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1 Downtown 2 The downtown area was the original commercial center of the community. Based around the location of the old 3 railroad stop,it has the traditional grid pattern of development.While the entire area has been developed with full 4 municipal utilities, the development has evolved to be based primarily along the major transportation corridors. 5 Since the close proximity of businesses in the downtown provides a direct interaction amongst patrons, the 6 existing development provides a solid base to build on and an opportunity for additional growth. 7 In 2009,the city established a"Grow Zone"throughout the downtown commercial areas. In searching for a way to 8 reduce regulations and streamline the permitting process for businesses, an alternative set of standards were 9 developed for this area. Instead of the standard zoning approach,which prohibits any use not specifically allowed, 10 the Grow Zone standards instead allow nearly all uses and focus instead on the form new construction takes. 11 Where this form is compatible with the existing development pattern, not only does it add to the "destination 12 effect" of the downtown, but approvals can be made very quickly. Property owners seeking to make 13 improvements to a property within the Grow Zone may choose to either utilize the Grow Zone standards or stick 14 with the traditional approach. 15 With the infrastructure in the downtown area in need of maintenance,there is a need to increase the amount of 16 development,grow the tax base and get a higher return on the reinvestment in this infrastructure. 17 Highway 371 Corridor 18 Outside of the downtown,the Highway 371 corridor has developed in an auto-oriented pattern. For the most part, 19 this development is not tied to municipal utilities and,as such, has developed in a somewhat random distribution. 20 The corridor includes such variety as a church, a contractor yard, restaurants and storage units, amongst other 21 uses. There are areas where development is clustered together and other areas where there are large gaps 22 between enterprises. For the most part, most commercial properties are independent of each other, with their 23 fortunes minimally impacted (either positively or negatively) by neighboring commercial uses. The timing of the 24 realignment of Highway 371 has caused uncertainty for future development prospects along the corridor and has 25 further accentuated the boom/bust character of development in this area. Employment by Sector 900 ,t1 800 I� 700 ®2008 Total 600 O 2010 Total 500 400 Y' h mac•, 300 ~ ,,� 200 ~ '� 41' by �ti hN 100 a • ti co i, 004e \t• �p aCJ �e tc 11IPage