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Page 2 of 3 <br />of economic health. However, in recent years, the City has experienced increasing <br />competition for retail and commercial development, a trend exacerbated by the global <br />pandemic. Additionally, the availability of sites for new development has diminished, <br />and some smaller, unanchored centers may require reinvestment to achieve stronger <br />performance. The overarching goal of these Priority Areas is to sustain Pleasanton’s <br />economic health and long-term resilience to ensure continued delivery of high-quality <br />public services and amenities. <br /> <br />DISCUSSION <br />In June 2024, staff presented an overview of a new retail initiative to the Economic <br />Vitality Committee (EVC) outlining the City’s efforts for retail attraction and retention <br />aligned with the EDSP priorities. To advance these efforts, the City engaged the Alex <br />Greenwood Group to assist in developing the initiative. <br /> <br />In December 2024, staff provided an update on the City’s progress, which included an <br />overview of a void analysis, identification of specific target retail categories, and related <br />recommendations. <br /> <br />Key recommendations from the analysis, which staff has been actively implementing, <br />include: <br /> <br />• Developing and implementing a focused retail attraction and marketing plan <br />to highlight the city’s economic assets and elevate Pleasanton’s visibility as a retail <br />destination <br />o Two new business attraction brochures have been developed. <br />o A new "Why Pleasanton" webpage was created; Visit Why Pleasanton - <br />City of Pleasanton to explore the new webpage and view the office and <br />retail brochures. <br />o Attendance at an ICSC Conference for Broker and Business Engagement <br /> Staff attended ICSC@Monterey, which is a premier retail industry <br />event for tenants, developers, brokers, and investors operating in <br />Northern California. Fourteen meetings were held with <br />representatives from retail brokerages, existing Pleasanton <br />retailers, and prospective retailers who are interested in the <br />Pleasanton market. <br />• Implementing local retail retention activities to support long-term success of <br />existing businesses <br />o Conducting Business Visits <br />o Developed a Business Assistance Series in partnership with the East Bay <br />Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Pleasanton Chamber <br />of Commerce <br /> Offering free business advising and seminars <br /> Connecting local businesses to financial and technical resources