A presentation by city Economic Development Director Brian Wismer at the Feb. 9 and 10 retreat held by the Fayetteville City Council included community development goals, the need for a business development incentive plan and impediments to economic growth.
The downtown master plan is one that has been in the works for approximately two years and is still in the works. The City Council later in the meeting took up the issue and will consider a revised plan later in the year. The plan area includes more than 70 acres spanning the county complex property downtown, the school system property a short distance to the west and much of the property fronting Grady Avenue from Beauregard Avenue to Ga. Highway 54 West.
Wismer said developing a business incentives plan would allow the city to ability to offer and promote a criteria-based incentive package, would provide pre
dictability to prospective companies, would remove arbitrary decision-making on offerings and would incentivize targeted industry sectors.
Commenting on impediments to an incentives plan, Wismer said there exists a lack of leasable space for desired businesses downtown. He also noted the impact of vehicular traffic on pedestrian safety in the downtown area. These are issues the downtown master plan will likely address.
Wismer reported that the community, based on a number of town hall meetings, supports growth initiatives and wants parks and recreation facilities without having decided staffing and funding.
Wismer also noted the need to begin implementation of an economic development strategy, to launch a new city website with an economic development portal and to consider a pedestrian promenade to replace the “back alley” look behind the downtown businesses on the east side of Ga. Highway 85.
