Project Process
The pre-design process will provide several opportunities for both online and in-person public engagement. Outreach to the public and other stakeholders will inform recommendations for potential future projects related to investments in the City Hall, Police Department, and Maintenance facilities. City Council has not yet considered whether to pursue any facility improvements at this time.
Background
A Municipal Facility Study was completed in August of 2022. The study assessed current site and facility conditions for each building, including materials, infrastructure, systems and code compliance. The study also paired an analysis of available space and capacity with an evaluation of each department’s projected operations and staffing needs..
Key Findings
- The building that houses City Hall and the Police Department has been well-maintained for its age and has minimal issues with its exterior. However, the building’s mechanical and electrical systems, AV/IT, and security technology are all approaching end-of-life, which poses a risk to safety, efficiency, and accessibility for all who use the facility.
- The Police Department lacks sufficient space for current numbers of staff, which restricts any future growth. It also lacks onsite training facilities for officers and staff.
- The Maintenance facility houses administrative offices, vehicle storage and maintenance, shop space, yard storage, and public works. The building has a number of issues as a result of its age, construction type, proximity to salt, and heavy use by large vehicles. The vehicle and equipment storage areas are constrained, which restricts effective operations, limits proper maintenance, and impacts safety for workers. Circulation for deliveries lacks clarity.
- All three facilities can be reconfigured internally to better function; however, expansions of each of the facilities will be necessary in order to adequately accommodate projected growth and evolutions in staffing and services. The existing building sizes are insufficient even for today’s needs.
- Reuse and adaptation of the City’s existing buildings and surrounding land is a fiscally responsible approach to meeting future needs. However, it is not without complexity. City Hall has fewer site constraints than the Police Department, allowing more room for expansion. Some of the Police Department’s space needs could be accommodated by expanding into City Hall’s current footprint if some of the City Hall’s functions could move into an expanded footprint. This approach links any improvements to these two facilities, and would require them to be designed and constructed as a single project.
- Projects to address deficiencies in the Maintenance facility could be split by priority, allowing investments in administrative space, vehicle storage and maintenance, and site/yard storage space to be phased over time.
Objectives
City staff have identified eight guiding principles to serve as the foundation for the planning process. These guiding principles include: Welcoming to the Community, Efficient and Effective, Clear Communication, Sustainable, Functional and Flexible, Healthy, Safe and Fiscally Responsible.
Key objectives include:
- Design welcoming, well-organized facilities oriented to serving our community and promoting inclusion and belonging
- Engage project stakeholders during all architectural and design phases
- Design high-quality facilities that reflect our values of innovation, collaboration and excellence
- Design a building plan and site plan that is functional for current services and flexible for future changes to services
- Ensure design uses LEED as a guide for design elements
- Design meets or exceeds requirements for ADA, building and zoning codes, and wellness goals
- Design spaces that are safe, secure and welcoming while providing a great public experience
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