Title
Authorizing the City to enter into a Cooperative Agreement with City of Roseville and City of Maplewood to execute Rice-Larpenteur Vision Plan.
Body
WHEREAS, Rice Street and Larpenteur Avenue is a key gateway into the Cities of Maplewood, Roseville, and Saint Paul (the three Cities); and
WHEREAS, the three Cities are coordinating efforts to improve the area around the intersection of Rice Street and Larpenteur Avenue; and
WHEREAS, the three Cities held a joint public input event to identify needs for the corridor, including improved public safety, better pedestrian facilities and public realm, and more community-oriented business; and
WHEREAS, this area was designated a Commercial Vitality Zone project in 2017, and the Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority provided funds to help prepare a vision plan in partnership with the cities of Maplewood and Roseville; and
WHEREAS, the City Council approved the Rice-Larpenteur Vision Plan (Vision Plan) (Res 18-1741) as a foundational document to guide transportation improvements and the overall revitalization of the area and included recommendations for the following elements of the plan:
• pedestrian, bicycle, and transit user experience enhancements;
• public realms improvements around streetscape and urban forest;
• stormwater management;
• roadway changes and intersection improvements;
• key redevelopment sites within the gateway area; and
• project implementation; and
WHEREAS, each of the three Cities desire to contribute financial support to fund professional services necessary to build a Rice and Larpenteur Alliance and execute the Vision Plan; and
WHEREAS, the three Cities issued a Request for Proposals for consulting services to begin implementation of the Vision Plan on January 7, 2019; and
WHEREAS, the three Cities interviewed finalists on February 12, 2019 and unanimously selected the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce to lead the implementation phase of the Vision Plan; and
WHEREAS, the three Cities desire to centralize the payment for such professional services to the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce through a Contract Manager (City of Roseville);
WHEREAS, pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 471.59, two or more governmental units may by an agreement entered into through the action of their governing bodies jointly or cooperatively exercise any common powers; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the appropriate City Officials are hereby authorized and directed for and on behalf of the City to enter into and execute a Cooperative Agreement, and any necessary amendments to the Cooperative Agreement, with City of Roseville and City of Maplewood in substantially the form as attached.