05-14-09 Main Street Advisory Board Meeting

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Citizen comments were as follows: Vicki Campesi described the early days of the Main Street program and said that the major issues for business owners are parking, pedestrian safety and signage and that those issues have not been addressed. She suggested that the Board concentrate on those issues instead of Design Guidelines. Horace Leopard said that he owns three properties on Main Street and does not know which of them are on the Design Package. Mr. Leopard said that he believes that guidelines are important, but that the package as it stands is an incomplete package-he said that the City should concentrate on doing some improvement things first, then worry about design guidelines. Mr. Leopard also said that there are many old buildings that are not up to code and require a great deal of money to repair, he suggested that funds for improvement be available for anyone who wants them. JJ Meza said that he owns several properties on Main Street, and that he has never seen the Design Guidelines or been contacted about them. Alan Ward discussed the fact that the problems in the alley behind his property at 116 N 3rd Street have yet to be addressed. Brent Heckendorn said that he thought the survey was a good idea and that he thought there should be some guidelines, but he suggested that the building standards in the historic Main Street district be relaxed to encourage development. Mr. Heckendorn said that he would be happy to fill out a survey about the Design Guidelines. Marylee Jackson said that she is against any regulations above and beyond the city ordinances, and that she does not want Main Street to be regulated so that businesses look like cookie cutter images of each other. Ms. Jackson suggested that the City change the things that matter, such as mowing Seureau Park, instead of worrying about Design Guidelines, and said that she prefers not to have a Main Street Board or program. Kathleen Aguilar said that she is not a Main Street business owner, but that she is concerned about what happens on Main Street and suggested that bureaucracy does not need to be a part of the Main Street happenings, and that the city of La Porte should look to the examples of the Heights in Houston and other popular shopping destinations. At the end of the public comments Board Member Maggie Anderson made a motion for the Communications Committee to prepare a questionnaire to distribute to the local businesses that includes each item of the Design Guidelines with an option to accept or reject each item and a space for comments. The motion was seconded by Board Member Mark Follis. B. MEETINGS - The Board discussed the need for a Town Hall meeting after responses to the survey have been gathered. The Board agreed that the date for the Town Hall meeting would be set after the survey had been sent out and responses returned. C. PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE/TIMELINE - There was a discussion about the best time to meet to discuss the survey and open it up to public comment. The Board agreed that they should meet in Council Chambers the week of May 25. Board Chairman Bill Manning asked Main Street Coordinator Stacey Osborne to please check the City calendar to see when Council Chambers were available. 6. STAFF REPORTS AND UPDATES A. REPORT ON TEXAS MAIN STREET BOARD TRAINING IN BAY CITY - Main Street Coordinator Stacey Osborne gave a report on the Main Street Board Training she received in Bay City on May 6. She noted that the program and board structure presented to her at that training differed from the way she perceived that this Board operated. She said that the Board seemed to be concentrating more on issues that are City business and less on issues that concern the Main Street Program and suggested that the role of the Board and the Main Street Coordinator be discussed in the future. B. BRANDING CAMPAIGN - Ms. Osborne said that she sees a need for a cohesive branding campaign with the Main Street Program, and she suggested ideas and resources available from the Texas State Historical Commission that can help with those efforts. C. BROCHURE FROM ECONOMIC ALLIANCE - Ms. Osborne presented mock-ups of the latest draft of a brochure created by the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region to promote Main Street to prospective businesses and tenants. She introduced Marie McDermott, Economic Development Director for the Economic Alliance, who helped create the brochure. D. FEATURE STORIES/PR - Ms. Osborne said that she intends to regularly send press releases and feature story ideas to the local and regional media about happenings on Main Street.