Aug 24, 2026 City Council Workshop - Downtown Edmond

READY? OKAY.

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[2. Discussion of topics related to Downtown Edmond, including: Discussion regarding what area constitutes Downtown Edmond; Discussion regarding the 2014 Downtown Master Plan and investments, projects, and activities that have occurred since the 2014 Downtown Master Plan was approved; Discussion regarding future Downtown Edmond planning efforts and other Citywide planning efforts that would affect Downtown Edmond; Discussion regarding Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts in Downtown Edmond; Discussion regarding current and potential future uses of City owned properties in Downtown Edmond; and Discussion of prioritized actions and next steps related to Downtown Edmond.]

SURE.

I'LL READ THROUGH THEM.

THEN WE CAN JUST GO, 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA WANDER ON THIS.

UM, DISCUSSION REGARDING WHAT AREA CONSTITUTES DOWNTOWN EDMOND DISCUSSION REGARDING THE 2014 DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN AND INVESTMENTS, PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE 2014 DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN WAS APPROVED.

DISCUSSION REGARDING FUTURE DOWNTOWN EDMOND PLANNING EFFORTS AND OTHER CITYWIDE PLANNING EFFORTS THAT WOULD AFFECT DOWNTOWN EDMOND DISCUSSION REGARDING TAX INCREMENT FINANCE DISTRICTS AND DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

DISCUSSION REGARDING CURRENT POTENTIAL FUTURE OF USES OF CITY OWNED PROPERTIES IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

AND DISCUSSION OF PRIORITIZED ACTIONS AND NEXT STEPS RELATED TO DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

SO, MR. BRIAN, YOU'RE SITTING RIGHT THERE.

I'M GUESSING YOU'RE GONNA START US OFF.

YES.

THANK YOU.

UH, KEN BRIAN, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING.

UM, I JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING A LOT OF STAFF HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ASSEMBLING THE INFORMATION WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH TODAY.

WE'VE TRIED TO DESIGN THIS WORKSHOP TO BE HIGHLY DISCUSSION BASED, SO FEEL FREE TO, UM, INTERRUPT AND INTERJECT AT ANY POINT.

I'VE GOT SOME NATURAL PAUSES IN HERE TO, UH, SOLICIT DISCUSSION AND FEEDBACK, UM, FROM, FROM THE COUNCIL.

SO AS WE GET GOING, QUICK REMINDER.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORKSHOP, WE THINK, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE A SHARED FRAMEWORK FOR DOWNTOWN AND A RELATED DISCUSSIONS.

WHEN I HIGHLIGHT RECENT ACTIVITY AND SUCCESSES, WE CATCH UP ON APPLICABLE PLANNING EFFORTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST 12 OR SO YEARS.

AND THEN SEE IF WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT PRIORITIZING SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AND MAYBE EVEN MEDIUM OR, UH, LONG TERM ACTIONS AND INITIATIVES.

AS A QUICK REMINDER, I THINK THE REASON WE'RE HERE IS THE COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC INITIATIVES INCLUDE THREE MAJOR BULLET POINTS RELATED TO DOWNTOWN UPDATED THE 2014 MASTER PLAN, IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES AND PRODUCE A PLAN THAT SUPPORTS AN ENHANCED FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE.

SO, JUMPING RIGHT IN, WE HAD A COUNCIL MAPPING ACTIVITY.

SO EVERYONE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE INVITED TO MAP OUT WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE, UM, THE AREA THEY CONSIDER TO BE DOWNTOWN.

SO YOU'VE GOT A HANDOUT IN FRONT OF YOU THAT SHOWS TWO VERSIONS OF THIS EXERCISE.

UM, THE ONE ON THE SCREEN, UM, IS DESIGNED TO OVERLAY ALL FIVE RESPONSES, UM, ONTO ONE MAP.

SO IT'S EASY TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE, UH, A WIDE AGREEMENT IN WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNTOWN IS IN THE, KINDA THE DOWNTOWN CORE STEVENSON PARK AREA, UM, AREA SOUTH OF EDMUND ROAD AND WEST OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS, UM, SOMETIMES AFFECTIONATELY REFERRED TO AS THE PCAN GROVE AND WORKING YOUR WAY OVER TO FRET.

I THINK AREAS OF DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE INTERESTED TO, UM, TO HEAR FROM THE COUNCIL ON WOULD BE, UM, PARTICULARLY SOUTH AND EAST OF BOULEVARD AND SECOND, SO YOU CAN SEE AN AREA THERE, CAPITOL VIEW, NEIGHBORHOOD, AND QUAKER.

AND THAT HAS NOT TRADITIONALLY BEEN INCLUDED IN THE URBAN DISTRICT.

UM, A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW FAR NORTH DOWN DOWNTOWN MIGHT EXTEND WHETHER IT IN FACT INCLUDES UCO AND THE AREA AROUND THE CAMPUS.

UM, SO WITH KIND OF THAT AS A SETUP, I WOULD INVITE, UM, I WOULD INVITE COUNSEL TO KINDA WEIGH IN ON, ON THEIR THOUGHTS AND I'LL TRY TO TAKE NOTES.

I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ALL HAVE AN EXACT AGREEMENT ON WHAT DOWNTOWN IS.

, UM, THOUGHTS? WELL, MY, MY FIRST THOUGHT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS AND, AND I KNOW WE'VE TRIED FOR YEARS, OTHER COUNCILS, THE CITY, EVERYONE TRIES TO INCLUDE EAST OF, OF BOULEVARD TOWARD THE CAMPUS AS PART OF DOWNTOWN.

I THINK I'D BE LUCKY TO FIND A HUNDRED RESIDENTS OF EDMOND THAT THINK OF THAT AS DOWNTOWN, AND ESPECIALLY SINCE UCO IS NOW GOING TO, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THEY DO, BUT IT'S THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT.

I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH CALLING THAT THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT OR BRONCO BLOCKS OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

I, I THINK THAT THE THOUGHTS ABOUT MAKING IT WALKABLE, LEADING INTO PROPER TRANSITION AND WHAT WE WANT IN THERE IS, IS GREAT.

BUT, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO CRAM A SQUARE PEG INTO A ROUND HOLE THAT THERE'S NOBODY IN THEIR

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EXCEPT THAT I HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK WITH SOMEONE WHO SAID, I LIVE IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND, AND SHE LIVES ONE BLOCK EAST OF BOULEVARD.

SO YOU FOUND ONE OF A HUNDRED.

THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE, THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE OUT THERE.

YOU FOUND ONE OF A HUNDRED .

BUT I, I DON'T THINK I'D DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I THINK WE JUST NEED, WE NEED TO DEFINE IT.

OF COURSE, THEN WE'LL HAVE A PROBLEM IF WE SAY IT STOPS AT BOULEVARD, WE CAN'T CALL, OR CAN WE CALL THE CURRENT LIBRARY THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY? 'CAUSE THEN IT WOULDN'T BE IN DOWNTOWN CLOSEST THERE TOO .

