02-16-12 Regular, Public Hearing and Workshop Meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission

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DRAFT FEBRUARY 7, 2012 1)Develop collaborative programs with engineering, business, and other similar programs at San Jacinto College to encourage student-led projects that aid in the betterment of the community. Examples of such programs are design competitions for historic building re-use or parkland design and planning, student consulting projects for area businesses or the City, internship programs with local employers, and community service programs such as Habitat for Humanity or the Keep La Porte Beautiful Program. 2)Support the creation of a program designed to retain San Jacinto College graduates and attract alumni. This program should involve the City, San Jacinto College, the Chamber of Commerce, and the La Porte Economic Development Council Corporation. The program could include scholarships to place graduates with area employers and provide incentives for them to remain in La Porte after graduation. The program should also include a marketing component to establish and maintain communication with San Jacinto College alumni to keep them informed of changes, and the opportunities and benefits of living in La Porte. This can be achieved by publishing a monthly or quarterly e-newsletter to be sent to alumni and other people with ties to La Porte. 3)Strengthen the City’s relationship with San Jacinto College, as it plays a much wider role in the community as an economic development Pedestrian Improvements asset. The City should explore ways it could partner with the college Improve the Economic to help it carry out its goals and mitigate its challenges. In addition, Bottomline for Local Businesses the City should work to enhance San Jacinto College’s student experience by encouraging improved pedestrian infrastructure around the college and supporting programs that promote student involvement in the community. Utilizing representatives from San Jacinto College as a featured speaker at the Main Street Morning Brew is a good beginning point for improving this relationship. 4)Develop a coordinated tourism strategy that goes beyond trying to attract visitors to the area, as this is not sufficient. Rather, the tourism strategy must be focused on capturing visitor’s dollars by local businesses, so that the full economic benefit can be realized A series of public-private pedestrian- by the City and area businesses. In coordination with area partners oriented projects were completed (e.g., the La Porte Bay Area Heritage Society), the City should create along five street blocks (including a tourism plan that focuses on developing tourism “products” that widening sidewalks, bulb-out attract visitors, a retail strategy that provides outlets for visitors to intersections, and other spend money, and a marketing plan that effectively targets those improvements) and were credited groups who are likely to come to La Porte. for a large economic turnaround. 5)Implement the recommendations identified in Chapter 2, Vacancy rates dropped from 18 to Land Use and Character as related to continued investment in Main six percent and upon completion, Street, Sylvan Beach, and the Downtown area, including the City saw a 30 percent increase in development of a Downtown master plan, revising regulatory Downtown sales tax revenue. provisions to ensure a strengthened urban character, facilitating Source: Alliance for Biking and Walking. additional housing choice (e.g., residential over retail units), and Photos Source: LODI.Com continued pursuit of public/private waterfront development 5.22 Chapter 5