Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association -- Workshop Meeting -- Achieves Substantial Progress in Advancing Pedestrian Experience, Bicycle Safety, Sense of Place and Quality of Life

Workshop Meeting Report
Flamingo Neighborhood Streetscape

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association convened a special Workshop Meeting on Monday, August 2, 2010 in the City Manager's Conference Room at City Hall. The objectives of the meeting included review of the City's proposed design treatment for Euclid and Pennsylvania Avenues, formulation of the neighborhood response / alternatives, preparation for Historic Preservation Board review, and the development of a collaborative concensus among those in the room.

The program vision remains streetscape improvement that enhances the pedestrian experience, improves mobility and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, effectively calms automobile traffic, plants shade trees and builds and sustains  sense of place and quality of life.

The meeting was hosted by Assistant City Manager Jorge Gomez and included residents of the Flamingo neighborhood as well as staff from the City Agencies that are responsible for program development, implementation, guidance and review -- Planning Department, CIP Department, Public Works, Traffic and Pedestrian Division, Parks and Recreation Department..

The report of outcomes and results is in the form of the following letter from Denis Russ, who facilitated the Workshop Meeting --

Message from Denis Russ --

I want to share with you how very proud I am of the work of our team --  not just at the Workshop, but in the days and weeks and months that led up to this meeting with the City.  Our team was informed and studied, passionate and compelling,  disciplined and largely successful   --yes, I think successful 

...in making substantial progress on our agenda,
...in demonstrating the value of an inclusionary planning process, and
...in modeling an integrated design process.

I think our resource panel -- Mike, Tony, Steve, Xavier and the input from Lizz and Randall and the earlier contributions of Cesar Garcia Pons and others -- gave great credibility to our positions.

And the team meetings armed the resource panel as well as our neighborhood resident advocates with all the relevant background information and pertinent policy positions.  Jack and Judy and Wanda consistently collaborated with each other in spearheading our advocacy.  Aaron rigorously reviewed the literature; Adam never stopped empirical testing; and Tammy is Tammy.  

Results:

We conducted a very inclusive planning workshop and integrated design charrette with proponents, opponents, even skeptics all in the room and civilly participating well guided by design professionals from the required disciplines.

We achieved agreement that the model for n/s Avenues will be 10' travel + 8' parking lanes!

We continue to advance increased financial support for meeting our infrastructure requirements much beyond the original allocation!  [Certainly not yet a done deal.]

In the absence of a grant extension, I think we agreed to accept 11' + 8' on Penn from 7th to 9th, but the City agreed to seek reclassification and a design exception.  If successful, they agreed to implement our favored treatment for the balance of Pennsylvania Avenue!  [I've joined with the City in seeking a grant extension, with no final word as yet.]

We appropriately responded to the diversions of reclaiming encroachments and the valley gutter proposal:  Too tough to call today;  We'll look at it;  No promises made.  [And I'm very glad to get Xavier's and Steve's call on the valley gutter issue, which I will convey to the City.]  

With respect to the specific questions raised on outcomes --

1.  The City's proposal for Pennsylvania 7th to 9th Streets (collector) will be 11' travel + 8' parking lane.  They have agreed to seek re-designation and/or exception.  In which case the balance of Penn would become 10' + 8'.

2. The current BODR does indeed call for 12' lanes on Euclid.   On Aug 10th the City Administration will go to the HPB to seek approval to add the 5' bike lane.  It is likely (but not yet settled) that the City Administration will go to the City Commission for similar approval in September.   [I believe that we earlier agreed to support this position in return for narrowing all other n/s Avenues.]

3.  We have not yet approached the Commissioners.  As we have seen on the tennis court issue, City Commissioners are often difficult to predict and rely upon!  While I recognize the substantial concerns expressed, I continue to believe that we can shape a valuable partnership with the Administration which is the most likely way to garner support from the Commission and the required funding.

Finally, I want to thank you all for your considerable personal support.  While I suspect you know that I enjoy this facilitating role, I know it requires your support --at times your tolerance -- which I greatly appreciate.

I believe we have made substantial progress, but the challenges ahead will be even greater.  The next step is the HPB on Aug 10th at which the Administration will seek approvals of a revised BODR in accord with their commitments to us and at which we will be called upon to voice FPNA support.  The Board is likely to engage in very dynamic discussion.   

s/ Denis.