6. REVITALIZATION AND REDEVELOPMENT ELEMENT The City of Peoria understands that the fabric of the city is comprised of both newly developing as well as mature areas. The city has invested in the planning and implementation of improvements in its distressed employment areas to foster en- hanced job creation, tax base and vibrant economy. It now seeks to assist its older neighborhoods with the appropriate enhancements to maintain attractive, dynamic neighborhoods that exhibit a high degree of character and charm. The Revitalization and Redevelopment Element is organized in the following manner: 6.a. Introduction 6.b. Goals, Objectives and Policies 6.c. Revitalization and Redevelopment Plan 6.d. Implementation Program 6.a. INTRODUCTION Over the past 12 years, the City has prepared and adopted two redevelopment plans to stem the conditions of slum and blight pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS §36-1479 et al) within the city. The City has also prepared a revitalization plan for a corridor along Grand Avenue, a portion of which includes the boundaries of the Downtown Peoria Redevelopment Plan. The first adopted redevelopment plan is the North Peoria Redevelopment Area Plan, which was adopted by the City Council in December 1992. The boundaries of the irregularly shaped redevelopment area include Athens Street on the north, Thunderbird Road on the south, 77th Avenue on the east and 92nd Avenue on the west comprising approximately 3.5 square miles of land. The plan includes formation and description of the redevelopment area, analysis of existing conditions, planning issues and development code, land use plan, goals and objectives, real property, financing and check list. The second adopted redevelopment plan includes the Downtown Peoria Redevelopment Plan, which was adopted by the City Council in March 1987. The Study Area is bounded by Peoria Avenue to the north, Monroe Avenue to the south, Grand Avenue to the east, and 85th Avenue on the west. The plan includes objectives, guidelines, action plan, land acquisition, financing options and project ideas. Recommended land uses were not spatially designated within the redevelopment area. In addition to the two adopted redevelopment plans, the City has also prepared and adopted the Central Peoria Revitalization Plan in 2000. The revitalization planning area is a linear shaped area transected by Grand Avenue and extending north from Olive Avenue to Loop 101, a distance of three miles. The plan is intended to guide the rejuvenation of the historic center of the City. The plan includes a mission statement, plan foundations, principles for revitalization, revitalization plan and circulation plan. The City engaged in neighborhood revitalization activities at this point in time. However, based on the age, location and maintenance characteristics of the city, certain areas may require future evaluation in the near future. 6.b. GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES GOAL 6.1: CREATE AN ATTRACTIVE, VIBRANT AND SUSTAINABLE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY WITHIN MATURE AREAS OF THE CITY. _____________ Objective 6.1.A: Continue to leverage public investments within existing Redevelopment/Revitalization planning areas. __________ Policy 6.1.A.1: The City shall continue to implement the recommendations presented in the Downtown Peoria Redevelopment Plan and the Central Peoria Revitalization Plan. __________ Policy 6.1.A.2: The City shall designate the adopted revitalization and redevelopment areas as infill incentive districts pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes. __________ Policy 6.1.A.3: The City should implement transit improvements in accordance with the Downtown Peoria Redevelopment Plan. _____________ Objective 6.1.B: Encourage development of vacant land in adopted revitalization or redevelopment areas. __________ Policy 6.1.B.1: The City shall to identify appropriate vacant parcels, match with desired users, and prepare a marketing package for prospective developers. __________ Policy 6.1.B.2: The City shall develop incentives to attract infill employment opportunities to entice residential development. _____________ Objective 6.1.C: Rejuvenate the original historic Town Center of Peoria. __________ Policy 6.1.C.1: The City shall prepare a restoration and cost analysis for selected architecturally significant structures. __________ Policy 6.1.C.2: The City shall design and construct improvements for Osuna Park. __________ Policy 6.1.C.3: The City should study the feasibility of constructing a performing arts center on the old Town Hall property. __________ Policy 6.1.C.4: The City should coordinate with the RPTA to design a mixed- use transit station north and west of Peoria and 83rd Avenues. __________ Policy 6.1.C.5: The City shall support efforts to prepare a marketing package of key sites within the downtown area. __________ Policy 6.1.C.6: The City shall design and construct a streetscape plan for 84th Avenue to connect the city complex and Old Town. _____________ Objective 6.1.D: Promote pedestrian-scaled buildings and plazas in the downtown area. __________ Policy 6.1.D.1: The City should prepare a historic resources survey to identify and enhance its potentially significant structures. __________ Policy 6.1.D.2: The City shall utilize the adopted Central Peoria Revitalization Plan and Downtown Peoria Redevelopment Plan to locate appropriate structures and spaces. _____________ Objective 6.1.E: Encourage arts, recreation and civic-oriented development in the Downtown. __________ Policy 6.1.E.1: The City shall recruit theaters, museums, art galleries, recreation attractions and civic oriented service agencies. __________ Policy 6.1.E.2: The City shall target service-oriented agencies, and professional offices. 