Published in the August 20 – September 3, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Cheri Devlin

Cheri Devlin

Cheri Devlin

Many locals would describe downtown Morgan Hill as the heart of the city, but it amazes me how often I come across residents who don’t spend any time there — and are clueless about what downtown offers. With the plans the city of Morgan Hill is embarking upon, there should be no reason downtown isn’t a regular consideration for family weekend outings and date-night plans.

With $25 million of bond funding, there is a significant planning process in the works called Morgan Hill 2035. The city has organized subgroups to plan, outreach and deliver the projects and activities to help make these long-lasting changes in downtown.

I’d like to provide Morgan Hill Life readers with a recap of the city’s latest Downtown Investment Strategy report that you can subscribe to by visiting MHDowntown.com.

Place-making, Public Art and Lighting: Plans are being finalized to hold a community-wide “Placemaking Symposium” Sept. 19. The conference format event will include experts from the planning, design and art fields, engagement discussions about public spaces, public art and creating an environment of general awareness and inspiration to help develop ideas for integration into planning for the downtown.

Downtown Development Opportunity Sites: Last month, the Morgan Hill Oversight Board approved the request for qualifications that was subsequently released July 25 seeking development proposals on four separate former redevelopment sites. Qualifications are due Sept. 8.

Downtown Morgan Hill Road Diet: At the Aug. 6 City Council meeting, members directed city staff to develop an implementation plan for a pilot program to test the narrowing of Monterey Road to one lane in each direction through downtown.

Parks, Trails and Recreation: On July 16, the City Council approved the planning/landscape design contract for conceptual design of three park/trail areas and linkages within the downtown. Meetings have been held with several of the neighbors and businesses near the park and trail locations. In addition to future community conversations, more individual meetings are planned.

Downtown Parking Structure: On July 2, the City Council approved a purchase agreement for the westernmost portion of the Sunsweet property for the construction of a 275-space public parking garage and adjacent retail tenant space along Third Street. The Sunsweet property will close escrow no later than Aug. 29.

The schedule for the bridging document designs anticipates approval from the Planning Commission Aug. 26, and City Council Sept. 17. The garage is on schedule to release a RFQ the last week of September, seeking qualified construction entities with the intention of pre-qualifying bidders for actual design/build bidding, with plans to have the structure open for the winter holidays of 2015.

Learn more about Morgan Hill 2035 at www.morganhill2035.org/project-overview.

Cheri Devlin is a Morgan Hill resident and President of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association Board of Directors. She is an Associate Director at KPMG, LLP who loves writing about life as a working mom. Find her blog at www.talesofcorporate-mommyhood.blogspot.com.