Administration has drafted a Central Business District Protective Overlay (CBD-PO) ordinance for the C-1 downtown area, aimed at preventing storefronts from being used primarily as storage or long-term vehicle parking and instead encouraging active commercial, civic, and residential uses. Planning staff worked with the City’s legal team to develop detailed standards including prohibited storage-oriented uses, vacant building registration requirements, a 12-month sunset for nonconforming storage uses, and financial penalties for noncompliance. This June 16, 2026 Planning Commission item is for review only; if the language is acceptable, it will move to required legal publication and a future public hearing, after which existing nonconforming storage users will have 12 months to convert or cease. The overlay itself does not procure services, but it is a strong precursor to downtown reinvestment: as storage-only uses leave, vacant buildings will need planning, design, tenant improvement, façade upgrades, and potentially economic development or small business support. Firms specializing in downtown revitalization, architecture, code compliance consulting, and façade or adaptive reuse construction can position now to help property owners and the City implement the overlay’s intent once it is adopted.

Staff indicate there is recent development in the district and want to promote remaining vacant buil...