curb styles and everything in between. Participants generally understood and agreed with the decision not to align the Ericksen and Bjune intersection, and also with the decision to re-align the western leg of the Winslow and Madison intersection in order to provide a west-bound dedicated right-turn lane. There was also a general acceptance of the number of proposed on-street parking spaces, and the reasoning behind why several existing spaces were a safety issue and could not be re-constructed. However, participants were concerned that the sidewalks were too wide at the proposed 9-feet and travel lanes were too narrow at 11-feet. There was also concern over the idea of proposing curb-stops in lieu of standard curb on the north side of the Winslow Core due to their tendency to be a tripping hazard. When asked by participants how the new lane dimension would affect the fire department’s ability to handle an emergency in the Winslow core, the Fire Marshall stated that they are satisfied with the proposed space available for fire vehicles. He also stated that undergrounding power, and the fire code’s requirements for sprinklering any future buildings of greater height would aid in their ability to suppress a fire event.

Click here to read comments verbatim.

Streetscape Advisory Group

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:23:10 -0700

The Streetscape Advisory Group (SAG) was appointed by the Mayor to serve as a review panel overseeing the design of Winslow Way. Many served as Chairs and Facilitators for the Winslow Tomorrow Community Congress, others represent downtown business and civic organizations.

Don Audleman
Don Audleman, Capstone Partners, is an architect and a real estate broker. He also serves on the Seattle Aquarium Society Board and is a past president of that organization, and has provided real estate consulting to a number of healthcare organizations. Don also served for eight years as Vice President of Corporate Properties for Swedish Health Services in Seattle.

Jim Chapel
In 1990, Jim co-founded Chapel Stowell, Inc., a career management and consulting firm, to help organizations like Nike, Bank of America and Intel facilitate change in their staffing needs. Jim provided outplacement services, career counseling, executive coaching and organizational consulting. Jim sold his firm to Right Management Consultants in 1997, the largest career management firm in the country. He is a very active civic volunteer.

Kevin Dwyer
Kevin Dwyer has been executive director of the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce since September 2001. Prior to that he spent 20-plus years as a journalist and economic development specialist. He is the former editor of the Puget Sound Business Journal and is the founding editor of Washington CEO Magazine, a statewide business monthly geared to CEOs and top-level executives. He worked as a writer and editor for publications in Milwaukee, WIS, Chicago, Sacramento, Klamath Falls, Ore. and Lake Tahoe, Calif. And later worked as a marketing and business recruitment director for the Kitsap Economic Development Council. He is married to MaryBeth Pree Dwyer, who is a Title 1 Reading Teacher at Ordway Elementary School, and they have a daughter, Molly, who will graduate from Bainbridge High School in June 2007.

Zon Eastes
Zon is the Executive Director, Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities council. In addition to his arts administration experience, he is a professional cellist and chamber music coach. Recently relocated from Vermont, he has served several community arts organizations in various leadership and consulting capacities and participated in various state and regional arts economic development advisory panels.

Maradel Gale
Maradel Gale is an Associate Professor Emerita at the University of Oregon in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management, where she was on the faculty since 1974. The courses she taught included Legal Issues in Planning, Conflict Resolution, Leadership and Facilitation Methods and Intercultural Communication. She also developed and directed a program to provide technical assistance to the island communities of Micronesia and Polynesia. Ms Gale currently serves on the Planning Commission.

Tom Haggar
Tom is originally from South Dakota. Education: University of California Berkeley, Degree in Physiology. Doctor of Medicine degree from The University of Minnesota, with graduate training at Virginia Mason Center in Seattle. Moved to Bainbridge Island in 1972. Practiced medicine at The Winslow Clinic 1972-2004. Member of Downtown Property Owners group. Served on Winslow Tomorrow parking committee.

Howard Kirz
Dr. Howard Kirz is a retired physician and health care executive with a very active definition of retirement. In his more than 30 year career in medicine and management Dr. Kirz was both an innovator and a national leader in American health care. He helped co-found the American College of Emergency Physicians, headed one of the country’s largest multi-specialty group practices (700 physicians), served as President of the American College of Physician Executives and has taught both medicine and management at several universities. Dr. Kirz received his medical degree from the University of Chicago and his MBA from the University of Washington. As a retiree he continues to contribute actively through writing, teaching and executive coaching. Dr Kirz’s personal coaching and consulting clients include a number of the country's most successful health care executives and governing boards. He and his wife Stephanie Ager, a third generation Bainbridge islander, live on Wing Point.

