Economic Vitality Committee Agenda and Packet 2024 06 21

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Economic Vitality Committee Meeting Minutes May 17, 2024 Page 3 of 4 7. Staff Updates: Manager Zarate presented staff updates and asked if there were any questions or comments. Chair Dickinson asked who typically participates in the corridor walks. Manager Zarate responded that she typically performs the walks, sometimes with Specialist Brown. She also added that Partners for a Clean Environment Boulder County (PACE) has been going out and introducing programs to Louisville businesses. While EV staff does not typically participate in these visits, PACE does give EV staff's contact information to the businesses. Chair Dickinson shared that he was invited to a meetings with some of the downtown retailers last night to discuss First Friday art walks. He noted that the businesses are interested in coordinating efforts to create themed First Fridays from April to October. Possible themes include a wine walk, live music, or other similar ideas. He added that August 2nd will be both a Street Faire and a First Friday. Councilmember Fahey asked about the substantially enhanced patio program and if there were additional plans for further enhancing the patios. City Manager Durbin responded that a lot of staff has put a lot of time and energy into exploring options for enhancing the patios, but a lot of ideas seem to be difficult to implement. For example, he commented that lights can't be strung across the patios because they will interfere with the umbrellas that businesses have purchased to provide shade. City Manager Durbin continued, adding that Manager Zarate has spent a lot of time talking to downtown businesses and that these conversations led to ideas around events. He shared that staff is working on planning future events and collaborative ideas with businesses. While waiving the patio fees didn't create a ton of new interest in the patio program, he anticipates Council will have an interest in revisiting the Main Street closure discussion later this year. Councilmember Fahey added that she heard about some of the events that the Cultural Advisory Board is planning for downtown. Public Comment from Mike Kranzdorf: Mr. Kranzdorf asked whether there are plans for the City to add a webpage or communications materials dedicated to tourism. Manager Zarate responded that, unlike some regional municipalities, Louisville does not have any Tourism staff. She noted that Chambers of Commerce do this in some areas, but City staff does not currently have the bandwidth to address this. City Manager Durbin added that the Communications Manager is currently looking at the City website, and her first priority is to clean up the existing site. 8. Development Updates: Chair Dickinson commented that he's hopeful that many of these projects can come to fruition in the next year. He asked if there were any updates regarding an end user at 809 Main Street (old Waterloo).