SO IT MIGHT HELP ME TO TALK ABOUT WHY IT MATTERS, WHAT WE, WHAT WE CALL DOWNTOWN.

AND I KNOW WE'VE GOT LIKE VARIOUS OVERLAYING DISTRICTS THAT ARE INTENDED FOR DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE TIFF AND OPPORTUNITY ZONE.

AND SO ARE WE JUST TRYING TO NAIL DOWN LIKE WHAT WE WANT THE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN TO COVER? IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE THERE ARE DEFINITIONS FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES.

MAYBE I'M OVERTHINKING IT, BUT I THINK WHY DOES IT MATTER? I THINK THAT'D BE A PART OF IT, IS FOR YOU TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK REPRESENTS, UH, THE CORE PART OF DOWNTOWN.

WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT LIKE A LOT OF OTHER TOPICS WHERE WE HAVE MAYBE MORE WANTS AND NEEDS THAN WE HAVE RESOURCES.

SO YOU, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION IS THE, UH, THE POTENTIAL TO UPDATE A DOWNTOWN, UH, MASTER PLAN.

UM, SO I THINK KIND OF ALL THOSE QUESTIONS JUST RATTLED OFF ARE, ARE RELEVANT.

I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE NEED NECESSARILY NEED TO LOOK AT IT AS BOUNDARIES NECESSARILY.

ALTHOUGH WHEN YOU GET INTO THE USE OF A TIP DISTRICT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OBVIOUSLY BOUNDARIES, UM, DO MATTER FOR US.

I THINK IT'S BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE DO YOU THINK THE THIS DOWNTOWN IS? AND MAYBE THERE'S, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY MORE THAN ONE ANSWER.

UH, KEN WILL TELL YOU IN A SECOND, WHICH ONE OF YOU GOT IT RIGHT.

BUT, UM, NO, I JUST THINK FOR US IT'S ABOUT, UH, PLANNING AND, UH, EVENTUAL RESOURCE ALLOCATION.

OKAY.

YEAH.

THIS, I THINK IT'S BEEN A COUPLE WEEKS SINCE WE DID THIS, SO NOW I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT I DID.

UM, AND I AM INTERESTED TO HEAR WHO'S RIGHT BECAUSE , I THINK WE'RE, WE ALL ARE.

BUT, UM, I WILL, UM, AND I DO WANNA KNOW WHAT CITY STAFF CONSIDERS DOWNTOWN, BUT IN THE NEXT, SO WE HAVE THIS HANDOUT THAT HAS, UM, KIND OF A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT WHAT WE PRESENTED.

AND THERE'S, UM, SIX OPTIONS.

AND I THINK I MAY HAVE ADDED THE SIXTH ONE, WHICH I PUT A BOX AND I WROTE IN THAT THIS IS HISTORIC DOWNTOWN.

UM, I THINK THERE IS, THERE'S A DISTINCTION THERE IN HOW, I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ARCHITECTURE, UM, AND I THINK THOSE, THE HISTORIC AREA DOES NEED TO BE TREATED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, IF THERE EVER WERE REDEVELOPMENT OR DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA.

I THINK WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THAT AREA.

AND THEN KIND OF AN ISSUE WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH IS THAT BROADWAY EXTENSION SLAMS INTO DOWNTOWN EDMONDO SECOND STREET.

AND IF YOU, IF WE WERE TO THINK BIGGER AND GO FURTHER SOUTH, LIKE NINTH STREET, I THINK IS WHAT I PUT, UM, WE COULD THINK OF A DIFFERENT, IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT WAY TO LOOK AT THE CORRIDOR, UM, AND THE ENTRANCE TO DOWNTOWN NOT BEING SO AGGRESSIVELY BROADWAY EXTENSION RUNNING INTO SECOND STREET.

UM, SO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY, MY THOUGHTS ON HISTORIC DOWNTOWN.

I THINK TO ME, I ASKED A QUESTION, BUT I DIDN'T SHARE MY THOUGHTS.

I I DEFINITELY ENVISION A LARGER, A LARGER BOX OF DOWNTOWN THAT EXTENDS, LIKE HE SAID, I THINK A, A WALKABLE AREA WITH A SIMILAR CHARACTER DOWN TO AT LEAST FIFTH, MAYBE THE NINTH OVER TO AT LEAST STEVENSON PARK AND UNIVERSITY.

SO LIKE, MAKING THAT BOX AND OVER TO FRED'S, MAKING THAT BOX KIND OF A WALKABLE INTEGRATED AREA IS, I DON'T KNOW, TO ME IS LIKE, I COULD SEE A VISION IN 10 OR 20 YEARS WE'RE THAT'S, THAT'S OUR DOWNTOWN RIGHT? KIND OF REDEFINED THE RESIDENTIALS ON THE EDGE ARE A LITTLE BIT, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THOSE, BUT, UM, AT LEAST THAT AREA.

I, I JUST, I COULD SEE A LOT OF IT, A LOT OF INTEGRATION WE COULD DO WITH EAST, WEST AND NORTH SOUTH KIND OF INTEGRATION AND WALKABILITY AND BRIDGING CURRENT AREAS THAT AREN'T REALLY CONNECTED RIGHT NOW.

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SO YES, WHEN WE GET TO LIKE NEEDING TO LEGALLY DESCRIBE AN AREA FOR, YOU KNOW, AN INCENTIVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ABSOLUTELY WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE LINES.

BUT FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, UH, THE LINES CAN BE FUZZY AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, IT'S A BROADER DISCUSSION.

I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING FOR BROADER STROKES, LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE AREA THAT'S THESE SORT OF WALKABLE BOXES AS YOU INDICATED, DOES THAT INCLUDE IN MAKING CONNECTIONS, WE ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT MAKING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CAMPUS AND DOWNTOWN.

DO WE NOW EVEN MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSING AREA THAT'S EAST OF CAMPUS AND BEING ABLE TO CONNECT THROUGH TO DOWNTOWN? I SEE THAT MORE AS THE UCO THING THAN A CITY.

DEFINITELY.

I THINK TOO, WE WANT TO LOOK AT DOES IT IMPACT ANYTHING WITH RESPECT TO OPPORTUNITY ZONES, TIFFS, UH, WITH THE UDC? I THINK IN TERMS OF CORE BUSINESS DISTRICT AND DIFFERENT THINGS WHERE WE HAVE MINIMUM HEIGHT STORY NUMBER OF STORIES THAT WE WANT TO SEE AND, AND I, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HOW FAR WE WANT TO CARRY THAT, ESPECIALLY TO THE SOUTH AND AND TO THE EAST.

