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Consultants present draft Main Street/Highway 19 corridor study; planners point to tax tools and drainage work
Summary
Bill & Associates presented a draft Main Street Economic Development District study that maps corridor parcels, recommends an overlay and incentives toolbox, and outlines next steps; residents asked how proposed development would affect drainage and flooding and staff said the board can underwrite infrastructure improvements.
Consultants from Bill & Associates presented a draft study for the Baker Main Street / Highway 19 economic development corridor and told the City Council the report is intended as a roadmap for targeted investment and infrastructure improvements. Steve Vivaso, the lead presenter, said the draft includes a GIS parcel database, market and population analysis, design-guideline recommendations and a toolbox of implementation tools such as overlay zoning districts, incentive programs and the ability to acquire property once funding streams are in place.
Vivaso said statutory actions at the state level created the corridor authority and that the district can levy sales and hotel-occupancy taxes within the corridor to fund infrastructure and economic development projects. He told council members the draft report will have the “draft” label removed after the district board formally adopts the plan and that consultants will work with the board to produce a short list of capital improvement projects and a work plan for implementation.
During a public Q&A, resident Barbara King asked how corridor development would affect water flow for neighboring communities: "How does any of this development ... affect any of the surrounding communities as far as the water flow?" Planners responded that basic infrastructure projects such as drainage and traffic improvements are among the kinds of capital work the board could underwrite with district funds, and they emphasized the study favors using existing commercial lots and infrastructure when feasible. The mayor and staff acknowledged low-lying neighborhood areas may still require targeted work and encouraged residents to schedule follow-up meetings with public works for detailed, site-specific concerns.
Consultants also described stakeholder engagement used to craft a corridor vision statement and an implementation toolbox, and they offered to provide paper and electronic copies of the draft to council members. Capital Region Planning Commission staff were acknowledged as a partner supporting the study. The consultants recommended a phased implementation that pairs overlay zoning, design standards and incentives to attract anchor businesses and encourage private investment.
Ending: The board will receive the draft for review; consultants will provide copies to council and staff and will support a work plan and capital project list as the district moves toward official adoption and implementation.
