Public Realm Committee

 

Public Realm Committee meets the first Thursday of the month, 5 to 6:30 p.m, via Zoom, unless otherwise noted. Meeting details can be found on the CRC homepage.

Thursday, April 4, 2024: Public Realm Committee, 5-6:30 p.m., via Zoom

Agenda

1. Introduction of new committee chair, Linda McBrayer, to kick off introductions and the ‘Elevator Pitch’ question: “What does living downtown mean to you?”
2. Discussion items:
     A. The Downtown Parking Management Strategy-- specifically what questions or observations do you have about downtown parking that you would like to convey to city officials, and next step: do we have CRC send a letter to the city with our observations and a requests to complete an updated study?
    B. Would the committee like to hear monthly updates from public safety officials from Saint Paul Police and Metro Transit Police? 
3. Input from the Committee on how to solicit project ideas.
4. Would the Committee like to meet once a quarter in person?
5. Before the next meeting on May 2nd, please think of how you would answer the following question: “it’s April 4th, 2029, and you have been asked by a perspective resident what three words you would use to describe downtown Saint Paul.” Be certain that if you use a word like ‘safe’ that you think about what that entails as not everyone defines that word the same way.

To join the meeting via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85073971890?pwd=a0k5UHZGUWZpcEVBc0JlQjZZMzdKdz09

Meeting ID: 850 7397 1890

Passcode: 194345

February 2023 meeting info:

November 2023 meeting agenda:

  • Metro Transit is seeking feedback on the G Line, a planned bus rapid transit line that will serve Rice and Robert streets. Please review the G Line Fact Sheet for more info. Nasser Mussa, Metro Transit Outreach Coordinator, will join us for this discussion.
  • Continue discussion about Lowertown traffic calming: At the August committee meeting, there was a brief discussion about asking the City to study ideas for traffic calming. One suggestion was to ask for a study or pilot project to close some segments of streets when there are events at CHS Field or the Xcel Center (as is done for some events, like Jazz Fest in Mears Park). The purpose of this item is to clarify whether we should request such a study, and if so, what questions would we like to be addressed?

October 6, 2022 committee meeting

2021 Pedro Park Neighborhood Workgroup

Upcoming Public Realm Events

The Public Realm Committee identifies concerns, issues, and related goals on topics that relate to public spaces, including parks, transportation, public safety, and other quality-of-life / livability issues. Committee members develop recommendations on these topics by discussing questions, such as:

  • What is the problem we are trying to address?
  • What are potential solutions or ways to address the problem?
  • What stands in our way?
  • Who could help us learn about this?
  • Who else is interested in this issue (specific people or other organizations)?
  • What are the major tasks that are needed to develop recommendations and would take substantial time to complete?

Recent Committee Updates

August 5, 2021, 5:00-6:30 PM - CRC Public Realm Committee: In person at Mears Park

  • Agenda:

    • Friends of Mears Park history / garden tour

    • Informational
      • Pedro Workgroup Update
    • Discussion
      • National Night Out - August 3 (how did it go, plans for next year)
  • Public Realm Website

March 2020: 
Parks Survey Cover Letter
Results from Downtown St. Paul Park Spaces Community Survey

November 7, 2019:
The Public Realm Committee has worked hard over the last several months to develop the Park Survey and it is now live for everyone to give their input!

October 3, 2019: 
Read the October Public Realm Committee meeting notes

September 9, 2019: The committee met with City staff in the Parks and Recreation department, and talked about how parks-related projects get prioritized, and how district councils can be influential in those decision-making processes. Read the September public realm committee meeting notes

August 1, 2019: The committee continued discussion of the draft survey about potential park projects / improvements. Read the August public realm committee meeting notes

July 11, 2019: The committee discussed a draft survey for downtown residents and workers about potential parks projects / improvements, including how to distribute it and how the survey results would help identify high-priority activities that CRC could advocate. Read the July public realm committee meeting notes

April 4, 2019: The committee made two motions (please read the April 4, 2019 meeting notes for more info): 

  • Motion to recommend that CRC designate board member liaisons to regularly attend City meetings and to formalize communication with BOMA, the Downtown Alliance, and Council Member Noecker. The motion was tabled by the CRC board for further discussion. Please see the recommended changes to the CRC bylaws that could facilitate these formal partnerships. 
  • Motion to request that the City adopt PROWAG standards for the downtown street and sidewalk improvements. CRC Executive Director contacted City staff in Public Works and was told that the City does try to follow these standards as much as possible. The CRC board also voted in support of this motion. 

March 7, 2019: The committee discussed goals and priorities for the following year, and the group selected the following top priorities:

1. Parks, green space, green things (planters, other ways of adding plants instead of concrete) and public art

2. Public safety, issues related to security cameras, and other police / public safety issues

3. Large-scale projects such as the proposed River Balcony


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  • Jon Fure
    published this page in Committees 2019-04-01 10:17:22 -0500