Stockton Miracle Mile Work Group Meeting Minutes 02-07-24

Introduction of VMS (Joey Nespoli and Linda Chia)

- Emergency exits
- Restroom locations
- Safety and Security of vehicles – back parking lot gate will be closed.

VMS has been tasked by Caltrans to facilitate the Ad Hoc Workgroup during this effort.

Start from a place that everyone in this room is here because they care about the Miracle Mile and want to make a difference. Please respect each other and suspend judgement.

Today is an opportunity for feedback to help us move forward with thoughtful intention. All questions, comments and ideas are welcome. Please stay on topic.

Caltrans Non-Discrimination Policy (excerpt):

• The California Department of Transportation, under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ensures: “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
• Caltrans will make every effort to ensure nondiscrimination in all of its services, programs and activities, whether they are federally funded or not, and that services and benefits are fairly distributed to all people, regardless of race, color, or national origin. In addition, Caltrans will facilitate meaningful participation in the transportation planning process in a nondiscriminatory manner.
• Related federal statutes, remedies, and state law further those protections to include sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and age.

Spanish translation is available for any parts of the meeting that participants needed assistance. Caltrans representative Hilda Sousa is on site for support.

Recording of the meeting will be available after the meeting by visiting the Caltrans website at https://bit.ly/stocktonmiraclemile

For additional comments or questions, please submit an email to StocktonMiracleMile@dot.ca.gov

Kevin Dougherty called the meeting to order. This is the third of four public meetings to gather feedback from the public. The purpose of the Ad Hoc Workgroup is to provide direction to the City of Stockton on how to transform the Miracle Mile into a safe, vibrant and economically robust business district that will be a premier Central Valley destination for residents, visitors, students and new business enterprises.

Acknowledged planning team and Ad Hoc Working group, specifically Assembly member Villapudua and Chief of Staff Israel Landa and Caltrans staff, specifically Silvia Dayak and Mark Samuelson. Acknowledged SJCOG as well as the City of Stockton, the City Manager Harry Black and Chad Reed the newly appointed Public Works Director.

Meeting Overview:
We are sharing out progress to date on the work being done by the Ad Hoc Workgroup and the subcommittees. The subcommittees will present their concepts that will be further researched. There will be time for public comments from everyone in person and virtually. We will conclude with next steps, outlining the Ad Hoc work, the City of Stockton’s process for bidding and warding this project and an update on the Funds Transfer Agreement from Caltrans to allocate the money to the City under Assembly Bill 179.

Jean Callahan performed the roll call.

Ad Hoc Workgroup members in attendance:

• Assemblymember representing Miracle Mile
  Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua
• Residents of Miracle Mile area (within 5 miles)
  Phillip Herrera
  Howard Seligman
• Business owner with property on Miracle Mile and member of Miracle Mile Improvement District
  Kevin Dougherty
• Commercial property owner with no business on Miracle Mile
  Ravdeep “Rex” Dhatt
• University of the Pacific representative
  Jean Callahan
• Delta College representative
  Cameron Farrens
• Developer
  Kevin Hernandez
• Local service clubs representatives
  Diana Lowery
• Architect, civil engineer, traffic engineer, or land use and urban planner
  Paris Allen
  Kerry Sullivan (online)
• Cyclist who commutes to Miracle Mile
  Jerry Enni (online)
• Stockton Chamber of Commerce representative
  Dwight Williams

There is one vacant seat representing the farmers markets.

This is the third of four public meetings for the Miracle Mile Ad Hoc Workgroup to gather feedback from the public.

The Ad Hoc Workgroup is following a process in planning known as Value Methodology that has distinct phases to help us move through learning, brainstorming, evaluating, and developing concepts that will turn into reality when this project is ready to bid and construct.

Members of the Ad Hoc Workgroup have spent a lot of time learning about best practices and standards for corridor or street designs.

• Presentations from Caltrans that went into further detail on active transportation from the last public meeting in December.
• Case studies presented from different perspectives by public works from the City of Livermore, Planners for Little Italy in San Diego, mobility designs for the City of Santa Monica, and improvement district ideas for the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter.
• The Ad Hoc Workgroup participated in the walking tour of the Miracle Mile to observe current conditions.
• A walking tour of Miner Avenue took place to compare a recent city design with comparable dollars and distance.

The Ad Hoc Workgroup began brainstorming all possibilities for the Miracle Mile and those ideas were shared at the last public meeting in December where the public participated and brainstormed additional ideas.

