master plan update - City of Boca Raton

SECTION FIMPLEMENTATIONimplementationINITIATIVESThe Master Plan Update is organized tofacilitate implementation.The two types of elements, Frameworksand Development Quarters, eachhave their own method of being implemented.The Frameworks are mostly inthe public realm but require a collaborationwith private property owners anddevelopers. The Development projectsare on private property, but must havepublic endorsement to be built.The plan also identifies specific initiatives,all of which include both publicimprovements and private development.This calls for an effective collaborationamong public agencies and private owners.Each initiative requires both a holistic,interdisciplinary approach as well asstrong leadership. This is generally bestaccomplished with either a Task Forceor a Steering Committee to review andsupport the initiatives.In our experience, the most effectiveorganizational structure for implementingsuch a program is one in which thereis a group of citizens and public officialscharged with the task. The most commonform in other parts of the U.S. is tohave a Redevelopment Authority Boardappointed by Council but not necessarilyconsisting of Council members.This group then sees the redevelopmenteffort as its primary task rather than oneof many responsibilities. Another effectiveapproach is to establish a Task Forceor Steering Committee. In that alternative,we recommend that the DowntownAdvisory Committee (which wasrecently created by the CRA Board)become the Downtown Steering Committeeresponsible for the implementationof the plan. Since this Committeeserves at the pleasure of the CRA Board,it would be led by the Chair of the CRAand report to the Board on a regularbasis.Equally important is the organizationof City staff for the implementationof the program.We therefore recommend that eachinitiative have a Task Force consisting ofkey City staff and the key private sectorindividuals involved in implementingthe initiative. The overall coordinationof the effort will require a senior staffperson within City Hall with adequatesupport staff.This is critical in order to maintainthe interdisciplinary nature of the process.Most efforts are currently beingaccomplished by agencies or departmentswith a single focus. For example,the improvements to the public realminclude crosswalks, revised cartwaydesigns, and streetscapes. The effortwould normally be led by the MunicipalServices Department. But the focusof such a department is generally onvehicular traffic movement, not onthe other aspects of street design. Thedesign work should be done, not by anengineering firm focusing primarily onthe mechanics of the design, but by aninterdisciplinary design team that willfind creative solutions for the whole.It is the role of the Steering Committee,the CRA Board, and the InitiativeTask Forces to make sure this isaccomplished.The plan also identifies the projectswhich are most important to move forwardwith quickly. These include:1 Central Palmetto Park Roadincluding crosswalk and streetimprovements2 New development south of PalmettoPark Road3 NE Second Street improvementswith crosswalk extending to MiznerPark, combined with partial orfull redevelopment of the SanbornSquare Quarter4 City Hall Quarter developmentincluding the new library and parkingfacility as well as crosswalks atFederal Highway and both SecondStreet and Palmetto Park Road5 East Palmetto Park Road improvementsand Silver Palm Park combinedwith development on theWildflower property6 Development a comprehensiveparking program:Step 1 Set up a governingmechanismStep 2 Conduct a parking needsstudy to evaluate the gap betweenspaces needed and available supplyStep 3 Organize property ownersand city agencies to develop a coordinatedsystem66