The latest casualty of the greater economic downturn or 2009-2011 is the Children's Closet. Long time Village Clothing and gift store on Village Dr., the business was listed for sale most of 2010 with no buyers coming forward. This will add to the commercial space available inventory in the Village putting even more downward pressure on rents.
Recently Village Dr. businesses have asked the Improvement Agency to please do something for West Village Dr. when considering improvements for the Village.
Showing posts with label city planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label city planning. Show all posts
Friday, March 18, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
2011 Business Outlook is Bleak for Local Retailers
My sense of what is happening in the local marketplace is no less than gut-wrenching. Even with all the "things are getting better" in the media, our reality is that local stores are closing.
Frustrated and a little bitter is the sense you get from statements made in the Grizzly article dated 2/23/11 ( Moonridge closing ), by Mike Gray, the owner of Wild Wings on Moonridge Rd.
Mike is not alone in his frustration. Neither is he alone in his sense of pending doom when looking at the horizon. It's a common theme when you talk to almost any small business owner these days. Yes, even those in the Village.
As for his complaint of a lack of identify or vision for the community, I disagree vigorously. That is an easy out and I hear it all the time and it's is just untrue. As far back as the 80's consultants and citizen groups have repeatedly come to the out-of-this-world conclusion that Big Bear Lake is a 4 season resort that serves visitors as it's primary (only) industry. Even in the 80's and as recently as last year, subsequent studies have come up with the same thing. All the reports have agreed that we under serve our customers when we are busy and struggle to survive when we are not busy. All the conclusions have been the same.. We need to make infrastructure improvements to provide a better customer experience when we are busy, and better develop our retail marketplace including restaurants, hotels and amenities to better compete with other destinations in the area.
For several years business owners have been urging the City Council to take action to support our local economy with new and fresh marketing, re-branding and easing of development code regulations that would allow the Big Bear Lake Marketplace to better compete with other destination marketplaces in Southern California. To spend improvement agency dollars for what they were intended for.. to make improvements and better the local economy.
Specific language has been used by me and others to focus on economic development. One clear need is to establish a fully authorized economic development commission to set goals for our survival and our future. To create a path to implement changes and guide the necessary spending to meet these goals. Other communities do this.
In March 2011 it will be two years since City Manager Jeff Matthieu responded to the Village Business Association and Charlie Brewster's plea for economic development and said.. "We’ll see what we can attack in a powerful way". I'm embarrassed to tell folks what we have attacked at all.
The comments by Mike Gray have nothing new to add to the perception by Big Bear Lake small business’s that the City has failed to take any meaningful action that would have any chance to improve the immediate reality that continues to decimate our local economy. To my knowledge, there is still no plan to even address economic development.
Here are some of the most visible business closings over the past year or so.
The Vintage Restaurant. Big Bear Lake Central
Papa Jack's BBQ. Big Bear Lake Central
Bear Mountain Trading. Moonridge
Lakeside Home Decor. (Downsized to the Village) Moonridge
Friends Salon. Moonridge
Tradewinds Shop. Village
Blondie's Bar and Grille. Village
Pages in Time. Village
Grizzly Mountain Gourmet. Village
Michelle's Deli. Village
Alexandria's Dress shop. Village
Beary Crafty. Village (formerly Anything but Ordinary). Village
Kenai's Korner. Village
Heart of the West. Village
Edelweiss Books. Village
The Pub. Village
Big Bear Souvenir. Village
Equada Outfitters. Village
Frustrated and a little bitter is the sense you get from statements made in the Grizzly article dated 2/23/11 ( Moonridge closing ), by Mike Gray, the owner of Wild Wings on Moonridge Rd.
Mike is not alone in his frustration. Neither is he alone in his sense of pending doom when looking at the horizon. It's a common theme when you talk to almost any small business owner these days. Yes, even those in the Village.
As for his complaint of a lack of identify or vision for the community, I disagree vigorously. That is an easy out and I hear it all the time and it's is just untrue. As far back as the 80's consultants and citizen groups have repeatedly come to the out-of-this-world conclusion that Big Bear Lake is a 4 season resort that serves visitors as it's primary (only) industry. Even in the 80's and as recently as last year, subsequent studies have come up with the same thing. All the reports have agreed that we under serve our customers when we are busy and struggle to survive when we are not busy. All the conclusions have been the same.. We need to make infrastructure improvements to provide a better customer experience when we are busy, and better develop our retail marketplace including restaurants, hotels and amenities to better compete with other destinations in the area.
For several years business owners have been urging the City Council to take action to support our local economy with new and fresh marketing, re-branding and easing of development code regulations that would allow the Big Bear Lake Marketplace to better compete with other destination marketplaces in Southern California. To spend improvement agency dollars for what they were intended for.. to make improvements and better the local economy.