Then subcommittees were formed who will focus on specific elements:

• Business Development chaired by Kevin Hernandez
• Civil Improvements chaired by Paris Allen
• Community Engagement chaired by Jonathan Hernandez
• Mobility chaired by Mariela Lomeli
• Place-making chaired by Kerry Sullivan
• Security & Lighting chair is vacant.

Update by Kevin Hernandez:

• Add a Farmers Market within the Miracle Mile footprint (at Tuxedo Court, Caldwell Park)
• Ensure support to businesses during construction with appropriate signage, detours and compensate business if closure required during construction.
• Establish and fund development/entrepreneur center on the Miracle Mile focused on attracting new businesses, providing consulting services to ensure businesses are successful and open, market property vacancies, explore public and private partnerships, seek additional federal, state and city funding for needed infrastructure.
• Define standard core business hours and days open for all businesses on the Mile.
• Install signs (black metal with hanging sign) that are perpendicular to buildings to make it easier to identify businesses.

Update by Paris Allen:

• Crosswalks – add bulb-outs at intersections for better visibility
• Sidewalks – create larger sidewalks
• Flex zone – flexible space for either parking or additional outdoor dining or parklet
• Traffic Calming – introduce gradual traffic funneling to two narrow lanes starting at Alpine completing at Castle
• Road Design – build a roundabout/traffic circle/chicane at Regent to help slow traffic and increase the ease of flow.

Update by Jonathan Hernandez:

• Create a student survey for both UOP and Delta students
• Celebrate our neighborhoods surrounding the Miracle Mile District with a banner program
• Add a local signboard (digital concept) to have local interests peaked and give a place for people to see upcoming events (QR codes)
• Music pop ups at various locations along the Miracle Mile
• University of the Pacific homecoming parade on Pacific Avenue.

Update by Kevin Dougherty (on behalf of subcommittee chair):

• Add bike lanes along Pacific Avenue
• Add bike parking along Pacific Avenue or on the side streets near Pacific intersection
• Prohibit skateboarding and bicycling on sidewalks by offering alternative lanes to travel.
• Explicitly improve routes and wayfinding between the different campuses and miracle mile
• Finish Alpine compete streets program to connect Pacific Avenue
• Add bus stops to Pacific Avenue
• Introduce and implement multimodal educational safety campaign

Update by Paris Allen (on behalf of Kerry Sullivan):

• Congregate – develop Tuxedo and Pacific as a plaza for events and farmers markets (add retractable bollards)
• Maintain and enhance a unified character of the Miracle Mile
• Create activity-oriented spaces and public art spaces (permanent ping pong tables); public arts program (mural program)
• Create a threshold for the Miracle Mile to transition between the classic mile and the extended mile.
• Introduce and enhance landscaping in all planters; native plants and low water consumption

Update by Jeff Gamboni:

• Create, increase, and improve lighting to all areas of the mile achieving the dual goals of enhancing safety while increasing the aesthetics
• Install string lights along the miracle mile, crossing the street and in front of business
• All lighting around Caldwell Park and Alpine to Castle
• Foster a secure dining and retail environment by implementing camera systems, license plate scanners, emergency blue boxes, and physical patrol.
• Secure dumpsters with locked, lidded enclosures; install more trash receptacles that are difficult to overturn.

Caldwell Park ideas are being extracted because the ideas were discussed across various subcommittee groups. These ideas will be discussed in a separate subcommittee.

The presented list of ideas is not final. The sub committee only highlighted the main ideas, but the public is able to comment on all recommendations.

Public comments can be given for up to two minutes. The public has received the entire list of recommendations that can be commented on.

