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Board hears placemaking survey: parking, sidewalks and events top priorities
Summary
Consultant Scott Goodman told the Benicia Economic Development Board that surveys of roughly 500 residents, businesses and visitors ranked parking, sidewalk accessibility and events among the top needs for downtown revitalization; staff said several proposals (grants, zoning changes) remain pending city council direction.
The Benicia Economic Development Board received a briefing on a downtown placemaking survey that collected responses from about 500 residents, businesses and visitors. Scott Goodman of Echo Northwest summarized the key takeaways and urged that infrastructure improvements be treated as prerequisites to revitalization.
"So I'll be sharing some of the key takeaways tonight of what we heard from over 500 residents, businesses, and visitors about Downtown Benicia and what those voices might mean for economic development priorities," said Scott Goodman, the consulting project manager. Goodman highlighted that 29% of resident respondents reported that parking prevents them from visiting downtown more often and that 38% of businesses said parking needs improvement.
Goodman also emphasized sidewalk accessibility and pedestrian safety as recurring themes, noting that uneven sidewalks and curb ramps limit access for older adults and wheelchair users. The consultant framed infrastructure work as an investment with an economic payoff but acknowledged constraints on funding and staff capacity.
Board members discussed how to use the results: several urged that the board help communicate changes to businesses and stakeholders, and staff said the analysis will inform a future city council workshop to seek direction on whether to prioritize grants and incentives tied to downtown activation.