Specific language has been used by me and others to focus on economic development. One clear need is to establish a fully authorized economic development commission to set goals for our survival and our future. To create a path to implement changes and guide the necessary spending to meet these goals. Other communities do this.
In March 2011 it will be two years since City Manager Jeff Matthieu responded to the Village Business Association and Charlie Brewster's plea for economic development and said.. "We’ll see what we can attack in a powerful way". I'm embarrassed to tell folks what we have attacked at all.
The comments by Mike Gray have nothing new to add to the perception by Big Bear Lake small business’s that the City has failed to take any meaningful action that would have any chance to improve the immediate reality that continues to decimate our local economy. To my knowledge, there is still no plan to even address economic development.
Here are some of the most visible business closings over the past year or so.
The Vintage Restaurant. Big Bear Lake Central
Papa Jack's BBQ. Big Bear Lake Central
Bear Mountain Trading. Moonridge
Lakeside Home Decor. (Downsized to the Village) Moonridge
Friends Salon. Moonridge
Tradewinds Shop. Village
Blondie's Bar and Grille. Village
Pages in Time. Village
Grizzly Mountain Gourmet. Village
Michelle's Deli. Village
Alexandria's Dress shop. Village
Beary Crafty. Village (formerly Anything but Ordinary). Village
Kenai's Korner. Village
Heart of the West. Village
Edelweiss Books. Village
The Pub. Village
Big Bear Souvenir. Village
Equada Outfitters. Village
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Economic Development, Low Income Housing and Elections
Business failures too many to mention, chronic commercial vacancies, home and business property foreclosures everywhere you look. Drive around town and that’s what you’ll see, if you’re looking. Yes, there is the slower economy, but it’s a fact our local retail economy has been in serious decline since before the end of the home building boom in 2007. Yes, there has been some new commercial development in the past decade, but no economic growth in retail and with all the private home rentals, the lodging sector is a mess. There is unlimited potential for improvement of our tourism based local economy.
The success of our community is measurable by the quality of life we can offer residents and the vitality of our local businesses, the level of permanent, year-round employment in good pay jobs and the level of income local employment provides. Whether you’re a skilled tradesman, line cook, hospitality worker, day care giver, mechanic, shop keeper or accountant, we are all connected to and reliant on our local economy.
I applaud the City Council for recent action through the City’s Redevelopment Agency implementing our Façade and Sign Improvement Program. The Program grants Redevelopment Agency funds for qualifying Commercial Property Improvements. This is long overdue and is a good example of the things we can do and are at long last, getting done. Spending some of the millions of dollars in our Redevelopment Agency Fund incentivizing property owners to update storefronts is one reason the taxpayers voted to form the agency more than 20 years ago. However, this and the other programs recently put into place to aid small business will not by themselves bring about a more robust local economy. Our redevelopment goals need to be part of a greater economic development plan. We can improve our economic reality in a meaningful way, and maintain our environment and lifestyle standards, for the long term.
Absence of a clear vision for the future and the lack of community economic development goals allow us to be endlessly engaged in every issue that would be addressed in a good plan. Hopefully, a good plan and excellent communication would minimize the endless debates or at least make some development less contentious. The absence of a plan allows us to become engaged to distraction with hot-button issues like low income housing, private home rentals, and other development and quality of life issues instead of focusing on needed improvements and meeting goals that would benefit the entire community.
Economic development will require focus. Results will mean meeting clear goals we set for underpinning a vibrant small business community, creating good pay jobs for those struggling to provide for families, and creating opportunity for our young people that will allow them to contribute and earn a good living in the community they grew up in. This plan needs to reflect our local values and should be crafted by those with concerns and experience in business, finance and the environment. A citizen led plan, not one stamped out by bureaucrats and administrators.
A comprehensive plan for the future is the key to any real success. Our plan needs to be led by economic development goals, dovetailed with our environmental needs, aesthetic and lifestyle values and governed by our available resources and ultimate capacity.
To force low income housing development in advance of a comprehensive plan that includes clear goals for economic development seems to me a mistake and a symptom of our failure to adequately plan. This can be corrected.
Continued piecemeal rezoning and placement of low income housing to meet State housing law in lieu of fitting housing into a well thought out master plan will be detrimental to our future success. Big Bear Lake has very limited and finite land available for critical uses. Low income housing is just one need. No rezoning of commercial land should be considered without equal rezoning to replace the commercial zoned inventory.
Before the City Council election in November I would like to hear clearly, from each candidate, that they have the ability and the will to state and uphold a policy that favors the community by committing to economic development. I believe most all folks will be able to understand the need to plan our future. The City Council can put economic development and comprehensive planning for the future on the fast track, and empower our citizens to take part in their own futures with the establishment of an Economic Development Commission made up of non-elected individuals that don’t serve on other commissions or agencies.
