A new Downtown plan

Bryce Alderton

Much has changed in Downtown Huntington Beach since Akira Fukada first

became manager at Jack’s Surfboards six years ago.

Much of it has been for the better, he said.

“In the early ‘80s no one wanted to come down here because it was so

run down,” Fukada said. “Now there’s Pier Plaza and the Ocean Promenade

buildings. It has become a renowned spot, people come from all over the

world.”

In an effort to keep the changes Downtown on a positive path the city

is now considering creating a Business Improvement District in the

Downtown area.

A Business Improvement District is a coalition of businesses that take

responsibly for raising funds for advertising, promotions, special events

and other activities within in a specific area -- in this case Downtown

Huntington Beach.

All businesses participating in the district are responsible for

raising money for services such as publicity, better security,

centralized parking and a clean, maintained environment.

For Huntington Beach business owners the possibility of having to take

responsibility for parking and maintainence is worrisome.

The city is responsible for levying any assessments, collecting the

money and making sure it’s going back to businesses in the district for

their use.

“But the businesses must be the ones to come to the city and propose a

district,” said David Biggs, director of economic development for the

city.

Shopkeepers Downtown who would take the lead in this, said they are in

favor of the district as long as it is done properly.

“I’m not against it if the money is used for promoting and marketing

and the city doesn’t use it to pay maintenance and other bills,” said Ron

McLin, manager of the Longboard Restaurant and Pub.

Other California cities have enjoyed successful Business Improvement

Districts such as Santa Monica, Corona del Mar and San Diego.

San Diego has 19 districts that collectively raise about $1.5 million

annually to use on arts festivals, street lights and organizing

celebrations throughout the year such as Mardi Gras, said district

spokesman Eric Symons.

“The districts are very positive,” Symons said. “It’s really a

grass-roots effort from the community. Businesses do a lot of

fund-raisers on their own.”

Money raised goes to anything the district agrees on from public art

displays and decorative lighting to additional infrastructure

improvements, Symons said.

Santa Monica has four business improvement districts includingthe

Bayside District in charge of Downtown Santa Monica’s Third Street

Promenade. In Santa Monica the district has hired landscapers and a

maintenance company to keep things neat and clean, said Jeff Mathieu, the

director of economic development for the city.

“In general they’ve been terrific, putting together different purposes

for each district,” Mathieu said.

In Huntington Beach council approved the Huntington Beach Auto Dealer

Business Improvement District in 1992 to operate and maintain electronic

reader boards at 13 car dealerships and to give dealers the opportunity

to implement programs to enhance the district. It has known success

since.

But, this isn’t the first time Downtown business owners have tried to

form a district.

In 1992 the Downtown Business Assn. Formation Committee tried to form

one, but it failed at a public hearing when 56% of the Downtown area

merchants opposed it.

The formation of a district is the latest in a long line of ideas the

city has come up with to rejuvenate the area. There are several other

ideas on the table right now.

The possible closure of portions of Main Street to vehicular traffic

and creation of a pedestrian walkway is one idea that city staff has been

studying for two months now.

Street improvements, traffic circulation, loss of parking spaces and

how Main Street businesses would be affected are some of the areas being

analyzed, said City Administrator Ray Silver.

Many shop owners are in favor of a pedestrian walkway idea.

Increased traffic during the summer and concern for safety are the

reasons the manager of Merrilee’s Swimwear, Jenny Schultz, would support

closing Main Street.

“Most people walk here anyway so it’s a good idea,” Schultz said.

“There is so much traffic here in the summer, I’ve seen pedestrians

almost get run over and fights have broken out across the street.”

The general manager of BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse on Main Street,

Britt White, would like to see Main Street become more

pedestrian-friendly.

“People would be able to walk and mingle around here and they wouldn’t

have to worry about finding a place for their cars, especially in the

summer,” he said.

But not everyone is in favor of the closing any or all portions of

Main Street.

A city survey of 83 Downtown businesses conducted in September found a

majority against the closure of Main Street.Another plan to revitalize

Downtown was the proposed Strand, which included a 140 room hotel and

102,000 square feet of new shops, restaurants and entertainment.

A state appeals court ruled, however, that the city’s financial

contract for revamping the two-block area hemmed in by Pacific Coast

Highway, 5th Street and Walnut Avenue was unconstitutional.

The city will now be forced to either scale back the project or kill

it altogether.

Owner Michelle Turner of Sugar Shack Cafe on Main Street doesn’t want

to lose what she calls an “old-town feeling.”

“I like the small town atmosphere and want to keep that feeling,” she

said. “I don’t want it to take away from people close to the Downtown

area, small businesses are the backbone down here.”Other businesses see

the potential economic boost the Strand offers but question other

elements such as parking.

“It would be a plus for the tourism and the economy, but right now

there’s not enough parking for the area,” said McLin of Longboard

Restaurant.

An Environmental Impact Report should be completed by late summer,

then the planning commission and city council will hold public hearings

on the project, said Biggs, who is heading up the project for the city.

He hopes to start construction in the fall.

As with past plans, shop owners said they will look at a proposal and

hop on board it if makes sense.

* BRYCE ALDERTON is the news assistant. He can be reached at (714)

965-7173 or by e-mail at bryce.alderton@latimes.com