The downtown revitalization effort is under way in earnest, with council directing administration to commence the parking action plan of Take Back Downtown: Phase One.
This is the first phase of redevelopment and follows on the heels of adoption of the Downtown Master Plan earlier this year.
This effort follows a study done in 2016 of the parking issues in the downtown, though it ended up encompassing more than that.
Among the issues administration is facing: the number of empty lots downtown.
Demolitions of the old Marlborough Hotel and the two 11th Ave.-102nd properties, as well as the fire that demolished the old Bargain Store on 101st Street, have created several empty lots spread out haphazardly over downtown. Those have ended up being taken over as parking lots by local residents.
The result, according to a memo from planner Devin MacAulay dated April 19, has been “dysfunctional parking habits in the Downtown”, costing the city potential development and creating an uninviting atmosphere.
The current parking situation was described at council as a “free for all,” according to Mayor Ryan Bater. Others on council agreed.
“People are parking everywhere downtown,” said coun. Kelli Hawtin. There were also public parking areas that people didn’t know about, she noted. Hawtin looked forward to seeing the ongoing effort to address the situation.
City manager Jim Puffalt indicated parking was a key part of the downtown revitalization efforts.
“We want to encourage downtown to become a more vibrant area of our city,” said Puffalt.
He added that public engagement is key, and director of planning and development Jennifer Niesink outlined some of the consultations that are planned.
Some 13 user groups have been picked and one-on-one meetings are being planned with them. Another one or two public sessions will also be held. The meetings start the week of May 15.
From those meetings, administration would develop what they describe as a comprehensive public engagement and communication strategy, and report back to council with updates and progress reports.
A resolution to proceed with the Parking Action Plan - Take Back Downtown Phase One carried unanimously.
