Title
Authorizing the City to enter into and execute a Cooperative Funding Agreement for Rice Street and Larpenteur Avenue Gateway Alliance Consulting Services with the City of Roseville and the City of Maplewood in accordance with the Rice-Larpenteur Vision Plan.
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WHEREAS, the Rice Street and Larpenteur Avenue intersection is a key gateway into the cities of Maplewood, Roseville, and Saint Paul (the “Three Cities”); and
WHEREAS, the Three Cities continue to coordinate efforts to improve the area surrounding 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, in 2017, the area was designated a Commercial Vitality Zone and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota provided funds to help prepare a vision plan in partnership with the City of Maplewood and the City of Roseville; and
WHEREAS, the City Council approved the Rice-Larpenteur Vision Plan (“Vision Plan”) by 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
• project implementation; 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 City Council of the City of Saint Paul authorized an initial one-year cooperative funding agreement between the Three Cities on May 1, 2019 via RES 19-728, a second one-year cooperative funding agreement between the Three Cities on May 6, 2020 via RES 20-635, and a third one-year cooperative funding agreement between the Three Cities on March 10, 2021 via RES 21- 375, and a fourth one-year cooperative funding agreement between the Three Cities on March 23, 2022 via RES 22-418; and a fifth one-year cooperative funding agreement between the Three Cities on March 8, 2023 via RES 23-334;
WHEREAS, the Three Cities desire to continue the efforts of the Rice and Larpenteur Alliance and the implementation of the Vision Plan which includes entering into another cooperative funding agreement and contribution of financial support to fund the professional services necessary; and
WHEREAS, the Three Cities also desire to designate the City of Roseville as the Contract Manager to centralize the payment for such professional services to the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 471.59, two or more governmental units may, by an agreement entered into through an action of their governing bodies, jointly or cooperatively exercise any common powers; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Saint Paul:
1. that the City Council hereby authorizes and approves a financial contribution of $75,000.00 pursuant to the Cooperative Funding Agreement to fund the professional services necessary in accordance with the Vision Plan; and
2. that the City Council hereby authorizes and approves entering into a one-year renewal of the Cooperative Funding Agreement for the Rice Street and Larpenteur Avenue Gateway Alliance Consulting Services with the City of Roseville and the City of Maplewood; and
3. that the City Council hereby authorizes and approves the City of Roseville to serve as the Contract Manager and enter into a Professional Services Agreement with the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce to continue implementation of the Vision Plan; and
4. that the City Council hereby authorizes and approves the appropriate City officials to enter into and execute the Cooperative Funding Agreement, and any ancillary documents thereto including necessary amendments, with the City of Roseville and the City of Maplewood in substantially the form as attached, subject to approval by the Saint Paul City Attorney’s Office; and
5. that this Resolution does not constitute a binding legal agreement; rather, the Cooperative Funding Agreement shall not be effective until said document is executed by the appropriate official(s) and/or staff of the City of Saint Paul.