Downtown Vision
Project ID:
CD-01013
Project Category:
General
Project Status:
In Design or Study
Project Priority:
Quality of Life
Expended to Date:
$300,000
Project Lead:
J. Biggs
2015
Winter 2017
In January 2015, the City Council identified development of a Downtown Plan as a priority. In May 2015, Council provided further direction that an initial step be a visioning process (confirmed as a Council goal in February 2017). This visioning effort will be focused on identifying the community’s desired level of downtown economic vibrancy, what type and intensity of development is required to achieve that, and the related consequences/impacts. Three to four scenarios will be developed followed by public input sessions and feedback opportunities to ensure broad community comment. Based upon the result of this effort, the appropriate next steps for development of a Downtown Plan will be determined.
| Project Estimates | Prior Appropriations |
2017/18 Budget | 2018/19 Planned | 2019/20 Planned | 2020/21 Planned | 2021/22 Planned | Total |
| Downtown Plan | $300,000 | - 0 - | - 0 - | - 0 - | - 0 - | - 0 - | $300,000 |
| Funding Sources | |||||||
| CIP | $125,057 | - 0 - | - 0 - | - 0 - | - 0 - | - 0 - | $125,057 |
| General Fund | $174,943 | - 0 - | - 0 - | - 0 - | - 0 - | - 0 - | $174,943 |
Status Updates
July 1, 2016: This week, a notice requesting proposals from qualified consulting firms was released for the Downtown Visioning effort. This is the first step in the process that will lead towards fulfilling the City Council’s goal of the completion of a Downtown Plan. This visioning effort will be focused on identifying the community’s desired level of downtown economic vibrancy, what type and intensity of development is required to achieve that, and the related consequences/impacts. Three to four scenarios need to be developed for presentation and feedback opportunities to ensure broad community support of the vision.
July 29, 2016: Today, July 29, 2016, is the deadline for consultants to submit proposals in response to an RFP released by the City for the Downtown Visioning process. Staff has fielded numerous questions from a number of planning consulting firms that have stated an interest in the project. The top consultants will be invited to present their proposals to City staff, who will then recommend appointment of the finalist to the City Council. Once the agreement between the consultant and City is finalized, the Downtown Visioning process will begin. Expect more updates and results of the RFP process in the near future.
August 26, 2016: Interviews of the three finalists for the Downtown Vision effort were conducted this week and a consulting firm to lead this effort was identified by the interview panel. Staff is now reaching out to the firm to finalize some details so that a formal recommendation can be brought to the City Council at its meeting on September 13, 2016.
September 30, 2016: In conjunction with the Downtown Vision consultants, staff is preparing the public engagement process for the Downtown Vision effort. An early step in this process is the development of a list of those who would like to be notified through email of upcoming events and activities in the public engagement process. Interested persons can subscribe to receive future email announcements at losaltosca.gov/enotify. Subscribers will be sent notifications and information about events and activities as the community develops a Vision for the Downtown.
November 4, 2016: Staff has been collecting data for the Downtown Vision Effort so that the RRM Design Group has a full understanding of past planning efforts in the Downtown. This includes collecting the maps and diagrams that will serve as basis for the visual aids used in outreach efforts and provide the community with a visual reference to current land use rules and policies.
November 18, 2016: With concurrence of the City Council – staff and the Downtown Vision consultant team are completing the list of groups and persons to contact for guidance on how best to engage the community as the Los Altos Downtown Vision effort moves forward. Broad community input and support for the outreach and community engagement effort will be crucial in the development of a Vision for the Downtown that shows and explains how this City wants its downtown to look and feel in the future.
December 16, 2016: City staff and the consultant team held a meeting this week on the development of a webpage for the Downtown Vision effort. The intent of the webpage is to provide the community with a convenient location where information and updates on the Downtown Vision effort can be found. In addition, the website will provide the community with a venue where it can participate and provide input and ideas on the Downtown’s future. The webpage is expected to go live in early January of 2017.
January 6, 2017: The Downtown Vision team will be holding interviews next week with a number of residents to listen and learn of ways to best reach members of the community and get them involved in the Downtown Vision project. This is in preparation for the community outreach planning effort, which will be brought to the City Council for review. Each community is unique and outreach strategies must be tailored to each city. The goal here is to customize an outreach plan that will engage as many people in the process as possible so that the Downtown Vision is truly a Community Vision – as Petula Clark melodically noted – “Downtown - everything's waiting for you.”
January 13, 2017: The Downtown Vision team held a series of interviews this week with a number of residents and property owners in Los Altos. They learned a great deal and good input was provided on ways to reach the Community and encourage their participation in the process. The team will incorporate what they have heard and learned into the Community Engagement Plan that will be taken to the City Council for approval.
March 16, 2017: City Council concurred with the community engagement plan for the Downtown Vision Process and confirmed the future scenarios for Downtown Los Altos that will be used in the community engagement effort at their meeting on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. For more information, view the City Council staff report or watch the meeting.
July 2020: The plan has been completed and is now a Council priority