UH, TWO THINGS, MR. BRIAN, UH, THE ULI THAT WAS HERE THREE, THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, WHAT THEY CONSIDER DOWNTOWN WHEN THEY DID THEIR STUDY, I, I DO NOT KNOW IF I CAN RECALL EXACTLY THEIR STUDY AREA FROM, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS QUITE A BIT SMALLER THAN LIKE, WHEN YOU START COMPARING THE URBAN DISTRICT, LIKE THAT'S DEFINED IN THE CODE.

UM, AND, UH, PARTICULARLY I, I DON'T BELIEVE IT WENT THAT FAR NORTH.

AND SOMEONE ELSE, UM, MAY HAVE A BETTER MEMORY ABOUT THAT THAN I DO.

AND WE CAN CALL IT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, EVEN IF IT DOESN'T TAKE THE EAST SIDE OF BOULEVARD.

THE NEW YORK JETS PLAY IN NEW JERSEY.

IT'S ONE OF THE GIANTS.

IT'S ONE THE GIANTS, YEAH.

.

THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT HERE AND WE WANT TO MOVE ON TO A COUPLE THINGS.

BUT YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THOUGHT IS, ARE YOU ANSWERING WHERE IS DOWNTOWN TODAY OR WHERE WILL IT BE IN 10 OR 15, 20 YEARS? AND DOES IT MAKE ANY SENSE FOR THE COUNCIL TO START THINKING ABOUT EVEN SUB AREAS WITHIN A DOWNTOWN? WE CAN TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

IT CAN BE, UH, A BIGGER, UH, COLLECTION OF GEOGRAPHY HERE.

BUT MAYBE THERE ARE SUB DISTRICTS, THERE'S A CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, THERE'S A UNIVERSITY DISTRICT, THERE'S A BROADWAY CORRIDOR COMPONENT.

THERE ARE PURELY RESIDENTIAL AREAS, SAY WEST OF FRETS, EVEN OVER TO KELLY.

UH, SOME OF YOU MIGHT HEAR THAT AND THINK THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT WE DON'T, I MEAN, THE POINT OF PLANNING IS NOT JUST TO THINK ABOUT WHERE IT IS TODAY AND WHERE THESE, WHERE THESE ACTIVITIES BEGIN AND END, BUT ALSO BE THINKING ABOUT PEDESTRIAN AND OTHER KINDS OF CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THEM.

MAKES SENSE.

OKAY.

LET ME ASK A DUMBER QUESTION THEN.

WHEN, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHERE DOWNTOWN IS, I THINK WE FIRST HAVE TO SET PARAMETERS LIKE, LIKE YOU, YOU SAID SOME MAY WANT TO EVENTUALLY CONSIDER IT ALL THE WAY TO KELLY.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, WHY DOES THAT MATTER? I, WELL, I THINK IF WE THINK OF A DOWNTOWN AS A COLLECTION OF, UH, PRIMARILY URBAN USES AND A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN TRANSITION WITHIN A RELATIVELY CONCENTRATED AREA BETWEEN LOTS OF DIFFERENT LAND USES.

AND SO THERE'S A BROAD RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES, EMPLOYMENT, UH,

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AND ALSO RESIDENTIAL.

I THINK IF YOU BROADEN THE DISTRICT OUT A LITTLE BIT, THERE'S PROBABLY A GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO INCORPORATE DIFFERENT HOUSING TYPES, DIFFERENT MARKET ENTRY POINTS, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, PRODUCT TYPES, ET CETERA.

I THINK THAT TO ME IS THE RELEVANCE.

YEAH.

I THINK WHEN WE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PLACEMAKING AND IDENTITY, IT'S GOOD TO RECOGNIZE THAT DIFFERENT AREAS WILL HAVE DIFFERENT IDENTITIES AND UM, ALSO BE REPRESENTED BY DIFFERENT GROUPS.

WHAT THAT THEY MAY HAVE IDEAS AS WELL FOR WHAT THEIR AREA OF DOWNTOWN LOOKS LIKE.

I JUST PULLED UP THE ULI STUDY.

THEY HAD A STUDY DIS STUDY AREA, SO IT WASN'T REALLY DISTRICTS, BUT THEY DID ACTUALLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

DOWNTOWN CORE DOWNTOWN WEST GATEWAY, SOUTH MAIN STREET, UCO, CAMPUS STEVENSON PARK.

SO THEY DID BREAK IT DOWN INTO KIND OF SUB AREAS, BUT THERE WASN'T LIKE A DEFINED, THIS IS DOWNTOWN, IT WAS JUST A STUDY AREA.

YOU KNOW, THE, AND I KNOW IT DID, DID YOU AS WELL, PRESTON? 'CAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.

WHEN, WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN, I, I THINK, I THINK WE NEED TO BEGIN.

YOU, YOU TALK ABOUT MOVING YOUR EYES A LITTLE BIT BEYOND TOMORROW.

WE, I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE ENTRY INTO DOWNTOWN.

AND I DO REMEMBER THAT WAS THEIR BIG COMMENT.

WOW, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE GREAT WITH DOWNTOWN, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT ENTRYWAY INTO IT LEAVES A LITTLE TO BE DESIRED OR A LOT.

AND SO HOW DO WE NOW BEGIN TO, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA TAKE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO, THAT'S ALL PRIVATELY HELD LAND.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO INCENTIVIZE FOR SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND GAIN CONTROL OF THE LAND AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH IT.

AND, AND, AND I THINK IF WE GET OUR EYES OFF OF THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOWNTOWN, IT'S GONNA BE A MISTAKE BECAUSE DOWNTOWN WE CAN, WE CAN DO A LOT WITH THAT.

BUT I, IF IT'S NOT GREAT OR PUT ANOTHER WAY, IF IT'S UGLY COMING INTO IT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT HITS VISITORS' MINDS.

WE, WE ALL GET USED TO IT.

WE SEE IT KIND OF BLANKET OUT AS WE'RE COMING IN THERE, BUT I, I THINK WE HAVE TO REALLY FOCUS SOME ON THAT.

I, OKAY.

THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO, UH, WE, WE'VE SORT OF IDENTIFIED THE 2014 MASTER PLAN AS THE KIND OF THE LAUNCH POINT FOR THIS DISCUSSION.

UM, SO YOU CAN SEE HERE THEIR STUDY AREA, UM, AND NOT TO BELABOR THE POINT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT INCLUDES A LOT OF THE AREAS WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.

UM, WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT PLAN.

SO THEY IDENTIFIED CATALYTIC INFILL PROJECTS, UM, AND THE, THE TYPE OF INVESTMENT OR DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN THOSE AREAS.

THEY IDENTIFIED A HANDFUL OF PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENTS, TALKED ABOUT WALKABILITY.

HEY, IT'S HARD TO READ THAT.

WHAT, WHAT'S THE WEST BOUNDARY ON THAT ONE? UM, THAT'S THE, THE WEST BOUNDARY IS THE RAILROAD TRACKS.

TRACKS.

