Main Street Director Holly McPherson continues to suggest ideas about how to help Wayland grow and become more of a destination community.
McPherson appeared at the City Planning Commission meeting Tuesday night to initiate discussion about the idea of an “overlay district” for the downtown. She stressed that no decisions are being made, but she wants local officials to think about what such a district would and wouldn’t do.
In her examination of Wayland’s central business district, she told commissioners, “We have a lot of services, but not much in the way of retail businesses.”
She said an overlay district is a marketing tool used to try to attract more retail businesses because they would positively impact services. She said it would be more of an economic philosophy than a policy.
“We want to make Wayland’s downtown to be a destination, but we also need places to put services,” she said, adding that current services in the downtown would be grandfathered.
McPherson, who produced an example with the City of Charlevoix, maintained that not enough people are persuaded to come to the heart of the central business district by services, such as health care, insurance, flea markets and dental offices. Furthermore, those people who do use those services aren’t likely to walk around and check out other local retail offerings.
Steve Stepek, who is the City Council’s liaison to the commission, said of her idea, “This is a good first step, especially with approval of the master plan.”
Chairman JD Gonzales added, “It’ll help the services in the long run with a vital downtown.”
However, Gonzales added that he’s uncomfortable with possibility services would feel unwelcome.
McPherson replied, “I just wanted to talk about this (idea) and get opinions.”
She said it is likely that this idea will be discussed later this spring in a public hearing.
