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AGFUO - Public comments submitted for the June 1, 2021, City Council Meeting From: Herb Ritter Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 20214:15 PM To: Mayor and City Council Subject: Comments regarding Item 17, 6-1-2021 CC Agenda - Mandatory Retail Requirement Hello Honorable Mayor and Council, As a past member of the Downtown Specific Plan Task Force and past member of the Planning Commission, we have had lots of discussion about Active Ground Floor use on Mainstreet. We all want more, but in my opinion, we can't as a Govt entity Zone our way into mandating only "true retailers" in a shopping district is like building a bird house for passenger pigeons. Won't matter how pretty it is, they still will not stay. For example, look at some of our beautiful buildings down town that show for sale or Lease. Also please consider the following: Now is NOT THE TIME to "Over Regulate". The intention of offering the 25% floor space ordinance for Retail by the DTSP was to ensure we were supporting Retail "Active Use" for businesses that wanted to front Mainstreet and not to have vacant spaces. The challenge was we did not specify that the Retail portion of the business, must have a separate Business License and Operate as a retailer should with hours and online sales. Now days the word "Retail" should mean many things. The City zoning in my opinion just need to focus on "Active Use" and not get hung up on the word "Retail." I am not in favor of increasing the retail "Mandated" Space to 60% or we may have a bunch of empty buildings. Rather, city Govt need to create the infrastructure and application processes to make it attractive for business and building owners to invest in our downtown which will foster legitimate "active use" business.. We need to allow businesses that has a customer, a patient, a student, gym, yoga studies, a product to sell and all must have an active "specific" active use business license with the city to operate it. Please focus on any changes to remove regulations and obstructions to make it possible for business to create "Active Uses" that our residents can enjoy on Mainstreet. The Good Businesses will prevail, and the others will pivot to something different. Thank you for your service. Herb Ritter (cell) 925-_ Distributed to City Council for the September 7, 2021, meeting Page 10