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
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.