The success of our community is measurable by the quality of life we can offer residents and the vitality of our local businesses, the level of permanent, year-round employment in good pay jobs and the level of income local employment provides. Whether you’re a skilled tradesman, line cook, hospitality worker, day care giver, mechanic, shop keeper or accountant, we are all connected to and reliant on our local economy.
I applaud the City Council for recent action through the City’s Redevelopment Agency implementing our Façade and Sign Improvement Program. The Program grants Redevelopment Agency funds for qualifying Commercial Property Improvements. This is long overdue and is a good example of the things we can do and are at long last, getting done. Spending some of the millions of dollars in our Redevelopment Agency Fund incentivizing property owners to update storefronts is one reason the taxpayers voted to form the agency more than 20 years ago. However, this and the other programs recently put into place to aid small business will not by themselves bring about a more robust local economy. Our redevelopment goals need to be part of a greater economic development plan. We can improve our economic reality in a meaningful way, and maintain our environment and lifestyle standards, for the long term.
Absence of a clear vision for the future and the lack of community economic development goals allow us to be endlessly engaged in every issue that would be addressed in a good plan. Hopefully, a good plan and excellent communication would minimize the endless debates or at least make some development less contentious. The absence of a plan allows us to become engaged to distraction with hot-button issues like low income housing, private home rentals, and other development and quality of life issues instead of focusing on needed improvements and meeting goals that would benefit the entire community.
Economic development will require focus. Results will mean meeting clear goals we set for underpinning a vibrant small business community, creating good pay jobs for those struggling to provide for families, and creating opportunity for our young people that will allow them to contribute and earn a good living in the community they grew up in. This plan needs to reflect our local values and should be crafted by those with concerns and experience in business, finance and the environment. A citizen led plan, not one stamped out by bureaucrats and administrators.
A comprehensive plan for the future is the key to any real success. Our plan needs to be led by economic development goals, dovetailed with our environmental needs, aesthetic and lifestyle values and governed by our available resources and ultimate capacity.
To force low income housing development in advance of a comprehensive plan that includes clear goals for economic development seems to me a mistake and a symptom of our failure to adequately plan. This can be corrected.
Continued piecemeal rezoning and placement of low income housing to meet State housing law in lieu of fitting housing into a well thought out master plan will be detrimental to our future success. Big Bear Lake has very limited and finite land available for critical uses. Low income housing is just one need. No rezoning of commercial land should be considered without equal rezoning to replace the commercial zoned inventory.
Before the City Council election in November I would like to hear clearly, from each candidate, that they have the ability and the will to state and uphold a policy that favors the community by committing to economic development. I believe most all folks will be able to understand the need to plan our future. The City Council can put economic development and comprehensive planning for the future on the fast track, and empower our citizens to take part in their own futures with the establishment of an Economic Development Commission made up of non-elected individuals that don’t serve on other commissions or agencies.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Why Big Bear's Economic Development needs to be a Citizen Led Model
The Redevelopment Wheels are turning in Big Bear Lake and the opportunity for local businesses to prosper and grow are real. More and better jobs are key but growth must be balanced on our meeting economic goals reached for the folks who live and work in our community.
What might make sense for Big Bear might not be attractive to corporate developers and investors. What we need to avoid at any cost is repeating the same strategies other Resort Communities have implemented with negative results in categories other than bottom line results.
More on Vail's Public Relations Problems with it's locals from the Denver Post's Steve Raabe:
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14857508
What might make sense for Big Bear might not be attractive to corporate developers and investors. What we need to avoid at any cost is repeating the same strategies other Resort Communities have implemented with negative results in categories other than bottom line results.
More on Vail's Public Relations Problems with it's locals from the Denver Post's Steve Raabe:
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14857508
Friday, March 26, 2010
Public Transit: A Monorail from the Village to the Ski Resorts
As City Planners look to the future of Big Bear Lake, a not so new idea keeps minds whirling with visions of some sort of train/tram ride between the Village and the Ski Resorts (maybe as far as Bear Mountain). It's not a great distance so costs won't likely be on the scale of Health Reform, and on busy weekends it would certainly make sense to get folks out of their cars (Big Bear Boulevard) and from here to there much more quickly than the 20-50 minutes it might take you to get from Northwoods Resort to Bear Mountain to pick up kids. And then back again. This one example equates to one Esclade on our streets for almost 2 hours to accommodate 1 or 2 snowboarders. You do the math. We would need 5 or 6 buses to get frequency to 10 minutes on busy weekends, but the trip is still 50 minutes. It's a no-go.
