The key word as Clearwater's downtown blooms: balance
Published September 4, 2003
Those who think downtown Clearwater is just sitting there, victim of a moribund economy and the typical ills that afflict downtown cores, haven't been paying attention.
A new downtown lake is finished, poised to be the centerpiece of new multifamily housing. A new signature library with soaring architectural lines is going up on the downtown bluff. A new tall bridge is being built to link downtown and Clearwater Beach. Plans for a revamped Coachman Park, parking garage, waterfront restaurant and city marina are being polished.
Streetscaping has been envisioned for the main street through downtown, Cleveland Street. Plans for the city to take over a couple of problematic properties downtown have been launched.
While all that and more has kept the city busy, developers have begun sniffing around, looking for opportunities downtown. A $25-million condominium, office and retail complex on Cleveland Street is planned, along with a hotel and condominiums south of Drew Street.
And at a 6:30 p.m. meeting today in City Hall, the Clearwater City Commission will hold the first of two public hearings on a revamped downtown plan - one with some creative and somewhat risky components.
Commission members seem prepared to take risks and use some innovative techniques to bring redevelopment downtown. They know they must do something substantial to spark a new beginning for downtown before the new bridge opens and beachbound traffic bypasses Cleveland Street.
The hard part is knowing how far to go. For example, how tall should the city allow buildings to be downtown? Some people in the development community advocate no limit on height in the downtown core, arguing that a limit will send developers elsewhere.
Or they advocate a wishy-washy approach to the height issue that gives elected officials - whoever they may be at any given time - the opportunity to adjust height as they wish. That view of what's appropriate is not shared by people whose homes are on the fringes of downtown and feel they should not be exposed to the risk of high-rise buildings next to their single-family homes.
Should developers who agree to build downtown be freed from the requirement to provide parking for their properties? And if they don't provide the parking, who will?
Should there be defined transition zones between areas that have substantially different zoning and land uses, or is that defeating the purpose of freeing up land for development to its highest and best use?
The City Commission may have most of its proposed downtown plan in writing. It may have the courage of its convictions about downtown. But it still has important issues to iron out. Residents who understand the importance of downtown's success to all of Clearwater will want to attend the public hearing tonight or Sept. 18, or watch the meetings on Channel 15.
Among some of the creative approaches in this proposed plan:
Eliminating what is defined as "problematic uses" such as blood plasma centers that attract hard-core homeless people, tattoo parlors and day labor centers, and even discussing amortizing undesirable uses that already exist downtown.
Creating an amenities pool to allow developers a little more density if they contribute some amenity the city was eager to get downtown, such as public parking, public art or a day care center.
Carving out six "character districts" in and around downtown, each with its own unique look and land uses, tailored to the uses that are already there as well as what the downtown needs to thrive.
As commissioners listen to the public and take votes to put the plan in place, they should keep in mind that no plan should slam the door on those who live in and around downtown while throwing the door open wide to would-be developers.
Balance and fairness, consistency, and respect for the past while envisioning the future are vital if this 20-year plan is to be effective.
Commissioners also might remember what Nancy Graham, West Palm Beach's innovative and successful former mayor, told them on a recent visit to see the popular remake of its downtown: Don't be afraid to draw a line in the sand. The good developers, she noted, will appreciate a community's firmness and consistency and will be willing to play by the rules.
