REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Oliver Chi, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Ursula Luna-Reynosa, Director of Community Development
Subject:
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Consider an Extension of the Temporary Closure of the Second Block of Main Street to Vehicular Traffic Through Labor Day (September 6, 2021); Authorize Staff to Engage an Urban Design Firm; and, Appoint the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and a City Council Member to Serve on an Ad Hoc Downtown Urban Design Study Committee
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Statement of Issue:
On December 21, 2020, the City Council considered a request from the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) to extend the temporary closure of the second and third blocks of Main Street to vehicular traffic through Labor Day (September 6, 2021) to allow downtown businesses the opportunity to continue operating outdoors to meet physical distancing requirements in a safe manner during the COVID-19 pandemic. At that meeting, Council Members discussed the differences between the second and third blocks of Main Street, including the lower number of third block businesses using the outdoor space, and the lower level of support among affected third block businesses for extending the street closure.
Ultimately, after substantive deliberation, the City Council directed staff to reopen the third block to vehicular traffic, extended the closure of the second block to February 28, 2021, and requested that the issue related to opening / closing the second block of Main Street be reagendized for consideration on February 16, 2021 (Attachment 1).
The temporary closure of Main Street has resulted in robust discussions that warrants further study for informed discussions about future place making opportunities and better connection to the southern portion of the Downtown as defined in the Downtown Specific Plan.
Financial Impact:
There are no direct costs to the City if the City Council is to extend the temporary closur...
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