Frequency and convenience seem to be the key for optimum usage and profitability of public transportation whether its the MARTA bus or a state of the art monorail. The goal (I'm sure, and like many other public projects) would be to recoup costs for building the system from ridership and via whatever grants (government subsidies) could be secured for getting cars off the roads, green technology and increased tourism that generates tax revenues for the State.
There is no doubt that if maximum ridership were realized, there would be plentiful quality of life benefits for valley residents and significantly improve the mobility options for year round visitors as there surely won't be any more roads built to alleviate the heavy traffic we all endure during peak visitor days.
This type of solution combined with bike/pedestrian paths connecting Retail, Lodging, the Lake and Forest along with adequate parking for the successful use of these connections, should have a place at the top of the list for our future planning.
Monorails can be found in the following places in North America:
Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida - The Walt Disney World Monorail System is one of the world's best-known monorail serves over five million passengers yearly. Disneyland in Anaheim, California - The Disneyland Monorail System is known as the "First daily operating Monorail system in the Western Hemisphere." Seattle, Washington - short monorail (Seattle Center Monorail) built for the Century 21 Exposition in 1962 Hershey, Pennsylvania - amusement monorail at Hersheypark. Lancaster, Pennsylvania - amusement monorail at Dutch Wonderland . Las Vegas, Nevada - public transit Memphis, Tennessee - a short monorail connects Mud Island in the Mississippi River to Memphis. Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey - people mover connecting terminals, parking lots, and to Amtrak/NJ Transit Northeast Corridor rail station Six Flags La Ronde in Montreal, Quebec - once part of a larger monorail systems built for Expo 67 Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, Minnesota San Diego Wild Animal Park near Escondido, California. It is the only monorail system in Hawaii. This a fully-operational, homebuilt, backyard monorail was constructed by monorail enthusiast, Kim Pedersen Dallas, Texas - Amusement ride at Dallas Zoo Miami MetroZoo, in Miami, Florida - Connects major exhibits at the zoo.
Criticism and comment about the Las Vegas Tram below:
http://mtcgi.kir.com/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=1&search=Las+Vegas+monorail
More on Monorails some above content sourced:
More on Monorails some above content sourced:
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Slippery Slope
From Fast Food, the Internet, Big Box, Big Money, Cheap Land, Economic Incentives and everything else under the capitalistic sun that warms us, the competition probably has an advantage over the Big Bear Valley.
A little late in entering the race, (OK, really late) the vision required for the Big Bear Lake Community to really compete in the regional retail marketplace will require the one ingredient that will be the key to each and every success story we will ever read about. Innovation.
Innovation, combined with natural strengths, realistic goal setting and the will to work until one's goals are achieved are the elements of any home run, smash hit, best seller or happy ending. I believe you can apply the same formula to form a successful business plan.
The reality is however, that competition has never been tougher, but the rewards of economic prosperity for families and community will always be worthy of what ever it takes to achieve. How could it not?
I recently read a great article on the cultural aspect of competition and an intangible adversary. Author Jules Pieri on how the "discount Culture" is killing our economy.
Our successful vision will recognize the slippery slope of community planning and require the imagination to incorporate the innovation required to enhance our natural strengths to overcome our adversaries might.
A little late in entering the race, (OK, really late) the vision required for the Big Bear Lake Community to really compete in the regional retail marketplace will require the one ingredient that will be the key to each and every success story we will ever read about. Innovation.
Innovation, combined with natural strengths, realistic goal setting and the will to work until one's goals are achieved are the elements of any home run, smash hit, best seller or happy ending. I believe you can apply the same formula to form a successful business plan.
The reality is however, that competition has never been tougher, but the rewards of economic prosperity for families and community will always be worthy of what ever it takes to achieve. How could it not?
I recently read a great article on the cultural aspect of competition and an intangible adversary. Author Jules Pieri on how the "discount Culture" is killing our economy.
Our successful vision will recognize the slippery slope of community planning and require the imagination to incorporate the innovation required to enhance our natural strengths to overcome our adversaries might.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
September 22 IA Meeting: Will the City Council Sell the Village?
On September 22. 2009 at 8:30 AM at the Northwoods Resort, the Big Bear Lake Improvement Agency and the Planning Commission will be presented 9 more Low Income Housing Developments proposed by prospective development partners. In the Meeting Agenda dated 9/15/09, the Improvement Agency states it has determined where to get the best advise on where, Low Income Housing (LIH) is constructed in our city. That advise, and proposals will be heard from the developers who will ultimately profit from the federal and city funds, tax deferments and tax credits sold off to large financial institutions for construction funds.
http://www.citybigbearlake.com/documents/IAagenda092209.pdf
I have asked around, and to date, have yet to hear of any public involvement by any citizen from any of our many neighborhoods, business groups or organizations in determining where LIH might work in our city. Apparently we are asking developers where they would like to build. While we have a zoning map, it is clear the IA will implement re-zoning to meet a quota instead working to a plan that would make best use of our limited resources, and community infrastructure.
