Purpose:
Initiate two-way citizen communication process that will identify desired projects to be implemented for the Coachman Park area that will have wide public support.
Scope:
1. Affected parties: a) Registered Clearwater Voters, b) Downtown Property Owners and c) Other users of the waterfront area
2. Area of interest: Drew to Court and Osceola west to the harbor
Objectives:
1. Collect citizens' positive and negative perceptions of the existing waterfront area.
2. Collect views of users of the area and determine what they like about it and what they would do to improve it.
3. Identify consensus long-term conceptual goals for the area.
4. Collect ideas that could be done to improve the area right away and wouldn't cost a lot.
5. Identify changes that are desired long term that would have the biggest positive impact on the area.
6. Develop an implementation plan for short-term improvements and a strategy for the long term.
Risks:
1. Citizens may have concerns (historical baggage) that may need to be dealt with prior to arriving at consensus.
2. Citizens may not choose to participate.
3. Property owners may not choose to participate.
4. The consensus presented may differ greatly from those in the current plan.
5. Unknown of dealing with the plans of the biggest land owner in downtown
Assumptions:
1. The Citizen survey undertaken last May disclosed 80% support for some kind of redevelopment downtown.
2. The Survey also disclosed that 79% of the citizens wanted to do something to attract more people and businesses to downtown.
3. Supporters of past downtown proposals will be willing to work collectively with other members of the community that possibly were adversaries in the past.
4. This process is a tough job and will take considerable time, so it should be started now and include someone with experience in community consensus building.
Benefits:
1. Consensus for small projects that can be implemented in the short term.
2. Create a process that will enhance citizen confidence in the downtown development process.
3. Demonstrate community consensus that will provide confidence to future investors in the downtown area.
4. Build the basis for a process to be used for future referendum questions
5. Greater confidence in City Government