TITLE
Approving the use of grant funds through the Neighborhood Star Year-Round Program for redesign fees for the Rice and Larpenteur parking lot and traffic barriers at Western and Maryland Avenues.
BODY
WHEREAS, on September 11, 2019, the Neighborhood STAR Board reviewed a $15,000 Neighborhood STAR Year-Round Program grant request from MEK Properties to develop a plan
to redesign the My Thrift Parking Lot at Rice and Larpenteur; and
WHEREAS, the Neighborhood STAR Board also reviewed a $10,000 Neighborhood STAR Year-Round Program grant request from the District 6 Community Council to purchase and install three permanent traffic barriers at the intersection of Western and Maryland Avenues; and
Both projects will positively impact the city’s North End neighborhood with the addition of attractive, pedestrian friendly, traffic calming measures at two busy intersections; and
WHEREAS, on a scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high) the Neighborhood STAR Board rated the MEK Properties design proposal 4.6 and the District 6 Community Council barrier project a 4.8; and
WHEREAS, due to the design and planning of the My Thrift parking lot at Rice and Larpenteur being of substantial community significance, a waiver to the Neighborhood STAR Guideline limiting soft costs to twenty percent of awarded STAR funds is being recommended; and
WHEREAS, a waiver of STAR Guidelines is also being recommended for the Western and Maryland barrier proposal regarding the requirement of a minimum dollar for dollar match; and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Mayor and the Saint Paul City Council to participate in the financing of these activities by providing up to $15,000 in grant financing for the MEK Properties proposal and up to $10,000 of grant funding for the District 6 Community Council barrier project through the Ward 5 Neighborhood STAR Year-Round Program; now be it
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Mayor, the Council of the City of Saint Paul hereby authorizes and directs the appropriate City officials to execute the necessary grant documents to implement this Resolution, subject to approval by the City Attorney; and be it
FINALLY RESOLVED, staff of the Department of Planning and Economic Development are further authorized and directed to proceed with all other actions necessary to implement this Resolution.