The pitfall of this latest city agenda is that there is no plan and any decisions we make approving these Low Income Housing Projects (LIHP's) will forever limit our ability to successfully craft a plan that meets even the basic guidelines and recommendations set forth in our General Plan of 1999.
As the IA has already committed it's entire 5.2 million set aside for Low Income Housing, (Knickerbocker Rd., The Crossings) the question is, where will the "funds available" advertised to the LIH development industry come from. The answer is that the IA will borrow against our future property taxes in order to make contributions equal to the Knickerbocker Development to quickly meet State mandates. All this before any City Master Development Plan can be formed with public involvement, to hell with the outcome. Big Bear Lake residents and businesses will be paying for these developments long after the City Council accountable for poor planning decisions and our top city administrators move on to greener pastures.
The threat to the Village is real with high density low income housing being proposed that would dominate the landscape and forever limit the growth of our Village Marketplace. The re-zoning and dumping hundreds of residential Low Income Housing units in the Village is poor planning on any level. The City's facilitating of these proposals is extremely risky and threatens the vitality of our retail economy. I truly regret that the city took this approach in an effort to meet current LIH quotas after 25 years of letting time pass without planning for this day.
Adding millions of dollars of debt to existing IA liabilities (that must be paid back by the year 2036) should be looked at very closely and perhaps by an independent firm, with new citizen-led oversight.
http://www.citybigbearlake.com/documents/IAagenda092209.pdf
I have asked around, and to date, have yet to hear of any public involvement by any citizen from any of our many neighborhoods, business groups or organizations in determining where LIH might work in our city. Apparently we are asking developers where they would like to build. While we have a zoning map, it is clear the IA will implement re-zoning to meet a quota instead working to a plan that would make best use of our limited resources, and community infrastructure.
The pitfall of this latest city agenda is that there is no plan and any decisions we make approving these Low Income Housing Projects (LIHP's) will forever limit our ability to successfully craft a plan that meets even the basic guidelines and recommendations set forth in our General Plan of 1999.
As the IA has already committed it's entire 5.2 million set aside for Low Income Housing, (Knickerbocker Rd., The Crossings) the question is, where will the "funds available" advertised to the LIH development industry come from. The answer is that the IA will borrow against our future property taxes in order to make contributions equal to the Knickerbocker Development to quickly meet State mandates. All this before any City Master Development Plan can be formed with public involvement, to hell with the outcome. Big Bear Lake residents and businesses will be paying for these developments long after the City Council accountable for poor planning decisions and our top city administrators move on to greener pastures.
The threat to the Village is real with high density low income housing being proposed that would dominate the landscape and forever limit the growth of our Village Marketplace. The re-zoning and dumping hundreds of residential Low Income Housing units in the Village is poor planning on any level. The City's facilitating of these proposals is extremely risky and threatens the vitality of our retail economy. I truly regret that the city took this approach in an effort to meet current LIH quotas after 25 years of letting time pass without planning for this day.
Adding millions of dollars of debt to existing IA liabilities (that must be paid back by the year 2036) should be looked at very closely and perhaps by an independent firm, with new citizen-led oversight.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Park City's Mayor Has a New Job
Can't help but be blinded by the contrast in the lifestyle differences for civic leadership in Park City and Big Bear Lake....
Jay Hamburger of the Park City Record: http://tinyurl.com/mc9hkn
Jay Hamburger of the Park City Record: http://tinyurl.com/mc9hkn
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Clear and Focused Goals
I was just forwarded a recent email from City Councilor Michael Karp, addressed to "Citizens" that in my opinion, punctuates the one major point that is more or less the root of most all other reasons our Retail Marketplace pales in comparison to so many communities in Southern California and the greater region (destination resort communities) that have showcased their Merchants, Restaurants and Lodges to attract shoppers and visitors from a very wide region. The increased retail activity resulting from effective marketing of the new retail offerings generate jobs, incomes, community pride and the needed sales tax revenues that provide budgetary growth allowing local governments to provide community infrastructure improvements that we all seem to desire. Some communities call this an ‘economic development plan’.
That one point Mr. Karp divulges is that 'Retail' is viewed by more than just a few, as nothing but a backdrop for our Alpine Recreation Sector and the City's bottomless residential property tax well and is not given the respect it deserves as a major source for economic growth, adding jobs and providing incomes for locals that will not require any additional impact of the forest we all enjoy.
