Carson revitalization work group to hold public workshops

Carson City will hold four public workshops beginning Thursday to introduce business owners along commercial corridors to its plans to use redevelopment areas as a way to revitalize the economy.

"It's kind of a big deal," said Ann Macquarie, co-chairwoman of a city work group charged with identifying plans for economic revitalization of the city's commercial and business districts.

"If the community decides to go ahead with redevelopment districts, a lot of commercial areas would become redevelopment areas. We want people to have as much input as they want to have," she said.

The first workshop is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Sierra Room of the Carson City Community Center. Residents and business owners are invited to walk through the room set up with information boards and staffed with work group members answering questions.

The workshops are designed to allow the community to provide feedback to the work group, Macquarie said. Public comments may be incorporated into the plan that the group has drafted.

"If it sounds like, based on the input, we're on the right track then we'll incorporate what we learn from the public workshops into the plan," Macquarie said.

Besides redevelopment and attracting new retail, the revitalization plan includes enhancement ideas, like creating landscaped gateways into the city.

Planning commissioners reviewed the ideas for redevelopment in March. The areas of focus are North Carson Street, north of downtown beyond College Parkway and including large commercial properties east on College Parkway, Highway 50 east from the downtown including property east of Deer Run Road, and South Carson Street south of downtown to the Douglas County line.

After the public outreach campaign, the group plans to bring the plan before the city Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors for review and approval.

IF YOU GO

What: Public Workshops on Carson City's commercial corridors revitalization plan

When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 29, Aug. 14, Aug. 15

Where: Sierra Room, Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.