March 4, 2005 Minutes

Members present: Herb Snyder, Linda Coates, Pat Zavoral, Charles Pace, Mike Sebille, Helen Levitt, John Cosgriff
Others Present: representatives from MS&R, Image Group, and Bob Rohlf & Associates, Lowell Wolff of Fargo Public Schools, Roger Gress of Fargo Park District, City of Fargo staff, public and media

Minutes
Helen Levitt moved to approve the minutes of February 11, 2005. Charles Pace seconded the motion; the motion carried.

Discussion
The timeline presented in the proposal from MS&R for site selection was aggressive. Site selection processes can take two weeks to three years. More important than the time it takes is that the process is done correctly. Once the process and criteria are decided, then a time table can be created for a positive political and community process of site selection.

In no order of rank, the committee established a list of criteria for site selection.

  •  Economics
  •  Size fits program
  •  Parking/access
  •  Location of property
  •  Potential for expansion
  •  Aesthetic presence/cultural
  •  Sustainable design
  •  Partnerships
  •  Availability or timing
  •  Identification of donors
  •  Proximity to retail
  •  Civic commercial development/synergy
  •  City/public/community owned
    •  Possibilities include collaboration with the Fargo Public Schools within a north side school and on the campus of south side future high school site
    •  Possibilities include collaboration with the Fargo Park District at Island Park, Children’s Museum, and Stonebridge

“City/public/community owned” criterion was incorporated with “Economics”, as these will be the first properties to consider within the budget constraints of the sales tax funding.

“Proximity to retail” and “Civic commercial development/synergy” criteria were both combined with “Location of property”.

At this point the committee and others ranked the first five of the ten remaining criteria. Five of ten voters ranked “Economics” first. Two voters ranked “Location of property” first, and one voter each ranked “Size fits program”, “Aesthetic presence/cultural”, and “Sustainable design” as first.

“Potential for expansion” then collapsed into “Size fits program”. “Partnerships” collapsed into “Location of property”. “Identification of donors” and “Availability or timing” collapsed into “Economics”.

The “Aesthetic presence/cultural” criterion was determined to mean an identity or recognition within the community being symbolic of a library. The architects will discuss proper terminology for this category. From here, the six remaining criteria were weighted as follows with a 3-2-1 weighting process.

  •  3 – Economics
  •  3 – Size fits program
  •  3 – Parking/access
  •  3 – Location of property
  •  2 – Aesthetic presence/cultural
  •  2 – Sustainable design

MS&R will then complete the site criteria with technical aspects and divide the six criteria into subcategories for more definition.

In general, the 15,000 square foot south side library would require two acres for a stand alone facility. If a partnership is available to share space, 1.5 acres minimum would be required.

The 5,000 square foot north side library would require .25 acres with no expansion opportunities. Future expansion may be at a different site.

The 45,000 square foot main library with 80 parking spots on site with no green space would require slightly more than one acre. This may depend on the proximity of additional parking across the street or close by.

Charles Pace moved to use this weighted criteria as a basis for the site selection process. Mike Sebille seconded the motion; the motion carried.

Heather Mitzel will set up a new e-mail address for citizen input and questions. An announcement will be placed on the City of Fargo web site.

The next meeting will be set up in an open U formation with coffee and water. An electronic copy of anything presented by MS&R will be given to the committee to include on the City of Fargo web site. The next meeting with MS&R present will be April 1, with the first public meeting for site selection held in April after analysis and preparation.

A short list of possible sites will be sent to MS&R next week. This includes maps, aerial shots, lot lines, etc.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be Friday, March 11, 2005 at 9:00am. The meeting was adjourned.