But without a strong unified voice, and clear and focused goals for improvements to our Marketplace, Big Bear Retail Businesses can only expect that the status quo will surely prevail and not much will ever change. If we simply leave it to the City Council, City Employees and those that many of us think are 'in charge' of such decisions and policy that could successfully enhance a retail business climate and allow prosperity and growth for our many struggling shops and restaurants, we can expect no more than we currently have.
Like Mr. Karp, I too urge Retail Business and Property Owners, their employees and families to attend the visioning meeting on Aug 31, and speak up for our ailing Marketplace. We should all seek to make real improvements that will truly benefit our community. Don’t allow our goals to be bogged down with a lot of new and restrictive ordinances that have been the source of so much disinvestment and disappointment over the past 20 some years of slow, painful and inadequate retail development in our commercial districts. Business and property owners must join forces and lend their collective experience to the efforts at hand that can shape our future, and see that well intended politicians understand what elements actually drive a retail marketplace and to set, and meet, clear and focused goals.
That one point Mr. Karp divulges is that 'Retail' is viewed by more than just a few, as nothing but a backdrop for our Alpine Recreation Sector and the City's bottomless residential property tax well and is not given the respect it deserves as a major source for economic growth, adding jobs and providing incomes for locals that will not require any additional impact of the forest we all enjoy.
But without a strong unified voice, and clear and focused goals for improvements to our Marketplace, Big Bear Retail Businesses can only expect that the status quo will surely prevail and not much will ever change. If we simply leave it to the City Council, City Employees and those that many of us think are 'in charge' of such decisions and policy that could successfully enhance a retail business climate and allow prosperity and growth for our many struggling shops and restaurants, we can expect no more than we currently have.
Like Mr. Karp, I too urge Retail Business and Property Owners, their employees and families to attend the visioning meeting on Aug 31, and speak up for our ailing Marketplace. We should all seek to make real improvements that will truly benefit our community. Don’t allow our goals to be bogged down with a lot of new and restrictive ordinances that have been the source of so much disinvestment and disappointment over the past 20 some years of slow, painful and inadequate retail development in our commercial districts. Business and property owners must join forces and lend their collective experience to the efforts at hand that can shape our future, and see that well intended politicians understand what elements actually drive a retail marketplace and to set, and meet, clear and focused goals.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Traffic Round-a-Bouts for Moonridge?
Several options for reducing speeds on Moonridge were delineated at the Moonridge Visioning Meeting, held recently at Hofert Hall, by the City of Big Bear Lake Improvement Agency the Consultant hired by the agency to assemble all the comments given by property owners and business operators from the Moonridge Redevelopment District.
Scenarios including different mixes of potential Hotels, Condos, and Commercial developments from Big Bear Blvd. all the way to the Moonridge 'Y' where the agency's land planners envisioned a hotel property being constructed.
The link below is a historical summary of Sadona Arizona's current project to install Round-a-Bouts. I think Dick Kun's neck hair may be twitching.
Vision is key to success. Good luck to all my friends in Moonridge!
http://www.sedona.biz/why-roundabouts-sedona0109.htm
Scenarios including different mixes of potential Hotels, Condos, and Commercial developments from Big Bear Blvd. all the way to the Moonridge 'Y' where the agency's land planners envisioned a hotel property being constructed.
The link below is a historical summary of Sadona Arizona's current project to install Round-a-Bouts. I think Dick Kun's neck hair may be twitching.
Vision is key to success. Good luck to all my friends in Moonridge!
http://www.sedona.biz/why-roundabouts-sedona0109.htm
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The Buxton Report
The Buxton Report was commissioned by the City of Big Bear Lake to evaluate our local retail marketplace. The original report was to be released as early as Sept. 2008.
A special meeting was posted on July 10 by the city to hold a workshop around the report on July 13, 2009 at 9:00 AM in the morning.
The current version of the report is available @ http://www.citybigbearlake.com/documents/IA071309sp.pdf
I fear this report and the data provided (Buxton Report dated July 13, 2009) may be interpreted by some as “Wow! We must be doing ok!” when in fact we are not. Or that the report says we need a Wal-Mart, when in fact it does not.
What the report fails to do is factor in the complex and unique retail marketplace that has evolved over our long and rich history, built, for the most part, by the seat of our pants. Our marketplace has developed and adapted from many directions and from the weight of many forces, but the common fuel for continued success has always been (as articulated in the Buxton Report) revenues from tourism.
What is not articulated in the report, but needs to a part of the conversation, is the actual demand for goods and services represented in the number of visitors to the Valley each year. Nor does the report estimate projected leakage of sales as we are able to increase tourism on weekdays and in shoulder seasons.
