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San Luis council creates ad hoc committee to pursue historic, cultural and heritage economic development
Summary
Council approved an Economic Development Commission proposal to form a 24-month ad hoc committee to study historic, cultural and heritage-based economic development, including historic designation, tax incentives and grant opportunities.
San Luis — The City of San Luis City Council voted to create an ad hoc committee to study historic, cultural and heritage-based economic development after a recommendation from the Economic Development Commission.
The council approved the proposal during its meeting after a presentation by Armando Esparza, director of economic development and government affairs, who said the commission wants to reactivate vacant downtown buildings, pursue redevelopment incentives and tap heritage tourism opportunities.
Esparza told the council the State Historic Preservation Office had presented strategies used by other communities and encouraged the city to consider becoming a certified local government to unlock redevelopment tax credits and grant opportunities. He said the commission will identify properties that might qualify for historic designation — including public properties such as the Old City Hall — and will promote adaptive reuse and façade-improvement grants for private and public properties. Esparza said the commission reviewed its bylaws (article 6, section b) and proposes a 24-month timeframe for the ad hoc committee to produce recommendations.
The commission plans to have vice chair Grama Marufo lead the ad hoc group and to work with property owners, staff and community members. Esparza noted a statewide tourism figure — that people who seek this type of heritage tourism spend roughly $35,000,000 in Arizona — as part of the commission’s rationale for pursuing the strategy.
A council member moved to approve the creation of the committee; the motion was seconded and carried. The motion text presented to council read, in part, “to approve the creation of historic cultural and heritage economic development ad hoc committee to explore historic preservation as an economic development strategy.”
If the ad hoc committee produces recommendations, staff said the commission would return to council with specific projects, proposed incentives and any requests for city funding or regulatory changes.
