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Home My WebLink About2014-05-19 MinutesCITY OF Tay e evl le MINUTES ARKANSAS TOWN AND GOWN ADVISORY COMMITTEE May 19, 2014 3:00 p.m. Arkansas Research and Technology Park, AT&T Conference Room Genesis Technology Incubator, 700 Research Center Boulevard Members: Chair Diane Warren, Vice Chair Ryan Miller, Steve Clark, David Dayringer, Tommy Deweese, Yolanda Fields, Terry Gulley, Melissa Harwood -Rom, Richard Hudson, Mike Johnson, Casey Jones, Phil Jones, Mark Kinion, Matt Trantham, Don Marr, Daniel McFarland, Tim Nyander, Jeremy Pate, Danny Pugh, Gary Smith, Victoria Whitfield City Staff: Lindsley Smith 1. Call to Order: The Committee was called to order by Vice Chair Ryan Miller at 3:06 p.m. 2. In Attendance: Vice Chair Ryan Miller, David Dayringer, Tommy Deweese, Yolanda Fields, Richard Hudson, Mike Johnson, Phil Jones, Mark Kinion, Matt Trantham, Don Marr, Tim Nyander, Jeremy Pate, Gary Smith, Chris Brown was present as proxy for Casey Jones, and Keith Shreve was present as proxy for Terry Gulley Absent: Steve Clark, Melissa Harwood -Rom, Daniel McFarland, Danny Pugh, Chair Diane Warren, Victoria Whitfield Staff: Lindsley Smith 3. Approval of Minutes: A request for a correction was made by Phil Jones who was not noted as present in the minutes. Upon recognition of the amendment to the minutes, the minutes were approved by acclamation. 4. Old Business: Information Hub Sub -Committee Report. Jeremy Pate, chair of the Information hub Sub -Committee, provided information that he researched on Wikispots since the last meeting, which included contacting the organizers of the Davis Wiki as well as Wiki organizers in other cities. Pate stated that a Wikispot is a 501(c)(3) type of corporation allows the use of their template for free. It is something created and maintained by the community that provides a comprehensive guide of what to do and see in your town. Pate discussed guidelines, ownership (the person who creates it), and the need for an administrator to keep it going and sustain it. 300 pages can be created for Mailing Address: 113 W. Mountain Street www.fayetteville-acgOv Fayetteville, AR 72701 content. Sacramento advised using an event or something that is happening, such as being linked into the City and/or University transportation plans, to kick it off. There is no real cost other than time, they operate on donations, and a dead page is the worst thing you can have because then nobody would go to it. Information Hub and Community Communication Ideas From Associate Vice Chancellor Laura Jacobs—Lindsley Smith briefly reviewed a meeting with Associate Vice Chancellor for University Relations Laura Jacobs and introduced Jacobs to discuss University communication and ideas about increasing public knowledge and access to community information. Jacobs leads a department at the University of Arkansas that is responsible for advancing the University's goals and objectives through strategic communications and public relations and brand management. Jacobs discussed the community calendar as a tool for members of the campus community to share what they have going on, Arkansas Newswire and the goal of expanding it, print publications, and community outreach messaging. She discussed the channels already in place in the community, such as the City of Fayetteville, University of Arkansas, Chamber of Commerce, and Visitor's Center. Jacobs asked the committee what areas they wished to have strengthened. Mike Johnson praised the new Fayetteville Alert System. Mark Kinion noted that it is important to have a singular, unified, gateway such as a Wiki portal to community information. Jacobs discussed the importance of making sure that the tool used is relevant and asked the committee what tools are already out there that could be enhanced. Don Marr recommended a better location for the public to go to access master plans. Jacobs noted the importance of using analytics of City, University, Chamber of Commerce, and the Convention and Visitor's Bureau to determine what people are searching for most; and to determine how to enhance community information versus duplicating. Jacobs informed Committee members that she would add any who wished to the Arkansas Newswire recipient list and stated that she is welcome to hear from the Committee as to how the University could enhance its community communication. This item was opened for public comment. Kinion recommended contacting the Fayetteville Forward Economic Accountability Council (FFEAC) and presenting the idea to them to see if there is community interest. Don Marr, agreeing, made the motion for this item to be presented to the FFEAC to see if they think there is community interest and, if so, if they would help the Town and Gown Advisory Committee publicize to recruit an organizing committee of citizens to create a Wikispot. Kinion seconded the motion, and the motion passed unanimously. Discussion of tour of Maple Street (Arkansas to Garland) by the Committee and any other City Capital Improvement Projects. Don Marr summarized the Town and Gown Advisory Committee's tour of Maple Street, which included: • A major