OKAY.

YEP.

AND IT GOES UP TO, IS THAT THATCHER OVER TO BOULEVARD AIRS? UM, UNIVERSITY.

OH, UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD, OKAY.

AND DOWN TO NINTH.

OKAY, THANKS.

YEAH, SO THAT'S IT AGAIN, REFERENCE STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN JOHNSTOWN AND UCO HAD A SECTION ON PARKING AND PARKING MANAGEMENT.

TALKED ABOUT, UM, USING TIFF AS A TOOL THAT WE, UH, WE HADN'T USED AT THAT TIME YET.

AND THEN THERE WAS A SECTION ON DISTRICT BRANDING.

SO THIS IS THE SECOND PAGE IN YOUR HANDOUT, SORT OF A COMPARE AND CONTRAST BETWEEN 2014.

AND THIS IS, I KNOW WE JUST TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE STUDY AREA AND WHAT IS DOWNTOWN.

THE SCALE ON THIS WAS APPROPRIATE, JUST SO WE CAN KIND OF SEE THE DOWNTOWN CORE, UH, DOWN TO NINTH STREET AND JUST SO WE COULD KIND OF SEE THE DIFFERENCE.

BUT I WANTED TO GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO KIND OF REACT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, CHANGES THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST 12 OR SO YEARS AND WHAT HAS STAYED THE SAME.

YOU KNOW, THE, THE DENSE GRID IS, IS, UH, IS INTACT.

AND THEN, UM, YOU CAN SEE, UH, CHANGES IN, IN INFILL DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE, THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

AND SO I'LL JUST, I'LL KIND OF PAUSE THERE AND GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO REACT TO THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS.

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NO, I THINK WE'RE ALL STARING AT TRYING TO SEE WHERE THE, THE DIFFERENCES ARE.

I RECOGNIZE THE BIG STUFF.

I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY COMMENTS.

I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT THAT'S HAPPENED AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA TOUCH ON THAT MAYBE IN THE SLIDES.

YEAH, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY KIND OF THE TAKEAWAY.

IF YOU IMAGINED YOURSELF JUST WALKING THROUGH THIS AREA, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO KIND OF SEE THAT DIFFERENCE ON THE GROUND.

AND YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT HAS CHANGED A LOT IN, IN THE 12 YEARS.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THAT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY POSITIVE.

AND YEAH, I COULD STARE, I COULD SPEND HOURS COMPARING AND CONTRASTING ARROW PHOTOGRAPHS.

SO THAT'S, I DON'T THINK THE INTENT, UM, RIGHT NOW.

BUT FEEL FREE TO TAKE THAT HANDOUT WITH YOU.

JUST MAYBE ONE THING TO MENTION THOUGH IS LIKE, WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE HERE IN LIKE 2000, THE FEEL OF DOWNTOWN WAS VERY DIFFERENT.

BUT THE LOOK AND CHARACTER, THE FEEL IS THE, IS SIMILAR, I GUESS IS ACTUALLY WHAT I'M SAYING.

LIKE, THE MAIN PART IS STILL HAS A LOOK AND FEEL OF AN OLD, CUTE DOWNTOWN, EVEN THOUGH THE VIBRANCY IS OBVIOUSLY KICKED UP NOTCH.

THE HOUSING, THE OPTIONS, THE RESTAURANTS AND ALL THAT.

SO I LIKE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PRESERVE THE CHARACTER AND FEEL OVER THE LAST 20 SOMETHING YEARS, 50 WHATEVER.

OKAY.

SO WE'LL JUST DO KIND OF A WHIRL RAN TOUR OF SORT OF DEVELOPMENT AND ACTIVITIES, UM, THAT WE'VE SEEN.

THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A, UH, EVERYTHING THAT HAS ABSOLUTELY HAPPENED.

THIS IS JUST SORT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AS WE COULD KIND OF THINK OF THEM.

UM, SO WE'VE SEEN A HANDFUL OF NEW CONSTRUCTION IN AND AROUND DOWNTOWN.

UM, WE'VE KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED HERE ONES THAT HAVE, UH, DWELLING UNITS.

SO WE SEE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO HOUSING DIVERSIFICATION IN DOWNTOWN BEING IMPORTANT.

THAT ALWAYS COMES UP IN ANY KIND OF STUDY OR DISCUSSION.

UM, AND WE TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF LIBERTY AND DID HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE REDEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE, IN THE MAIN STREET EDITION OVER TOWARDS CHITWOOD PARK AND KIND OF FLAGGED THAT AS BEING DOWNTOWN CONNECTED OR DOWNTOWN ADJACENT.

AND THEN, UM, ADAPTIVE REUSE.

SO THAT'S, UH, A LITTLE BIT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO HERE.

SO WE SEE AN INCREASE IN VIBRANCY, BUT WE MAINTAIN THAT KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND SEE THEM REPURPOSED.

SO A FEW LISTED HERE, UM, THAT ARE, UH, PROBABLY SOME OF OUR FAVORITES AND, YOU KNOW, GOES BACK SEVERAL YEARS AND INCLUDING VERY RECENT ONES THAT YOU SEE HERE AS WELL.

OKAY.

AND THEN FINALLY, PUBLIC INVESTMENTS.

SO THE CITY IS OBVIOUSLY PARTICIPATING IN THINGS GOING ON IN DOWNTOWN.

SO YOU SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE, IN THE RECENT PAST HERE IN TERMS OF STREETIES AND LOWER SPEEDS.

OF COURSE, WE'VE DONE OUR, OUR SHARE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION AS WELL.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER, OF COURSE, THE COMPLEX WE'RE IN NOW, UH, INVESTMENTS THAT WE MADE ALONG THE RAILROAD TRACK IN TERMS OF THE QUIET ZONE, UM, A DA IMPROVEMENTS AND SUPPORT FOR DOWNTOWN EVENTS, ALL THOSE THINGS, UM, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

AND OF COURSE THE STEVENSON PARK, UM, CAN'T UNDERSTATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, INCLUDING THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE UNDERGROUND DETENTION THAT MAKES THE, THE INFILL AND DEVELOPMENT AROUND THERE.

UM, EVEN MORE, UH, PREDICTABLE.

OKAY.

AND THEN ONGOING ARE COMING SOON.

SO THIS IS ACTIVITY THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE.

SO WE SEE DEVELOPMENT THERE SOUTH OF THE SPROUTS THAT'S GONNA HAVE A RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT AS WELL SEE THE EMBER ONGOING.

SO THAT'S SORT OF THE FURTHEST STATE STENT OF DOWNTOWN.

SO SORT OF NINTH AND BOULEVARD AREA.

UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE IN AND AROUND, UM, THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS WELL.

WHAT DOES ELECTRIC FEEDERS MEAN ON THIS? I THINK IT'S SOMETHING GLEN WANTS TO DO WHERE HE'S GONNA PUT ALL THE ELECTRIC WIRES UNDERGROUND, RIGHT? GLEN , UNDERGROUNDING THE WIRES.

