The City of Airdrie aims to have its new Downtown Plan ready for council’s consideration by this summer, but according to Manager of Community Growth Stephen Utz, there are some unresolved questions that will need answers, first.
“Answering these questions requires thinking about development in the downtown differently than any previous or current approach,” he said in a presentation to council at a meeting Dec. 18, 2019.
These “critical” topics examine the competitive advantage of the downtown area, involvement of the City with regards to development incentives or programming, possible barriers to redevelopment, community participation and an overall vision statement for the area.
“Themes that emerged from the Downtown Visioning exercise include activity, reinvestment and togetherness,” Utz said, noting these also line up with the vision for the area outlined in the 10-Year Economic Strategy.
Potential development incentives have been brainstormed, according to Utz, and will be reviewed by economic experts and presented for council’s consideration in conjunction with the final Downtown Plan. Administration is also reviewing opportunities to maximize public benefit from municipally-owned land in the downtown area through the plan.
A retail analysis pointed to existing gaps in the community’s downtown offerings, he noted, with the two largest being sporting goods stores and men’s clothing.
“It indicated that, for the downtown, there is significant benefits in having good dining options – that can actually increase ancillary spending in other stores by a very significant amount,” he said. “Up to 140 per cent, the report said.”
A key aspect of the plan’s development, Utz said, has been incorporating the “small-town feel” referenced throughout many past projects and surveys – like AirdrieONE, the Economic Strategy and the Business Satisfaction Survey.
“It is seen as a guiding influence on the development of the new Downtown Plan,” he said.
A definition for the term, as well as directives to help embrace and retain it, will be included, as well as an action plan to integrate placemaking principles into the document with a strategic framework to guide the next five years.
The City’s intent is to provide a combination of statutory planning and policy incentives to instigate growth in the downtown – with the goal of achieving a minimum of $65 million in new assessed value in the area within the first 10 years after adoption.
“In simplest terms, the new Downtown Plan is to be a plan of change, designed to leverage private investment and to provide decision points on the role for the City in downtown revitalization as a whole,” Utz said.
“What we want to do is make development and redevelopment successful for everyone within the downtown.”
