The city of Ceres will be hosting the final of four public workshops on the future of downtown Ceres at 6 p.m. Thursday. The joint meeting of the Ceres City Council and Ceres Planning Commission will be held in the Council Chambers, 2210 Magnolia St., Ceres, and the public is invited.
At the meeting the city and consultants will continue to gather input on plans to reform downtown into a healthy vibrant core. Brian Briggs, the city's economic development director, said the city is crafting a 20-year Downtown Specific Plan that would promote economic development and result in a more vibrant downtown. It will also provide short-term and long-term actions for the city to undertake, in partnership with business and property owners.
Tomorrow night the City Council and Planning Commission will review and give feedback on four alternative approaches to the Downtown's future that were developed during the previous three workshops.
At previous meetings several concepts have been hammered out for downtown. They include:
• Developing Fourth Street like a "Main Street," with ground floor retail and residential units on other stories;
• An entertainment venue and downtown parking structure should be centrally located;
• Gateway entries should be developed at Fourth and Whitmore and at Fourth and El Camino;
• Downtown should be replete with apartments or condominiums;
• An offering of things to do after dark should be made available in downtown;
• Historical buildings and civic uses should be connected by pedestrian walkways;
The city expects to adopt the plan in the spring or summer, following environmental review and further community input.
The Downtown Specific Plan will cover the area bounded by Whitmore Avenue to the north, Highway 99 to the west, Ninth Street to the east and Park Street to the south.
The community is encouraged to attend and will have an opportunity for input.
At the meeting the city and consultants will continue to gather input on plans to reform downtown into a healthy vibrant core. Brian Briggs, the city's economic development director, said the city is crafting a 20-year Downtown Specific Plan that would promote economic development and result in a more vibrant downtown. It will also provide short-term and long-term actions for the city to undertake, in partnership with business and property owners.
Tomorrow night the City Council and Planning Commission will review and give feedback on four alternative approaches to the Downtown's future that were developed during the previous three workshops.
At previous meetings several concepts have been hammered out for downtown. They include:
• Developing Fourth Street like a "Main Street," with ground floor retail and residential units on other stories;
• An entertainment venue and downtown parking structure should be centrally located;
• Gateway entries should be developed at Fourth and Whitmore and at Fourth and El Camino;
• Downtown should be replete with apartments or condominiums;
• An offering of things to do after dark should be made available in downtown;
• Historical buildings and civic uses should be connected by pedestrian walkways;
The city expects to adopt the plan in the spring or summer, following environmental review and further community input.
The Downtown Specific Plan will cover the area bounded by Whitmore Avenue to the north, Highway 99 to the west, Ninth Street to the east and Park Street to the south.
The community is encouraged to attend and will have an opportunity for input.