OKAY.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STARTING OFF A PROJECT, UH, UH, THAT GOES FROM, UM, BOULEVARD TO, UM, KELLY, ONE ON HERD, ONE ON FIRST STREET.

THAT'S JUST TO PUT SOME BACKBONE IN, UM, TO START BRANCHING OUT FROM THERE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DOWNTOWN AREA, PROBABLY 15 TO 20 YEARS WORK TO CONVERT THAT.

THE INITIAL PHASE OF THAT PROJECT, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $8 MILLION INVESTMENT.

[00:25:01]

AND WHEN I SAY DOWNTOWN AREA, I'M TALKING A DIFFERENT DOWNTOWN AREA.

I'M TALKING FROM, UH, KELLY TO BOULEVARD.

AND THEN FROM SECOND TO CAMPBELL.

I DON'T GO SOUTH, I DIDN'T GO OVER INTO UNIVERSITY AREA THAT WOULD INCREASE THAT COST.

OKAY.

GLEN, DOES THAT COME FROM A COMMUNITY WHERE ALL THE POWER LINES ARE BURIED? AND SO I'D LIKE TO BURY 'EM ALL TOMORROW, SO.

ALRIGHT, GLAD TO HEAR THAT , A CHINA TOWN LOOK GOING ON OUT HERE.

THANKS.

UM, AND THEN A QUICK SUMMARY OF JUST PLANNING ACTIVITY.

THIS IS NOT OBVIOUSLY A LIST OF PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN AND AROUND THE AREA AND OF COURSE CITYWIDE, BUT JUST A FEW THEMES THAT WE PICK UP WHENEVER, UM, WHENEVER WE SEE A PLAN THAT TOUCHES DOWNTOWN IN SOME WAY, WHETHER THAT'S THE BROADWAY AND SECOND, UH, CORRIDOR STUDY OR A CITYWIDE PLAN.

UM, THESE ARE SOME OF THE THEMES THAT YOU SEE.

A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPE, ALL KINDS OF THINGS ABOUT MOBILITY, PARKING, MANAGEMENT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE AND ENHANCE OPEN SPACE, UM, STRATEGIES ABOUT GETTING ACROSS THE RAILROAD IN VARIOUS WAYS.

AND THEN, UH, STREET SCAPES AND INVESTING IN THE URBAN CANOPY.

WE REFERENCED DISTRICT BRANDING A LITTLE BIT AS PART OF THE, UH, 2014 PLAN.

THIS IS, UH, BRANDING THAT MARKETING DID A FEW YEARS AGO.

THAT'S THE, AND YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE THIS CROP UP, UM, ON BANNERS.

AND ANYTIME WE, WE TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN OR WE, UM, PRODUCE ANY KINDS OF MATERIALS THAT ARE DOWNTOWN, WE SEE THIS AS WELL.

AND THE, THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION HAS EMBRACED THIS KIND OF BRANDING.

UH, WE'VE STARTED THE PROCESS.

WE'RE DOING SOME SUB-DISTRICT BRANDING, SO WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

SO, UH, UNIVERSITY DISTRICT IS FURTHEST ALONG AND WE SHOULD BE SEEING SOME MORE ACTIVITY ON THAT SOON.

GOOD JOB ON THAT.

SO THIS IS A, THIS IS KIND OF AN OPEN QUESTION, BUT WE'VE LISTED HERE SOME TOPICS THAT COULD BE PART OF A NEW MASTER PLAN, IF THAT'S A DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO.

OF COURSE, FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE IS A, AS A IDENTIFIED STRATEGIC INITIATIVE FOR COUNCIL.

UM, WE ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE FOLDING HOUSING BACK IN, UH, MOBILITY, NOT JUST WALKABILITY.

UM, STREETSCAPE PRIORITIZATIONS, YOU'LL, YOU'VE, UH, PROBABLY SEEN A LITTLE BIT ON THE DOWNTOWN, UH, STREETSCAPE STANDARDS.

SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF PRIORITIZE WHERE THOSE MIGHT GO AND, AND IN WHAT ORDER.

UM, SAFETY AND CONNECTIVITY ALWAYS WANT TO BE SURE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RAILROAD, UM, ALLEYS AS A VITAL ASSET TO, UH, UNIQUE KIND OF A UNIQUE ASSET IN DOWNTOWN, UM, PARKING, OPEN SPACE INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THE LAST BULLET HERE IS JUST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GENERALLY.

WE HAVE A SPECIFIC DISCUSSION ON THE TIFF AND THE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES COMING SOON, BUT I THINK I'LL PAUSE HERE AND JUST, UM, FOR REACTION TO THESE TOPICS AND ANY OTHERS THAT YOU MAY FEEL ARE, UH, ARE RELEVANT.

UM, I DO HAVE, I HAVE A LIST.

UM, I WOULD, AND IT DOES GO ALONG WITH THIS, UM, I DO WANT TO LOOK AT INCENTIVIZING ADAPTIVE REUSE OR IMPROVEMENTS OR AT MINIMUM, MAKING IT LESS HARD.

I DON'T WANT IT TO BE SO BURDENSOME TO REUSE A SPACE THAT, UH, A DEVELOPER OR A PROPERTY OWNER MAY JUST DECIDE.

I'LL JUST TEAR IT DOWN.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU WENT TO THE ADAPTIVE, UM, THE REUSE, I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS BECAUSE THEY, THEY DEFINE DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

THEY'RE HONORING WHAT WAS WITH WHAT IS.

AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ALL, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE CAN GET EXCITED ABOUT.

SO I'D REALLY LIKE, UM, US TO LOOK AT, UM, INCENTIVIZING OR AT MINIMUM MAKE IT LESS HARD.

UM, LANDSCAPING, THIS IS A HOT TOPIC.

UM, IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME IN DOWNTOWN OF WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS THIS.

AND, UM, AND WE'VE FOCUSED ON TREE WELLS QUITE A BIT.

WHEN, WHEN I HAVE PROPERTY OWNERS TALKING TO ME, THEY'RE USUALLY TALKING ABOUT TREE WELLS.

AND I LOOK AT OUR TREES WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN BROADWAY.

I MEAN, WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE THESE TREES.

A LOT OF DOWNTOWNS, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE, UM, THE FOURTH, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE FORETHOUGHT TO PUT IN TREES HOWEVER MANY YEARS AGO.

I REMEMBER WHEN THOSE TREES WERE LITTLE BITTY.

UM, AND I, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GET HIGHER AND HIGHER AND PROVIDE SHADE AND JUST A NICE FRAMING OF BROADWAY.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT LANDSCAPING, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE IT IN FURTHER TO WHERE THERE IS FOOT

[00:30:01]

SO I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN KIND OF FRUSTRATED BY THE TREE WELLS.