Will Langemack
Will Langemack is local architect and past president of the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association, a certified organization of the National Main Street Program. He was a Trustee and founding member of the Hood Canal Land Trust for 10 years and has approached his participation in the Downtown Association as a Trust for the Built Environment.

Bill Luria
Bill has over 30 years of urban planning and urban development project experience. He was the Planning Director for the Municipality of Anchorage, Deputy Director of the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Planning Manager of Carlson Architects and member and former chair of the Bainbridge Island Planning Commission.

Jared Moravec
Jared Moravec is the Fire Marshal for the Bainbridge Island Fire Department. He has been in the fire service for 15 years and has earned a B.S. in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology from Oklahoma State University. He is currently working on a M.S. in Fire and Emergency Management Administration. Jared serves as the State Codes Director for the Washington State Association of Fire Marshals and is Vice President for the Fire and Life Safety Division of the Kitsap County Fire Chief's Association.

Larry Nakata
Larry Nakata is President and partner in Town & Country Markets, Inc. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of Associated Grocers, Inc. for 3 years from 2002 through 2005. Mr. Nakata was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up on Bainbridge Island. He began working in the family business at age 13 during summers and throughout his school years. Mr. Nakata graduated from the University of Washington in 1969 from the School of Business; then served in the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C. until 1972. Mr. Nakata rejoined the family grocery business in 1972 and has been there ever since. Mr. Nakata has been involved with several organizations over the years such as the Bainbridge Foundation, Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community, Helpline House, Washington Food Industry, and Leadership Kitsap.

J. Mack Pearl
J. Mack Pearl has a BA in Physical Anthropology from UC Santa Barbara and a Masters in Architecture from UCLA. He has been living and practicing Architecture on Bainbridge Island for over 20 years. He was a board member of the BIAHC and chair of the Public Art Committee for over 8 Years. He helped orchestrate the public art at the Ray Williamson Pool, the Public Library and City Hall. He is the current Co-chair of the COBI Design Review Board. He and his wife Ann have raised three children on the Island, two graduated from BHS, one to go.

Richard Randall
Richard Randall has an MS degree in geology from San Jose State University. He has over 30 years experience as a geologist and geophysicist, primarily in the petroleum industry. Richard retired to Bainbridge Island in 2005 and resides in the Manzanita area. He is active in the Watershed Council and other conservation-oriented groups and is interested in ground- and surface-water quality issues.

Janice Shaw
Janice Shaw has worked in community arts on Bainbridge Island since 1987, as Executive Director of the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council (BIAHC) and Gallery Director of Bainbridge Arts and Crafts. In 2004, she returned to BIAHC to manage City Programs (Public Art, the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Fund, Cultural Facilities development). She was involved in the Winslow Tomorrow Congress as co-chair of the Character Committee and is an advocate for integrating art, history and community values into the built environment.

Barbara Tolliver
Barbara Tolliver is co-owner of The Traveler, Inc. Formerly, Assistant Director, King County Library System; Director of Continuing Education, University of Washington Graduate School of Library and Information Science; various staff positions, Seattle Public Library. Member, Winslow Tomorrow Community Congress, Business and Parking Committees; COBI Hotel-Motel Tax Advisory Committee. Resident of Winslow since 1975.

Ryan Vancil
Ryan’s professional experience emphasizes land use and environmental litigation on behalf of citizen groups, individuals and environmental organizations. He has represented clients in cases involving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Washington State Shorelines Hearings Board, Pollution Control Hearings Board, Growth Management Hearings Boards, Energy Facilities Site Evaluation Council, Washington Superior Court and a variety of county and local municipal jurisdictions across Washington State. Ryan was the Winslow Tomorrow Co-Chair for Sustainability.

John Waldo
John Waldo is a real estate attorney practicing in downtown Winslow. He was a Winslow Tomorrow chair, and a member of the 2025 Growth Advisory Committee. From 2000 to 2003, he was government and business reporter and an editorial writer for the Bainbridge Review.

Priscilla Zimmerman
Priscilla Zimmerman has over 25 years of full service architectural design experience. Since 1990 she has been the principal architect in the firm of Zimmerman Architecture AIA, specializing in highly detailed custom residential and commercial architecture. She has worked on a variety of major architectural planning projects including retail, office, veterinary, grocery and institutional work. She has worked on numerous award-winning projects and her work has
been published in both local and national periodicals.

Photo of the Klamm/MacDuffees on Bainbridge Island, Pleasant Beach, 1926  from collection of Operators Are Standing By