HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA - City officials and a design firm will host a community workshop Wednesday to ask Huntington Beach residents how they would transform Surf City's downtown area. This is the second community study session in a series of meetings with economists, traffic consultants, city officials and the public to create a comprehensive upgrade to the downtown specific plan and the parking master plan. "Let's dream a little about downtown," said Erik Justesen, chief executive officer of RRM Design.
RRM and Kimley-Horn and Associates were commissioned by the city in September to transform the downtown area near the pier into a living, shopping and dining destination with second-story apartments, upscale stores and decorative walkways that connect it to planned hotel and retail areas. Huntington Beach is following the lead of Dana Point, Brea, Fullerton and other Orange County cities that are looking at ways to revitalize their downtowns and increase sales tax revenue.
At the Wednesday meeting, officials will recap past meetings and brainstorm about a potential cultural center at the north end of Main Street near the library. "We have a great anchor of the pier," Justesen said. "But on the north side going inland, it just kind of runs out of gas." RRM will also share its preliminary ideas on traffic and the future look of the buildings and streets. "This is where we roll up your sleeves and talk a lot and write stuff down," Justesen said.
About 60 residents attended the city's Nov. 27 meeting and said they wanted a better pedestrian environment with improved lighting and street surfaces. The planning process will take about two years. In the meantime, the city will hold at least three more community meetings including one solely devoted to addressing traffic and parking in the downtown area. The date of that meeting has not yet been finalized, officials said.
Later, planners will present the final proposal to the City Council. RRM will update the city's downtown specific plan and Kimley-Horn will modernize its parking master plan. Both plans were last updated in 1989.
Source: OCregister.com