YOU KNOW, PARKS AND REC WILL PUT IN PLANTS AND THEN PEOPLE WALK IN THEM BECAUSE THAT'S, THEY'RE GETTING OUTTA THEIR CARS AND STEPPING INTO THE TREE.

WELL, SO I'D KIND OF LIKE US TO SHIFT FURTHER IN LOOKING AT USES TO, UM, TO BRING SOME EITHER ANNUAL COLOR OR MORE PERENNIAL PLANTS CLOSER UP TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE WALKING.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN DO THAT.

PLANTER BOXES, I'VE SEEN HANGING BASKETS.

UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, OUR DOWNTOWN, IT IS PRETTY LIVELY.

UM, IT'S INTERESTING TO ME ON A REGULAR SATURDAY, THERE, THERE ARE THRONGS OF PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT.

UM, I THINK A BIG REASON OF THAT FOR THAT IS FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE.

AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL AND WHEN I WAS JUST A CITIZEN, I, WE NEED TO REINVEST IN THAT SPACE.

I THINK IT HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL.

UM, THERE WAS A BUILDING, A STORAGE BUILDING THAT DID NEED TO BE TORN DOWN.

UM, BUT IT WAS TORN DOWN AND NOW IT IS, IT'S STILL GRAVEL.

IT, IT'S NOT AN EYESORE NECESSARILY, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE A PLAN AND WE NEED TO SHOW CITIZENS THAT THIS ISN'T FOREVER GONNA BE GRAVEL.

UM, WHAT ELSE? YOU KNOW, I, WE NEED TO PROGRAM DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

I THINK DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT NONPROFITS HAVE TAKEN TURNS DOING THAT.

EDMOND FINE ARTS USED TO DO VIBES.

UM, DA DOES AN AMAZING JOB WITH EVENTS AND YEAR ROUND.

UM, AND ALSO THE HOLIDAY EVENTS THAT JUST MAKE DOWNTOWN PHIL SPECIAL AND HAVE THAT CHARM.

I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO PUT SOME SKIN IN THAT GAME THAT WE NEED TO INVEST IN, UM, IN MAKING SURE THAT DOWNTOWN STAYS LIVELY AND INCREASE THE LIVELINESS.

UH, AND I THINK WE CAN INVEST IN THAT.

THERE'S ALSO, UM, SOMEONE IN DOWNTOWN APPLIED FOR A MAIN STREET AND, AND GOT, UM, GOT THAT THERE IS, UM, A LOT OF GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE TO MAIN STREETS AT A FEDERAL LEVEL, STATE LEVEL.

AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL WITH THAT.

UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE.

UM, SOMETHING I TALKED ABOUT A LOT AT THE BEGINNING WAS RECIPROCITY.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE, WE NEED TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.

A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU LOOK AT 2014, 2026, IS THAT THE CITY'S TAKING UP A LOT MORE SPACE IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND BECAUSE WE MOVED OUT OF BUILDINGS INTO THIS BUILDING, WE EXPANDED THE COURT, WE HAVE A PARKING GARAGE.

SO WE'VE KIND OF, WE'VE DONE OUR THING.

WE SPENT THE CITY, SPENT A LOT OF MONEY BUILDING THESE BUILDINGS, AND I THINK WE NEED TO REINVEST BACK INTO DOWNTOWN EDMOND IN A WAY WE NEVER HAVE BEFORE.

CAN I ADD ON TO PART OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING THERE? SURE.

YEAH.

WHICH IS, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE LANDSCAPING, ADDING HANGING BASKETS, UM, THROUGH A CONVERSATION THAT, THAT MR. MOORE AND I HAD WITH STEPHANIE CAROL TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO MM-HMM .

AND, AND THE CONCERNS THAT ARE OUT THERE WITH OUR EXISTING LIGHT POLES IN DOWNTOWN.

UM, I ACTUALLY CONTACTED PELCO AND THEIR ENGINEERING DIRECTOR, HAD AN ENGINEER COME OUT AND INSPECT EVERY SINGLE LIGHT POLE WE HAVE IN DOWNTOWN.

AND WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW OF THEM, UM, THAT ARE AGING OUT, IF YOU WILL.

THEY'RE STARTING TO RUST AT THE BASE WHERE THEY'RE, WHICH MEANS WE PROBABLY NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT UPGRADING.

AND WE ALSO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT SIZES OF LIGHT POLES IN DOWNTOWN FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THAT.

UM, AND MAYBE IT'S TIME WE GO AHEAD AND UPGRADE TO THE NEWEST STANDARD AND THE NEW STANDARD ACTUALLY BUILT INTO 'EM HAS THE, THE CONNECTIONS FOR HANGING BASKETS AND SOME OTHER THINGS.

UM, I MEAN, IF WE WANT DOWNTOWN TO LOOK LIKE WHAT WE THINK IT OUGHT TO LOOK LIKE, THAT'S A HUGE UPGRADE.

MM-HMM .

BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN I TRAVEL AROUND THE COUNTRY, THAT'S WHAT AMAZES ME IN A LOT OF THESE DOWNTOWN AREAS IS THERE IS COLOR MM-HMM .

ALMOST YEAR ROUND.

MM-HMM .

YEAH.

I'LL, I'LL ADD ONTO THAT.

I WENT TO THE MAIN STREET CONFERENCE.

IT'S A NATIONAL CONFERENCE THAT JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN TULSA THIS YEAR.

SO I WENT AND, UM, JUST WALKING AROUND AND LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT, I MEAN, OF COURSE IT'S A TRADE.

THEY WERE TRYING TO SELL US STUFF, BUT JUST LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, UM, THAT WOULD ADD YEAR ROUND COLOR AND CHARM.

[00:35:01]

UM, YEAH, I, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FINDING A WAY TO DO THOSE THINGS.

AND I THINK OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS WOULD BE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

AND THE NICE THING IS WE HAVE A MAJOR MANUFACTURER OF THOSE LIGHT POLES RIGHT HERE, SO MM-HMM .

ON FOUR OF THOSE HOLLOW BAY LIGHTS.

YEAH.

AND ADD A COUPLE OF THINGS.

UM, IS THERE A PUBLIC ART SECTION ALREADY IN THE MASTER PLAN? OKAY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES OUR DOWNTOWN SPECIAL TO ME IS ALL THE ART AND HOW WE'VE, YEAH.

I SAY WE, I DIDN'T DO ANY OF IT.

HOW YOU ALL PROBABLY HAVE, UM, DECORATED THE ALLEYS, THE BOXES, RIGHT.

PAINT EVERYTHING.

MM-HMM .

THAT'S WHAT I TELL SEND ALL THE TIME.

I PAINT EVERYTHING .

UM, BUT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GRAIN SILOS AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT WHAT BROKEN ARROW'S DONE, WHAT, UM, TEXAS TOWNS HAVE DONE.

