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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/16/1997, Comm 1 - Letter from BIA regarding dowtntown services*ig%ea.AGENDA ITEM #Dh4M TO September 12,1997 MEMORANDUM FROM: SUBJECT City Council KenHamp""t/fu " Letter from BIA regarding downtown services Attached is a letter to the City Council from the downtown Business Improvement Association. It is recommended that Council refer this letter to stafffor a report. In developing our recommendations, staffwill confer with the BIA. It is expected that this matter will be agendized in early November. KH:ss Attachment tr CDD DIR tr FIN DIR tr FIRE CHIEF dbw otn ryfolrcr cnr tr FEC DrR FaUTTL DrR tr PERS DIR NCIL TEAM tr Al TORNEY tr CLENK/OHIG sFP I 2 tg97 SLO C|TV CIOUNCIL IMPROVEMENTBUSINESS ASSOCIATION LL September 1997 From: Mayor Allen Settle City Council Members BIA Board of Directo6-#;-.--" To: Re: Pierre Rademaker, President Downtown Services Several months ago the BIA requested a formal study session with the City Council to discuss a variety of issues relating to the Downtown including Parking, Cleanliness and Services. All of these topics are within the jurisdiction of the BIA's puryose. As an advisory body to the City Council, the BIA believes it is appropriate from time to time to meet with the Council to discuss matters of concern in its jurisdiction. However, the meeting was postponed pending the final report of parking and access study. Therefore, the BIA wishes to formally request the City Council consider the non-parking matters listed below that have exponentially impacted the Downtown over the past few years as use has increased by local residents and tourists alike. While the BIA provides a certain level of amenities (promotions, beautification programs and awards, clean up days and graffiti abatement), the funds necessary for large scale cleanliness and services are not available in our budget. It is also felt that most of the areas needing maintenance are public areas and it should not fall upon the businesses to assume the responsibility of providing public services. Quarterly sales tax reports indicate the Downtown provides nearly twenty percent of overall tax revenues for the city's budget. We believe it is time to reassess high-use areas for maintenance and service levels before they decay and further. Street Sweeping At one point, Downtown streets were swept six days per week. During budget cutbacks several years ago, the schedule was reduced to five days per week. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, the Downtown streets are now unsightly and cluttered with trash and debris. These happen to be the busiest shopping days, and it's critical that the Downtown present a clean and safe image. It is requested to restore the schedule to six, even seven days. Taken to an even more effective level, a crew of daily street and sidewalk sweepers would greatly reduce litter that blows into the streets and fills treewells, alcoves, stormdrains and gutters. Restrooms Currently, only one public restroom is available for the entire Downtown. Most shoppers and diners rely on private businesses for restrooms; this has become a burden for those with the most accessible restrooms. Businesses such as the Network have excessive restroom maintenance costs PO. Box 1402 . San Luis Obispo. CA.93406. 805/541-0286. Fax 805fr81-2647 . e-mail: bia@callamercom for the public's general use of its facility--and many are not even patrons of the Network! Many businesses do not allow the public to use their restrooms; this results in frustration, discomfort and unsanitary conditions in some instances. A wdk down a few notorious alleys or parking lots will affirm this. A Downtown as heavily trafficked as ours needs this very basic service in several locations. Sidewalk Scrubbing At the present, a contract is offered to a private business that uses a steam scrubber. Most businesses state they feel the machine is ineffective and there is no difference in the before- and after- condition of the sidewalk when it has been scrubbed. Certain areas pose a particular problem and need constant attention which they do not receive on the rotation. The current system needs upgrading and revising. Grafliti AbatemenUStickers The BIA has had, in the past, a volunteer effort to eliminate graffiti in the Downtown. This was headed by a Board member and products were supplied by a local hardware store. Since this person is no longer on the board, abatement has become the responsibility of staff who are not always available to attend to the task immediately. Most of the graffiti is on private buildings, however the BIA paints over with primer and then contacts the business owner to match the color more closely. Where graffiti appears on public areas such as sidewalks, trash cans, poles, parking meters, power boxes, etc., it is felt the city should provide removal service. This also applies to stickers which are affixed to public areas. Landscaping Downtown is known for its beauty and charm; the trees are a large part of this and are beautifully maintained. There are planter boxes around Downtown that need increased attention and could sport more colorful vegetation than the dark spiny unattractive plants now in place. In addition to increasing this level of service, perhaps the city could also work more closely with the BIA to establish approved locations throughout the Downtown where businesses could place potted plants. These add to the beauty of the streetscape and are maintained by the businesses under a permit held by the BIA. Banners The BIA is in the process of purchasing holiday banners and is retrofitting previously purchased "Decemberfest" banners for holiday use. A goal of the Beautification committee is to eventually purchase banners for year 'round display. The BIA would like to request a partnership with the clty in this program; with the BIA purchasing the banners and establishing a schedule and the city providing the crew to hang, take down and store the banners. It is our hope that the City Council will discuss with us at some point the merit of these requests. Streetscaping and human services are not luxuries; they are necessities and investments. While we realize this is an aggressive program, we are amenable to implementing the suggestions in stages--perhaps starting with the street sweeping and then working into the others. Downtown San Luis Obispo is often emulated by other cities around the nation. We look to you to assist us in continuing that mission.