In my opinion, the best source of council for determining the need for infrastructure investments to our retail marketplace has always been from the many merchants, lodge and restaurant owners who have put in so many years of hard work to maintain the happy face of Big Bear Lake for the millions of visitors we greet each year. These valued members of the community know what no consultant can, and I am sure would be more than willing to advise the Council and it’s staff given the opportunity.
I believe all potential for our existing small businesses to prosper and for the growth of our retail sector to become a provider, instead of a backdrop, will be in our willingness to compete in the region at a much higher level, with focused goals, around a significant investment in retail infrastructure, and amenities provided our visitors, taking advantage of our natural landscape and quaint, small town atmosphere.
The report does clearly identify the excellent job our local retailers do in meeting the needs of their customers as outline in the leakage/surplus analysis and clearly identifies our target demographic (page 12 of the report) as one that is older, wealthier and a little more sophisticated, than to date, many of us have understood.
A special meeting was posted on July 10 by the city to hold a workshop around the report on July 13, 2009 at 9:00 AM in the morning.
The current version of the report is available @ http://www.citybigbearlake.com/documents/IA071309sp.pdf
I fear this report and the data provided (Buxton Report dated July 13, 2009) may be interpreted by some as “Wow! We must be doing ok!” when in fact we are not. Or that the report says we need a Wal-Mart, when in fact it does not.
What the report fails to do is factor in the complex and unique retail marketplace that has evolved over our long and rich history, built, for the most part, by the seat of our pants. Our marketplace has developed and adapted from many directions and from the weight of many forces, but the common fuel for continued success has always been (as articulated in the Buxton Report) revenues from tourism.
What is not articulated in the report, but needs to a part of the conversation, is the actual demand for goods and services represented in the number of visitors to the Valley each year. Nor does the report estimate projected leakage of sales as we are able to increase tourism on weekdays and in shoulder seasons.
In my opinion, the best source of council for determining the need for infrastructure investments to our retail marketplace has always been from the many merchants, lodge and restaurant owners who have put in so many years of hard work to maintain the happy face of Big Bear Lake for the millions of visitors we greet each year. These valued members of the community know what no consultant can, and I am sure would be more than willing to advise the Council and it’s staff given the opportunity.
I believe all potential for our existing small businesses to prosper and for the growth of our retail sector to become a provider, instead of a backdrop, will be in our willingness to compete in the region at a much higher level, with focused goals, around a significant investment in retail infrastructure, and amenities provided our visitors, taking advantage of our natural landscape and quaint, small town atmosphere.
The report does clearly identify the excellent job our local retailers do in meeting the needs of their customers as outline in the leakage/surplus analysis and clearly identifies our target demographic (page 12 of the report) as one that is older, wealthier and a little more sophisticated, than to date, many of us have understood.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Big Bear Lake Economic Summit
The need for a new marketing and advertising strategy has never been greater for Big Bear Lake Retail Merchants, Restaurants and Lodges. While recovery for the general economy is sure to happen eventually, Big Bear Lake Businesses are suffering. Doors continue to close.
While the general tone for the 2009 Economic Summit, held on June 4, 2009, was a lot of business as usual and offered little to address what is needed or wanted by business, there was some news from the Big Bear Lake Redevelopment Director, Lyle Haynes, with (as far as I know) the first public mention of the possibility of forming Business Improvement Districts for ongoing funding of infrastructure improvements, events and marketing, all in the name of economic development for the City.
Another desperately needed action, to address the Big Bear Lake Development Code, was mentioned briefly.
It was mentioned that for property owners and business to develop properties to meet the best and greatest use and for individual businesses to compete in today's marketplace, serious changes are needed in both the Development Code and the Village Specific Plan. The changes would include density, use, parking and zoning. While this has been an important issue and needs attention, the changes would affect future development of commercial property and does not address anything in the near future.
The Big Bear Lake Resort Association presented current marketing strategy and an overview of scaled back plans for the coming year with their revenues taking a hit as fewer visitors are spending less money with their members this year.
Affordable housing projects were mentioned in the Redevelopment presentation. Both projects currently seeking approval in the Village were mentioned. I for one will aggressively oppose both of these projects based on the location and the irreversible long terms effects they would have on future commercial development and expansion of the Village. There must be some sort of policy set that these types of development should replace existing small and older residential units and be constructed in existing dense residential areas. One good idea that came up was to just let the affordable housing money revert back to the County and let them (the County) construct affordable housing in the unincorporated areas of the Valley.
While the general tone for the 2009 Economic Summit, held on June 4, 2009, was a lot of business as usual and offered little to address what is needed or wanted by business, there was some news from the Big Bear Lake Redevelopment Director, Lyle Haynes, with (as far as I know) the first public mention of the possibility of forming Business Improvement Districts for ongoing funding of infrastructure improvements, events and marketing, all in the name of economic development for the City.
