The Center Street Action Team is a small group of neighborhood residents who have volunteered to research, strategize, and organize to make the community's vision for Center Street a reality.
So what exactly is the plan?There are 3 key things that need to happen to break our challenging cycle.
Click on the headers below for more information on each item. Rezone to "Neighborhood Business District" (NBD) This will help with the community's vision for Diverse Local Businesses. The three-block corridor is currently zoned "General Commercial,” requiring businesses to have designated off-street parking. We believe the area should be rezoned to allow development to occur where current parking lots sit empty. (In fact, most of those lots were once filled, before several buildings were lost to fire.) Implement a Road Diet The city will not support rezoning the area unless on-street parking is first added. A road diet would narrow Center Street from 5 lanes to 3 in order to provide on-street parking and slow traffic speeds. This will help with the community's vision for Safe, Pedestrian-Friendly Street Redesign. Be designated as a "Community Reinvestment Area" (CRA) to get TIF This will help with both Diverse Local Businesses and Street Redesign. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is designed to help areas without a lot of resources invest in important infrastructure changes, like streets and sidewalks. However, Center Street must first be designated a CRA in order to be eligible for TIF. How You Can Help We have identified several places where neighbors can have an impact. Click to learn more. |