We now find our City Council has redirected some $39,000 away from the schools for yet another study on top of the ones already done for the area. Downtowns all over America are asking these same questions after the invasion of Wal-Marts and other “big box” discounters and each community has to decide what kind of incentives it is willing to give to its own people, or possibly outsiders, to revitalize these core areas. One way that has been found successful is to change the zoning codes and allow people to live there: to allow housing to be built over stores, to allow senior citizen’s housing, to build condos for young people with children. The old courthouse site would make a lovely little park for the people who live close by and there is an empty lot right across the street for condos. That way we will have our people downtown at nighttime as well as to shop during the daytime.
Another successful approach is helping existing businesses upgrade to meet the new marketing trends. To look at the needs of existing stores and not stifle the renewal process with even more restrictions and controls caused by such things as Specific Plans which give the city total control over the property and business. There is an opportunity to rebuild some stores on Downey Avenue with second story housing facing New Street. Some core areas could be reactivated with service needs; libraries, senior citizen centers, museums, meeting rooms. We should be driven by the needs of our residents, not by trying to balance our city budget through sales taxes. There are so many opportunities to do wonderful things, but first we must redirect thinking at City Hall from grandiose to smaller human size units. It is a time for innovation and helping our own people do creative things.