redesign of Maple Street is forthcoming in the near future z • The desire for making Maple Street design priorities more pedestrian • Pedestrian/automobile conflict and primary class day crossings • Crosswalk locations moved • Crosswalk visibility • Safety of paramount importance • Street to survive over patching it over and over • Raised crosswalks or on -street • Design elements to be incorporated • Particular major crosswalk issues • Streets between Leverett and Garland being one-way north • Whether this committee wants to have input and advise the City Council • What are we doing to Douglas, Cleveland, and related infrastructure impact Chris Brown presented engineering features of Maple Street between Arkansas and Garland, including a 30 -foot wide street width, alignment and Southern curb, lights, 8 -foot wide sidewalks, signal enhancements, landscaping and green space. Marr stated this is a good time for the Committee to provide input for consideration during this early design phase when a majority of these issues have not been determined. Tommy Deweese stressed the importance of traffic flow and feeder streets to help traffic flow and issues of displaced traffic. David Dayringer noted the importance of more space on feeder streets. Ryan Miller noted the open city parking spaces on some streets, pedestrian concerns, Garland to Lindell crosswalk change confusion, Oakland is one of the busiest crosswalks on that street, the crossing area by the new gate is being ignored by people, and there is a run or walk at your own risk issue at the Maple intersection going east and west at Leverett and where Maple intersects Arkansas. Marr noted safety issues on the left side of Leverett, the crosswalk location, and people not using the crosswalk, a problem that goes all the way to Douglas. Miller noted problems at Arkansas and Maple and Maple to Reagan. Marr noted that the police are investigating crosswalk v. median safety at Arkansas, as well as people turning right on Arkansas and the pedestrian issues related to that vehicular/pedestrian conflict. Kinion remarked that he liked the crosswalk flashing lights and east -west corridor issues. Phil Jones asked if the street focus is primarily pedestrian or vehicular, upon which Marr responded from the City of Fayetteville perspective the preference is a pedestrian street focus that also serves vehicles. Pate and Kinion discussed the one-way proposal for North Avenue, with Pate noting that there are options, including reviewing the parking spaces. Jones stated he likes the raised crosswalks, and noted that even with raised and lighted crosswalks there are still pedestrian safety issues and where they cross in a variety of places. Deweese stated that as the school grows it is becoming a more pedestrian area. Pate said a consideration of importance is speed and level of congestion. Marr sought consensus, stated he is hearing support for non -elevated crosswalks but with some lighting. Said one crosswalk at an intersection might not be the best solution. Marr noted Leverett, Arkansas, and Garland as major intersections and asked if other streets are considered major intersections. Kinion said he students step out into Maple most by the law school and by the graduate education building. Miller noted the sorority buildings location. Kinion advocated crosswalk education. University interest in the sidewalk possibly being part of the senior walk was mentioned, with Marr noting the concrete difference with the senior walk and need to determine that point early to see what legal, cost, and other issues need to be addressed for that option. This item was opened up for public comment. Don Marr made a motion to carry this item on Maple Street design forward to the next Town and Gown Advisory Committee meeting on July 21 so that the Committee could benefit from more University representatives present for the discussion and for the Committee to discuss reaching a consensus on any recommendation it is going to make in a formal motion and voted on by the Committee to take to the Transportation Committee for them to consider. The motion was seconded by Pate and unanimously approved by the Committee. 5. New Business: The Committee set the agenda for the next meeting for the following two items: 1) Feedback from the FFEAC as to their view of whether there is community interest in a Fayetteville Wikispot and, if so, if FFEAC would work with the Town and Gown Advisory Committee to recruit and organize a volunteer community committee that would create a Wikispot for Fayetteville; and 2) Maple Street discussion on design (Arkansas to Garland). Marr noted items being discussed in Committee meetings were primarily being brought forward by either the University or City and encouraged Ward Representatives on the Committee to bring forward ideas for future Committee discussions. 6. Adjournment Time: 5:05 p.m. 7. Submitted by: Lindsley Smith, Committee Staff This meeting was recorded by the City of Fayetteville Government Channel and available in full on the City of Fayetteville website at: http://accessfayetteville.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view id-2&clip id -3192