• Business Owner of MM – concerned with maintenance of the Miracle Mile as well as homelessness, addiction, drug use. Please plan on tackling the root causes of these issues.
• Business Vendor and MM – witnessed speeding fire trucks in rainy conditions and sheriff vehicles racing down the street – what is the City and Caltrans perspective on the traffic calming measures and how are they communicated with the Fire Department and the Police Department?
  • The committee has been tasked to identify the issues on the Miracle Mile, the Public Works Director is hopefully taking notes on how to address traffic calming with emergency departments in the future.
• Professor at UOP and on Mobility Subcommittee – most students don’t have personal vehicles. Bike lanes need to be protected and safe or they won’t get used.
• Virtual comments: eliminate the Mile to emergency vehicles would be detrimental to businesses and residents on the Mile.
• Has there been any discussion with the City on increasing police presents on the Mile especially on weekends?
  • Chad Reed: comment will be brought up to the proper department within the City.
• Resident of the Miracle Mile: Thank you for recognizing Caldwell Park as a possible music venue; there is a special connection sitting on grass and listening to music.
• Resident of the Miracle Mile and employee of UOP: wife goes to Caldwell Park with son frequently, but it is currently not safe due to homeless congregating there; improve the diversity of what is already existing – exercise equipment, include older people (a large retirement community is in the area) to make the area safer.
  Reviewed Miner Avenue and the budget that was used for that project; the current budget will not cover all the ideas proposed; how do we prioritize or how do we develop future components? Kevin Hernandez: additional grants will be required; the project will need to be built in phases. Kevin Dougherty – expecting assistance from the City and SJCOG to secure future grants.
  Diana Lowery – partnering grants are already being thought off.
• Employee of UOP and Placemaking subcommittee member: it would be nice to have subtle music playing in the background of the Mile.
• Virtual comment: have there be any discussions with new potential anchor tenants (e. g. Apple Store etc) – Jean Callahan has reached out to some businesses; will continue to work with the City to perform outreach. Diana Lowery – thank you all for coming; safety and security is our main goal.
• Gina: does anybody know what will be built where the old Stockton?? Was and how does it play into the development of the Mile? Rex – the final building has not been decided yet but it will be consistent with the design of the classic Miracle Mile; most likely a commercial/ housing mix.
• Stockton homeowner: its important to have Caldwell Park available; future generations don’t think about going to college in Stockton
• San Joaquin County resident: Stockton is a home of families; thank you for focusing on the Miracle Mile and keep Caldwell Park a free park.
• County Supervisor: your work is commendable; how far does $20m go? Focus on brighter lights; working on mental health and homeless encampments.
• Born and raised Stockton resident: partnership with local schools would be a great idea; a recreational center for roller skating at Caldwell Park; amphitheater style music events (adding seats).
• ATP Coordinator Caltrans - BD-32 (Business Development); people living mixed use buildings means eyes on the streets which indirectly improves safety and security.
• UOP employee and artist of benches currently on Miracle Mile – bench project was funded by art project through the City. Does the City still propose these projects? Chad Reed – is taking notes and will find an answer.
• Rex – the goal is to rent out every space at the Miracle Mile; City money should be focused around the Miracle Mile and not just downtown Stockton. People need to feel safe to shop and eat at the Miracle Mile; the funds are limited, and the project has to be implemented in phases (safety first).
• Jean Callahan – Lets act with a sense of urgency

We will take feedback from tonight’s meeting and integrate it into the concepts shared today.

At the next public meeting the final ideas will be proposed to the City.
We invite the City to explain the process on next steps.

Chad Reed: Thank you for the kind words. The City will take the general scope from the public and issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to hire a Designer. A public outreach meeting will be conducted at the 30% Design milestone; another public meeting will be conducted at 60% Design and a final Design will be proposed. The RFP for construction will be issued and a contractor will be hired to build the actual project. The initial RFP requires writing the scope, going out to bid, and hiring a consultant (this can take several months).

Howard Seligman – to what extent can the committee provide input once the consultant has been obtained?

Joey – the term of the committee is completed per the charter once the recommendations are forwarded to the City; the City Manager has proposed an amendment to the charter which allows the committee members to continuously be involved with the project (the charter will need to be voted on at the last public meeting).

Kevin Dougherty – how do you see the final report of recommendations and the scope of work be tied together? Chad Reed – The ideas will go through the different departments within the City and proposals will have to be vetted through City codes etc. this will narrow down certain ideas.

Silvia Dayak – update on RFA on behalf of Caltrans. $20m were encumbered on February 7, 2024, and the City of Stockton can issue an invoice to receive a lump sum payment.

Assembly member Villapudua – thank you to the public for attending today; be patient, trust the process; this group has been working hard; the public’s input is viable.

More information will be made public in the coming weeks; be sure to visit the Caltrans website at https://bit.ly/stocktonmiraclemile

If you have additional comments or questions, please submit via email at StocktonMiracleMile@dot.ca.gov

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Some subcommittee meeting dates have changed and have been communicated to all subcommittee members.

The next and final public meeting for this phase of the project is TBD and will be made public as soon as a date has been secured.

Kevin Dougherty thanked for participating in person and virtually. Jean Callahan thanked all participants. The meeting was adjourned.