Agenda - Planning Commission - 02/02/2017 - Special

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It Takes a Vision The visioning process can identify streetscape improvements that are needed, how tenants will be recruited, and other action items. A thorough visioning process will help ensure retailers that the city and property owners are committed to redeveloping a vibrant urban retail street. Retailing has changed forever. Big -box stores and category killers; fortress malls; outlet, Lifestyle, and power centers; catalogs; and the Internet are where today's consumers shop. The competition is fierce, and consumers want it all: low prices, endless variety, the latest designs, parking at the door, and an environment so entertaining that they go there even when they don't need to shop! How can neighborhood streets hope to compete? By providing goods and services tailored to the specific needs of each neighborhood in an environment that is convenient, service -oriented, pedestrian -scaled, and connected to the urban lifestyles of the neighborhood's residents. The successful rebuilding of a neigh- borhood shopping street will be in- cremental, so it must be based on a shared vision that provides a strategic framework for imagining, analyzing, judging, and implementing each step along the way. The champion of a rebuilding effort is the one best posi- tioned to pull together the diverse partnership of stakeholders to create the long-term vision for the street. Although the champion should make sure that no interests are left behind, the community's vision must be rooted in market realities. Too often, commu- nities have followed the loudest voices and pursued plans that cannot be sus- tained economically, which inevitably leads to disappointment and failure. Rec- ognize that there is often a great difference between what one group of stake- holders may want and what the market will support. Reaching a shared vision requires facing the tough questions upfront, making sure everyone understands the realities of the situation, and setting short-, medium-, and Long-range goals that are realistically attainable. There is no cookie -cutter solu- tion that will be effective long term, and pie -in -the -sky doesn't qualify as vision, so it is essential to understand the reality of the street and what is possible before asking what it can become. There is a general rule: Strive to be what you really can be. Most urban streets cannot successfully become like a suburban mall, and it's doubtful that this would be a good idea even if it were possible. Each retail street needs to be individually crafted to reflect the community, people, Lifestyle, and aspirations of its neighborhood because one -size visions do not fit all. 4