Strategic Regional Issue #23 – Revitalizing Business Districts

Efforts to revitalize downtowns, neighborhoods and village business districts throughout the region should be supported by public policy, innovative financing and streamlined permitting procedures.

Objective

23.W.  The region’s communities should work individually and collectively toward establishing specific strategies to attract, develop, and retain businesses and residents.

Policy Recommendations

23.W.1.  Local comprehensive plans should lead to the revision of zoning ordinances to allow mixed-use development, where appropriate.

23.W.2.  Local comprehensive plans should support investments in public facilities and services within existing business districts, and foster the development of compact communities that are attractive to a range of income and skill levels, where appropriate.

23.W.3.  Local governments should use their comprehensive plans to examine opportunities to improve the balance of jobs and housing within their jurisdictions in order to reduce commutes and enable people to live close to work, where appropriate.

23.W.4.  Local comprehensive plans should promote the adaptive reuse of buildings and sites in the region’s urban cores/business districts, where appropriate.

23.W.5.  Local governments should coordinate with local employers to identify housing and transportation needs of employees and work to fill gaps.