08-14-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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PROJECT UNDERSTANDING Navarre is a hidden gem and represents Orono's historic town center. It's residents and its presence on Lake Minnetonka has made it a cornerstone for the Lake area. However, that cornerstone turned into the intersection of County Rd 19 and 15 which has created traffic issues that hampered businesses growth and resident's confidence in new development. The City of Orono has struggled to define what Navarre is or can be. Numerous studies have been completed in an attempt to spearhead the future of Navarre but none has truly found how to make this gem shine. The City is now embarking on a new study that will focus on two main components: • What does the public want to see? • What is a good fit for the area? Implementing the past plans mostly led to neighborhood opposition and disconnect with the ideas at city hall. The scope outlined in this proposal provides a clear path on how to address these two questions. The project will take what we have already learned from past studies and combine it with a public outreach campaign that will provide feedback from all stakeholders, not just the usual few. It will also take a "truthful" look at what the real market demands are for this area and how to achieve them. What people want and what the market can bring are not always the same. But when looked at together you will find a strategy that can complement both. We understand that traffic congestion is a leading factor to most residents' fear of new development. We also understand that there is a desire for restaurants not taverns and that several sites remain vacant that should be viable for redevelopment. There is a need for better trail connections but the mixing of bikes and cars is also a current problem. Parking and walkability to Navarre's businesses and trails are desired but need to be integrated with traffic patterns. We know that more people are needed to sustain new development but who they are and where they want to live will need to be defined. The project will address these issues and we will lay out the steps needed to implement a plan that has a realistic market analysis and time frame for appropriate development that will make Navarre the area the city wants it to be. This project is a critical step in reestablishing Navarre as a gathering district that contributes to the community's overall quality of life. Proposal � Navarre Area Plan P a g e 13 August 4, 2017