LIKE THERE'S SOME NEAT STUFF WE COULD DO WITH PUBLIC ART THAT WE JUST REQUIRES A LITTLE MONEY TO DO THAT I THINK WOULD FURTHER KIND OF ENHANCE OUR DOWNTOWN AND FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE.

SO THAT WAS ONE I THINK WE SHOULD, IT'S, IT'S A PRIORITY FOR ME.

ALSO, I, I TRAVEL A LOT FOR WORK.

SOME WOULD BE FOLLOWING ME ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE, BUT I ALWAYS GO TO, WHEN I'M IN OTHER TOWNS, I ALWAYS GO TO THEIR DOWNTOWN AND SPEND TIME DOWN THERE JUST TO SEE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY TOLD ME WHEN YOU COME INTO A COUNCIL ROLE OR A PLANNING ROLE OR LIKE CITY STAFF, WHEN YOU GO PLACES, YOU LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY, RIGHT? WE SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT GOES INTO 'EM AND WHAT IT TAKES AND A DOOR OUT OVER STREETSCAPES AND ALL THE THINGS.

SO ANYWAY, SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED THAT OTHER DOWNTOWNS HAVE THAT WE, I THINK COULD DO BETTER, UM, WHEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN I GO TO CALIFORNIA, GATEWAYS ARE A BIG THING, AND I MENTIONED TO SOME OF YOU, I THINK A GATEWAY INTO DOWNTOWN WOULD BE REALLY COOL.

IT'S PLACEMAKING, IT'S IDENTIFICATION, IT'S BRANDING.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE AT DOWNTOWN OR IF IT WOULD BE AT FIFTH OR AT NINTH, RIGHT? IT PROBABLY DEPENDS ON WHAT OUR LONG-TERM VISION IS.

BUT SOMETHING THAT ANNOUNCES LIKE THE WELCOME MAT INTO DOWNTOWN.

I THINK GA A GATEWAY WOULD BE A COOL THING TO ADD IN JUST TO LOOK AT AT LEAST, UM, ANOTHER'S LIGHTING.

UM, SHE MENTIONED CHRISTMAS LIGHTING, BUT JUST STRING LIGHTING ACROSS IS A BIG THING.

YOU KNOW, DENVER WAS ONE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN THERE DOWNTOWN, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT CAN ADD CHARM.

PATIOS ARE ANOTHER THING.

I REALIZE THE IRONY OF SAYING THAT WHEN IT'S A HUNDRED MILLION DEGREES OUTSIDE, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S, CODY MENTIONED THIS ONE.

IT'S ON A POST.

THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SPACES AND A LOT OF TIMES HAVE SPACES THAT ARE OUTDOOR GATHERING SPOTS.

AND WE HAVE SOME OF THAT.

AND ESPECIALLY THE STREETIES ON THAT LAST SLIDE HAVE, HAVE ENHANCED THAT A LOT.

BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT TYPE OF STUFF FOR WHEN THE WEATHER'S NICE.

UM, I THINK THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS FOR ME.

I THINK I'D, I'D LOVE TO SEE A PLAN MORE OF A MASTER PLAN, WHAT WE DO ADDITIONALLY WITH, UH, MARKETPLACE FARMER'S MARKET IN GENERAL.

I KNOW EMILY USES AT CERTAIN TIMES A LITTLE MORE TO THE, TO THE WEST.

AND I THINK THAT COULD BE USED ALL THE TIME AND A LITTLE BIT ON THE WEST TOWARD THE NORTH.

I, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, I, WHENEVER I GO THERE, THAT PARKING IS ALWAYS FILLED, SO I REALLY HESITATE TO TAKE ALL THAT AWAY.

BUT, BUT ALONG THAT, ALONG THE TRACKS ON THAT, THAT FAR, UH, WEST SIDE, GOING TO THE NORTH, I THINK THERE'S WAYS WE COULD EXPAND THAT.

I THINK THERE'S ALSO WAYS, I THINK IT'S BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, I MEAN, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT TOTAL ENCLOSURE BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE HEAT AND AIR AND ALL THOSE THINGS, BUT ARE THERE WAYS TO MAKE IT LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE STRUCTURALLY, SUCH AS WIND BREAK SCREENS OR WALLS ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE WHERE NOBODY WANTS TO LOOK OUT ON SECOND STREET ANYWAY WHILE THEY'RE THERE.

YOU KNOW, JUST SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

SO, SO SOME KIND OF A PLAN TO ENHANCE THE LOOK AND EVEN, EVEN THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IS DEVOTED TO IT.

SO THAT'S ONE THING.

AND THE SECOND THING I, I, I REALLY BELIEVE AND ALWAYS HAVE, AND SO DID THE ULI FOR THAT MATTER, IF THAT ADDS ANY CREDENCE TO IT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE LACK DESPERATELY AND DOWNTOWN WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR IT.

AND THAT'S A BOUTIQUE HOTEL.

WE HAVE ZERO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I HAVE BUSINESS TRAVELERS COME IN MY DAY JOB, THEY, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S TOUGH TO KEEP THEM HERE.

AND, UH, THE HILTON GARDEN INN IS GREAT.

SOME OF THE OTHER HOTELS ARE OKAY, BUT, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT REALLY A BUSINESS TRAVELER HOTEL.

AND I THINK IT WOULD REALLY ENHANCE DOWNTOWN TO HAVE KIND OF

[00:40:01]

IF I REMEMBER THE ULI STUDY, THEY SAID, HEY, WE DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD LIMIT YOURSELF, OR THAT WE THINK EDMOND MIGHT BE ABLE TO EVEN SUPPORT TWO.

SO START WITH ONE.

UH, I REALIZE WE NEED DEVELOPERS AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO DO THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S A REAL LACKING, UH, RESOURCE AND NEED AND EDMOND THAT WOULD ADD TO THE DOWNTOWN AND ED TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE.

I SECOND THAT MOTION .

I AGREE.

I AGREE.

I HAVE SEEN, UM, SOME REALLY COOL BOUTIQUE HOTELS IN DOWNTOWN AREAS THAT DON'T, WHEN YOU'RE WALKING ON THE STREET, YOU DON'T THINK HOTEL.

YOU THINK YOU SEE THE RESTAURANT OR THE BOTTOM FLOOR RETAIL.

UM, SO I, I THINK THAT'S NEEDED.

AND I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE SUCH A SCARY TRANSITION, UM, INTO HAVING A HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

I DO THINK IT'S NEEDED.

I KNOW THE BUSINESSES NEED, UH, THE TRAFFIC.

I KNOW, UM, SUMMERS CAN BE HARD FOR SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING ELSE, TRAVELING ELSEWHERE.

AND I WANT TO CONTINUE FOR EDMOND TO BE A DESTINATION.

AND DOWNTOWN PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN THAT.

UM, RAILROAD MADE ME THINK OF THIS.

