Downtown Improvement Plan meeting Jan. 7th

January 02, 2004
Santa Paula News

The results of dual meetings held in November that focused on improving the downtown will be followed up with a community gathering next week.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe results of dual meetings held in November that focused on improving the downtown will be followed up with a community gathering next week.The January 7 meeting at City Hall will include the city’s Downtown Plan consultant, Mogavero Notestine Associates.The 6:30 p.m. meeting will feature the preliminary findings from the Santa Paula Downtown Strategic Plan workshops and other studies, various ways to improve the downtown, and provide the opportunity for additional public input for a final report that will be presented to the City Council in late February.During the November workshops, citizens, elected officials, consultants and city staff talked shop about downtown improvement on various levels, including retail attraction/retention, the possibility of mixed use, land use, circulation, transportation, parking and ambiance.
The next day a walking tour was conducted of the downtown capped by further discussion and refinement of comments and suggestions of bettering the historic central business district.Commonality was found on issues of preservation of architectural character, diversification and increase of retail, destination type business creation, beefing up parking, arts focus and restaurant needs, among others. Participants even offered their thoughts on what retail would better the shopping and entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors alike.Places that present special development opportunities were addressed during the walking tour workshop as well as elements that reinforce Santa Paula’s sense of place. Barriers to the latter included comments regarding inconsistent land use, underused lots, trashy buildings and lack of property maintenance and code enforcement.For more information on the upcoming Downtown Plan meeting or to offer comments, call Economic Development Director Charmaine Stouder at 933-4245.



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