6.c. REVITALIZATION AND REDEVELOPMENT PLAN The City has significantly expanded its population and employment growth northward over the past 20 years. In the past seven years it has recognized the fact that there are areas of the City that are very mature and require an internal focus. As described previously, the City has prepared and adopted several plans that will focus revitalization and redevelopment activities in those areas identified seeking catalysts for investment or reinvestment. As the urbanized area of the City only reached Bell Road approximately 15 years ago, the location of the North Peoria Redevelopment Area Plan effectively creates the upper boundary urbanized area of the City. The historic use of Grand Avenue as the primary transportation corridor has created an underutilized employment corridor that generally divided the northern and southern portions of the City in recent years. This area has been the focus of renewed efforts to enhance the economic vitality of the corridor. In 1996, the City prepared and adopted the Downtown Peoria Redevelopment Plan, which generally includes the non-residential area north and west of the intersection of Monroe Street and Grand Avenue. The intent of the plan is to acknowledge the culture, style and character of the area in creating an attractive and thriving business and adjacent residential community. These plans have generally focused on the provision of economic development opportunities to enhance the job base of the City. These plans have been prepared pursuant to the provisions of the Slum Clearance and Redevelopment Law (ARS §36-1471). However, the effective cancellation of the use of tax increment financing (TIF) by the legislature in 1998 was a major loss in terms of a financial strategy that is based on the preparation of the redevelopment plan. While the use of TIF was considered illegal, several communities who had put these mechanisms in place have not faced legal challenges. In response to the lack of viable tools to achieve redevelopment or revitalization objectives, the legislature authorized (as a component of Growing Smarter Plus), the establishment of infill incentive districts. These districts could allow for expedited zoning or rezoning procedures, expedited processing of plans and proposals, municipal fee waivers (if not funded by other development fees) and relief from development standards as identified in the infill incentive plan. In order to designate the infill incentive district, the city must find that three of the conditions identified below exist for the identified area: ? A large number of vacant older or dilapidated buildings exist; ? A large number of vacant or underused parcels of property exist; ? A larger number of buildings or other places where nuisances exist; ? An absence of development and investment activity exists; ? A high occurrence of crime exists; and ? A continuing decline in population exists. Now that several of the neighborhoods within the city are nearing 30 years of age or more, the City should focus on strategic planning that identifies neighborhoods that could benefit from selected reinvestment activities. These activities if achieved early enough can successfully stem the pattern of disinvestment that plagues developed neighborhoods. Neighborhood planning is a multi-faceted and long-term process. It starts with the organization of a neighborhood or homeowners association. The formal acknowledgement of a viable group is an important component to let the City know that this resident group is serious about the issues that affect its living environment. Citizen participation and the district organization of the City Council can provide an effective mechanism to streamline the strategic reinvestment by the City. 6.d. IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM The Implementation Program for the Revitalization and Redevelopment element of the Peoria General Plan is presented in Table 6-1, Revitalization and Redevelopment Implementation Program. The table is presented under the following four headings: Implementation Measure Lists the action necessary to carry out the Revitalization and Redevelopment Element of the General Plan. Lead Department/Agency Identifies the responsible City department for accomplishing that particular measure. Projected Timeframe Identifies and prioritizes the timeframe for the measure to be initiated. Potential Funding Sources Lists the potential funding, City staff, volunteer or other community resources necessary to carry out the implementation action. The Planning Commission should review and provide recommendations to the City Council for revisions to the following Implementation Program on an annual basis in order to continue to pursue implementation of the Peoria General Plan. The Director of the Community Development Department and staff persons responsible for the General Plan implementation should monitor the status of each implementation action throughout the year and provide a general recommended framework to the Planning Commission for annually updating the General Plan’s Implementation Program. TABLE 6-1 REVITALIZATION AND REDEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM Implementation Measure Lead Department/ Agency Projected Timeframe (Years) Potential Funding Sources 1. Develop and delineate Infill Incentive Districts. Community Development Department 0-2 ? General Fund Revenues ? ½ cent Sales Tax Funds ? CDBG 2. Develop a strategy to revitalize underutilized buildings. Community Development/ Office of Economic Development 2-5 ? General Fund Revenues 3. Prepare a design concept report for 84th Avenue. Community Development Department/ Consultant 0-3 ? General Fund Revenues 4. Follow up Old Town Historic Structure Survey. Community Development Department 2-5 ? General Fund Revenues ? Heritage Fund Grants TABLE 6-1 REVITALIZATION AND REDEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM (CONTINUED) Implementation Measure Lead Department/ Agency Projected Timeframe (Years) Potential Funding Sources 5. Prepare an Old Town Revitalization Overlay Zone in accordance with the Central Peoria Revitalization Plan. Community Development Department 2-5 ? General Fund Revenues ? CDBG 6. Prepare an Old Town Transit Station Design Concept Report. Community Development Department 0-5 ? General Fund Revenues ? TEA-21 7. Osuna Park Improvement Plan. Community Services Department 5-10 ? Operating Fund Revenues ? Heritage Fund Grants Source: BRW, Inc., 2001 The Planning and Zoning Commission should review and provide recommendations to the City Council for revisions to the Implementation Program on an annual basis in order to continue to pursue implementation of the Peoria General Plan. The Director of the Community Development Department and staff persons responsible for the General Plan implementation should monitor the status of each implementation action throughout the year and provide a general recommended framework to the Planning and Zoning Commission for annually updating the General Plan’s Implementation Program. 6. REVITALIZATION AND REDEVELOPMENT PEORIA GENERAL PLAN PEORIA, ARIZONA 6-9 6. REVITALIZATION AND REDEVELOPMENT ELEMENT PEORIA GENERAL PLAN PEORIA, ARIZONA 6-1