Paducah planning bodies unanimously recommend Southside Revitalization Plan after staff adds outreach program and explores tax moratorium

The Paducah Planning Commission and the Paducah Urban Renewal and Community Development Authority voted unanimously to recommend approval of the Southside Revitalization Plan to the Paducah Board of Commissioners at a meeting where staff described edits made after a June public hearing.

Mr. Stroop, a city planning staff member, summarized language and structural changes made to the draft plan, saying staff revised wording for clarity and added new material, including an "I am Southside" outreach initiative designed to promote neighborhood history and identity through signage and banners and a new section cataloging private development opportunities.

The "I am Southside" initiative, described on a newly added page of the draft, would include signage plates and banners featuring local historical figures as part of a broader neighborhood-branding effort. Mr. Stroop said staff is compiling a list of potential candidates for the program and that the plan expands beyond housing to celebrate local heritage.

Staff also added a "Southside development opportunities" section outlining independent and private projects and potential partnerships, citing examples such as an outreach by Mahairi Medical College to recruit a dental clinic and a senior center plan to renovate the former Paducah Head Start building.

The draft plan clarifies a provision on a possible property tax moratorium for properties in the program area. Veretta Hurt, who identified herself as a Paducah resident, asked how long a moratorium would last. Mr. Summers and Mr. Stroop responded that the duration is undecided, that the elected board would set any term and that examples under consideration included 12 months, five years or 10 years; staff emphasized the term was labeled "temporary" because the Board could later alter it.

Commissioners also noted two specific, substantive edits incorporated after public feedback: lowering a minimum dwelling size from a higher figure to 800 square feet (shown on page 50), and correcting a railroad identification from "Illinois Central" to "Canadian National." A commissioner asked whether the plan addresses the home of Mr. Oscar Cross; staff said the plan recommends pursuing National Register nominations for significant properties and that Mr. Cross's house had been identified for further consideration.

Commissioner Griffith moved that the planning commission recommend approval of the Southside Revitalization Plan to the URCDA and the Board of Commissioners; the motion was seconded and passed on a unanimous roll call (Commissioners Griffin, Heath, Kaylor, Rhodess, Benberry and Chairman Wade recorded affirmative votes). Commissioner Kaylor then moved that the URCDA accept the planning commission's recommendation and forward it to the Board; that motion also passed unanimously on a recorded roll call.

During public comment, in addition to Ms. Hurt’s question about the moratorium, Dorothia Davis of the PUDA Diversity Advocacy Board urged the commission to consider mixed-income development and transitional housing programs for women and children that allow residents to move toward private homeownership. A brief, unnamed attendee also raised a separate facilities concern about a nonworking restroom at a city water park; staff acknowledged the request.

The bodies closed public comment, confirmed that speakers' remarks would be included in the record forwarded to the Board of Commissioners, and adjourned the meeting at approximately 5:49 p.m.; the next meeting was announced for Aug. 4.