[Vision2020] RE: The Key to Helping Downtown Moscow Thrive

Tue Jul 12 09:30:22 PDT 2005

Wayne,

The City has begun the Comprehensive Planning process by utilizing the New
Cities Initative.  I'll try an answer your questions.

Originally, the Comprehensive Plan was going to be worked on in sections -
Downtown, Economic Development, etc.  It was decided by Council and agreed
to by many groups interested in the Comprehensive Plan that first the City
needed to find a way to engage all stakeholders.  This lack of engagement
was made clear during the formulation of the Downtown Plan.  Action has been
taken on the Downtown Plan, the Chamber was selected to implement the
Downtown Plan and has been working with the merchants association to do some
things - BID, Parking Survey, etc.

As far as the information being "stale", many of the suggestions made in the
plan  are being implemented - the use of CDBG funds to improve Friendship
Square

The LEDC agrees that the focus should be on completing a Comprehensive Plan
update that contains the following:  a clear vision for Moscow's future;
sufficient public input to validate the vision; a buy-in from the decision
makers and citizens. I know that the City Council, MCA, LEDC, Chamber, etc.
all want to ensure that the planning process is open, fair and respects the
needs of all citizens and other stakeholders.

Barbara

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On
Behalf Of Art Deco
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 7:49 AM
To: Vision 2020
Cc: JoAnn Mack; Nancy Chaney; Peg Hamlett; Linda Pall; Marshall Comstock;
John Dickinson; Jon Kimberling
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] RE: The Key to Helping Downtown Moscow Thrive

Barbara,

Thank you for the information about previous work on a downtown Moscow plan.
It was most informative.  Perhaps you can post a précis of the major
elements and goals of that plan.

Perhaps also you and/or some open-minded city council members (not an
oxymoron, I hope) can answer the following questions:

After spending $50,000 and lots of effort on the part of citizens,
businesses, political figures, and governmental staff:

Why has action been delayed for more than three years after the downtown
plan was completed on the city comprehensive plan?

Has not some of the information gathered and recommendations made in this
plan more than 3 years ago become stale?

Since the issue of allowing educational institutions and other possibly
counter-productive uses in the downtown core is one with great consequences
for the future of Moscow, shouldn't the current city zoning ordinances be
updated only after the comp plan is updated and clear goals are set for the
downtown core and its relationship to the rest of the city?

I am sure there are a large number of citizens (residents, patrons, users,
visitors, etc) that want to know why the normal city planning processes are
not being followed and what effort, if any, is being made to get them back
on track instead of doing planning/zoning business in a crisis driven,
piecemeal fashion.

Wayne A. Fox
1009 Karen Lane
PO Box 9421
Moscow, ID  83843

(208) 882-7975
waf at moscow.com

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Barbara Richardson Crouch
  To: Art Deco ; Vision 2020
  Cc: Linda Pall ; Nancy Chaney ; John Dickinson ; Peg Hamlett
  Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2005 2:05 PM
  Subject: RE: [Vision2020] RE: The Key to Helping Downtown Moscow Thrive

  Everyone,

  If you do not remember, Moscow and the University did complete a Downtown
Plan.  The Committee was the CRC and was a part of the LEDC.  We solicited
for consultants, hired a group and actually received and the City Council
accepted a short term plan from them - they felt the long-range plan was too
grandiose.  This plan was the basis of the Downtown Grant and the activities
happening in Friendship Square.  The plan cost a minimum of $50,000 and the
LEDC/Chamber used the plan to receive a grant from Verizon to hire an
interim Downtown Coordinator until a BID could be done.  The implementation
of the Plan was left to the Chamber.  The LEDC's participation ended after
we supervised the interim Coordinator.  In fact, First Step was kind enough
to give the Downtown Association a website and free hosting.  This all
happened in the last three years (3).  There is also a section that talks
about zoning changes in the Downtown.  If you would like this section (it is
about 40 pages) just e-mail me and I will send it to you.

  There was lots of public input sought, including a tenant at the Ren Fair
and a table at the Latah County fair.  The General Public Input was
solicited in 2001 and 2002.  Downtown Property owners and Business people
met for almost a year before public input.

  Moscow plans to start the public process for the Comprehensive Plan
re-write this fall as part of the New Cities Initative.  I would like to see
the community focus on writing a good solid, 20-30 year Comprehensive Plan.

  Barbara Crouch

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