'CAUSE I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS I'VE GOTTEN ABOUT THE RAILROAD THIS WEEK, BUT, UM, THERE IS A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE UNDER THE RAILROAD THAT I THINK VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT.

I THINK IT'S FUN TO, TO GO UNDER THERE WHEN THERE'S NOT A TRAIN THERE.

'CAUSE THAT CAN BE A LITTLE LOUD.

UH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THAT.

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IS SOMETIMES OUT OF OUR CONTROL, TRAINS SIT ON THE TRACKS AND THEY, THEY DIVIDE OUR DOWNTOWN WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T GO FROM THIS SIDE OF DOWNTOWN OVER TO THE ICE HOUSE, TO THAT AREA THAT IS CONTINUING TO, TO DEVELOP.

UH, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THAT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CLIMB THROUGH THE TRAINS.

UM, THAT COULD BE, THAT COULD BE A DANGEROUS, UM, AND YEAH, THE RAILROAD IS WHAT IT IS.

IT'S ALSO A REALLY BIG PART OF WHY OUR CITY IS HERE .

SO, UH, I THINK PEDESTRIAN, NOT PEDESTRIAN.

I THINK CITIZENS SOMETIMES LOOK TO US AS HAVING SOME INFLUENCE OVER THE RAILROAD, SOME CONTROL OVER THE RAILROAD.

AND I HAVE LEARNED, WE HAVE, WE HAVE NONE.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO WORK, WORK AROUND THAT, MAYBE PUT SOME SIGNAGE TO DIRECT TO THAT PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OR EVEN PUT, UM, ART OR LIGHTING UNDER, UNDER THE TRACKS JUST TO MAKE IT MORE INVITING.

ALSO, IT'S UGLY, SO MM-HMM .

A WESTERN GATEWAY OR PAINTING ON THAT BRIDGE WOULD BE COOL.

MM-HMM .

BEFORE WE MOVE ALONG, CAN I ASK YOU IF YOU, UH, THE, THE SLIDE THAT'S ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, ONE, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WANT TO GET ANSWERED TODAY IS, AS A COUNCIL, DO YOU SUPPORT AN EFFORT TO UPDATE A DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN? I THINK I'M HEARING THERE'S SUPPORT FOR THAT.

UM, WE WOULD, UH, UNDOUBTEDLY WANT TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO HELP US DO THAT, AND WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION LATER.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THIS LIST OF, UH, TOPICS FOR A NEW MASTER PLAN, IS THERE ANYTHING IN HERE THAT YOU WOULD, I MEAN, IF YOU PRIORITIZED, WOULD YOU REMOVE ANYTHING? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK WE'RE MISSING? I MEAN, I THINK THE UNDERPASS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, MAYBE YOU WALKED THAT YOU FIT THAT UNDER WALKABILITY, SAFETY AND CONNECTIVITY, BUT WE COULD PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO, UM, TO THE UNDERPASS.

BUT TWO PART QUESTION I GUESS, IS THERE, IS THERE SUPPORT FOR UPDATING THE 2014 MASTER PLAN? AND THEN IF SO, DID THESE LOOK LIKE THE TOPICS YOU'D WANT TO FOCUS ON? IS THERE SOMETHING WE'RE MISSING? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULDN'T DO? I, I SUPPORT UPDATING THE MASTER PLAN.

I, WHATEVER CONSULTANT IS CHOSEN FOR THAT.

I WOULD WANT THEM TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN DOWNTOWN.

AND I WOULD WANT THEM TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PLANNING STAFF BECAUSE THEY KNOW THIS DOWNTOWN.

I WOULD WANT THEM TO TALK TO THE FARMER'S MARKET AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO SPEND MOST OF THEIR WAKING HOURS HERE.

UM, SO WHEN I LOOK AT HOUSING, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A, IF YOU LOOK AT FROM 2014 TO 2026, I MEAN, THAT'S, THE APARTMENTS ARE A BIG PART OF WHAT'S CHANGED IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

I DON'T KNOW THEIR, YOU KNOW, HOW FULL THEY ARE.

UM, I THINK I WOULD ADD TO THIS HOTEL, I THINK THAT THE TRAVELERS, THE WAY THEY SPEND MONEY AND THEY SPEND TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND.

AND I'M NOT SAYING TAKE HOUSING OFF,

[00:45:01]

SO I WOULD ADD A HOTEL, YES.

UH, UPDATE, UH, 14.

BUT, UH, I HEARD YOU SAY WE MIGHT NEED TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO HELP US ON THAT.

UH, I WOULD HOPE IF THAT'S THE ROUTE YOU GO AND WE'RE TALKING TO A, A NUMBER OF CONSULTANTS THAT THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, NOT SLIDE IN WITH A BRIEFCASE AND AN AIRPLANE TICKET AND TELL US HOW TO DO IT, BUT TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT AND LISTEN TO THEIR SUGGESTIONS.

NOT WE, UH, THE, THE COUNCIL, BUT WE, THE CITY.

I MEAN, TAKE MS. CARROLL OUT THERE.

SHE WORKS HARD ON DIVA AND HER LITTLE SHOP OVER THERE.

SHE'S GOT GOOD IDEAS.

UH, UH, I MEAN, HELL, IF THEY HAD TO, THEY COULD TALK TO RANDALL.

HE MIGHT HAVE A GOOD IDEA EVERY NOW AND THEN .

SO, UH, UH, SO JUST MAKE, I REALLY WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON FOLKS THAT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH A HUNDRED THOUSAND, 200,000 SIZE CITY.

UH, MR. WATERSON MENTIONED VIEWING CITIES, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, WHEN YOU GO TO DIFFERENT TOWNS.

AND, UH, SALINA, KANSAS IS A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE DOWNTOWN.

THEY'VE GOT IT FIGURED OUT.

UH, SO PLEASE ASK THEM TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE HEART AND SOUL OF EDMUND.

UH, TALK TO SOME CITY ELDERS AND CITY YOUNGERS, UH, AND, AND GET A SENSE OF WHAT WE WANT.

DON'T TELL US HOW IT OUGHT TO BE.

OKAY.

I'M A, I'M ABSOLUTELY A YES AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE MISSING ANYTHING ON THERE.

SO I THOUGHT YOU GRABBED THE MIC.

I MEAN, YES.

DO YOU AGREE WITH ADDING HOTEL? I TOTALLY AGREE.

LEMME ASK YOU THIS.

UM, WOULD YOU BE SUPPORTIVE OF SOMETHING SEPARATE FOR THE FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE? SOMETHING THAT WOULD FOCUS ONLY ON THAT AND MAYBE IT'S SLIGHTLY BROADER GEOGRAPHY THERE, IT'S THE FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE TO INCLUDE THE RAILROAD, TO INCLUDE THE UNDERPASS TO INCLUDE WHAT YOU WERE JUST MENTIONING.