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study and potential economic outcomes following completion of the revitalization, comparisons were made
<br />to many of the eastern Washington neighboring communities implementing main street revitalizations,
<br />with overwhelming positive results.
<br />Eastern Washington examples of economic revitalization resulting from revitalized Main
<br />Streets/downtowns include Grandview, Sunnyside, and Yakima, Washington. The consultant team
<br />contracted by the City (HLA and HBB) led these three efforts, including the award-winning Grandview
<br />"Alive" Downtown Revitalization, where over twenty store fronts were vacant prior to the project, and
<br />today, there are no downtown vacancies in the thriving community. As discussed in Question 2, this
<br />economic revitalization has already begun in Cie Elum's downtown.
<br />Public benefits from the project completion are improved transportation flow and decrease in multi -modal
<br />conflict. For the motoring public, reduced travel lanes and increased streetscape defines the space of the
<br />walkable downtown and prepares the driver for slower and mixed mobility activity. The majority of
<br />improvements are for people using the sidewalk system in the downtown core. Wide, unobstructed
<br />sidewalks, a mix of street and pedestrian level lighting, bulb -outs designed to reduce the crossing distance
<br />at every intersection in the corridor, and shade and amenities to provide comfort are all elements included
<br />in the design with public benefit as the focus.
<br />5. Define the total number of project partners demonstrating project support.
<br />The City retained the services of HLA Engineering and Land Surveying, Inc. (HLA), together with HBB
<br />Landscape Architecture (HBB), to facilitate the downtown planning process to arrive at a concept titled
<br />the "Preferred Alternative" as shown on the attached pamphlet titled "Downtown Revitalization Planning
<br />1 st Street Concept." The planning process was initiated in April 2017 with a Walk and Talk downtown
<br />tour, which included City staff and the Mayor, primarily to discuss existing themes, deficiencies, and
<br />opportunities. Next, four focus group sessions were administered with assistance from Central Washington
<br />University land -use planning students, including business owners, longtime residents, students, and
<br />Suncadia Resort members.
<br />From the focus groups, HLA and 1-11313 created two geometric layouts of a typical block and three amenity
<br />grouping concepts. These layouts and concepts were presented at a community stakeholder workshop with
<br />28 participants, and public preferences were noted. Based on workshop findings, a preferred concept was
<br />born and presented at a combined City Council and Planning Commission study session, see attached titled
<br />"Cie Elum Downtown Planning -- Focus on I st Street Design Concepts." Following the study session, the
<br />concept was presented at a public forum with 32 participants, continuing to gain traction. After detailing
<br />the preferred concept to address public desires, the Planning Commission prepared an official
<br />recommendation to the City Council on June 26, 2017, to adopt the Preferred Alternative, see attached. On
<br />June 27, 2017, the City Council adopted by Resolution 2017-011 (attached) the Preferred Alternative with
<br />an overwhelming amount of support from the community, 45 participants and standing room only in the
<br />Council Chambers.
<br />Construction of the stormwater system took place and nearly all remaining street improvements will take
<br />place within existing Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) right of way, while the
<br />City has control of access points. As a result, the City has been required to and will continue to receive
<br />WSDOT approval on plans and specifications prior to construction (see Question 6).
<br />Since the initial outreach in 2017, and as the City completed Phases 1 and 2, the City has continued
<br />partnering with funding providers such as: Kittitas County Conference of Governments, USDA, FHWA,
<br />Department of Ecology, Department of Commerce, QUADCO, Public Works Board, Washington State
<br />Legislators, and TIB. In its entirety, Phase 3 will require an estimated $6,950,000 to complete.
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