Another desperately needed action, to address the Big Bear Lake Development Code, was mentioned briefly.
It was mentioned that for property owners and business to develop properties to meet the best and greatest use and for individual businesses to compete in today's marketplace, serious changes are needed in both the Development Code and the Village Specific Plan. The changes would include density, use, parking and zoning. While this has been an important issue and needs attention, the changes would affect future development of commercial property and does not address anything in the near future.
The Big Bear Lake Resort Association presented current marketing strategy and an overview of scaled back plans for the coming year with their revenues taking a hit as fewer visitors are spending less money with their members this year.
Affordable housing projects were mentioned in the Redevelopment presentation. Both projects currently seeking approval in the Village were mentioned. I for one will aggressively oppose both of these projects based on the location and the irreversible long terms effects they would have on future commercial development and expansion of the Village. There must be some sort of policy set that these types of development should replace existing small and older residential units and be constructed in existing dense residential areas. One good idea that came up was to just let the affordable housing money revert back to the County and let them (the County) construct affordable housing in the unincorporated areas of the Valley.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Park City Utah
Some interesting facts off the Park City Website.
- Park City was founded as a silver-mining town in 1869. By 1900, it was a booming mining town with 10,000 residents and 100 saloons
- Second largest silver strike in U. S., 1200 miles of mining tunnels under the city; the deepest mining shaft is 2600’ Flagstaff Mountain was the first mining claim in the Park City area; George Hearst owned the Ontario Mine
- Summit County was one of the fastest growing counties in the US during the 1990’s
- Park City population: 8,066 in the City; 21,000 additional in Snyderville Basin
Elevation: 7000’ at Main Street (ranges from 6500’- 10,000’) - City Size: 17.6 square miles
- Average Daily Water Consumption: 4. 6 million gallons
School Population: 4,336 (Fall 2008) - Assessed Property Valuation: $4,635,372,939 (Primary residences); $5,602,376,327 (Vacation homes)
- Number of Primary Dwelling Unit: 3,179
- Number of Secondary Homes/ Units: 4,773
- Lodging capacity: 23,307(pillow count)
- Gross Taxable Sales: $450 million in City
- Number of Restaurants: 131
- Number of Park City Business Licenses: 1,917
- Number of Retail Store: 286 in Park City & Basin
- Number of City Police Officers: 24 full-time, 16 part-time
- Number of City Employee: 305 full-time equivalents
- Number of Miles of City Roads: 121
Monday, March 16, 2009
More Affordable Housing on Pine Knot Ave.
A proposed 32 unit affordable housing complex on Pine Knot is marching forward. This development would take up prime (and very limited) land that would be better used for resort oriented development. This would make 2 affordable developments on upper Pine Knot and 1 proposed on Knickerbocker at Pennsylvania.
Upscale hotels, hi-quality restaurants and mixed use retail/office/residential development is what will allow us to compete in the regional retail marketplace for lost retail revenues and create good pay jobs for locals. This will take vision, and an updating of the development code and Village Specific Plan. Also needed is a change in policy and planning (or lack of planning) standards and an end to short sighted profiteering and the continuation of over-building our glutted residential sector. Only 30% of City Residential Dwellings are occupied full time. Nearly 80% of all DWP bills are sent out as ZERO water use. The cost of maintaining our utility infrastructure is unfairly divided among the 30% of occupied dwellings.
The City's Mayor Pro Tem, is the developer and operator of the existing affordable rental complex on Pine Knot Ave. He and his fellow council members, apparently want to concentrate the City's proposed affordable housing to constrict growth of City's Retail shopping district using our property tax dollars to subsidize the higher vacant land prices in and near the Village to create profit for low income real estate developers who don't give a hoot about our community. All in the name of meeting State mandated use of Improvement Agency funds set aside for this type of project. Only current City Council members sit on the Improvement Agency Board and alone, decide where city property tax dollars allocated to our Improvement Agency will be spent.
On March 9, 2009 the City Council voted to go forward with letters of support for the project and seek not only City Improvement Agency funds, but also other County funds for the Pacific Companies, an Out of State developer. Mayor Pro Tem Jahn may be no stranger to the Pacific Companies, as Pacific Company's home base is Idaho, with one Pacific development just down the road from Jahn's (Tetonia, Idaho) subdivision ( http://packsaddleproperties.com/). Jahn is the managing partner for packsaddle, along with Brent Tragaskis, who works for Big Bear Mountain Resorts and Big Bear Lake Planning Commissioner Craig Smith, who's wife is in charge of Big Bear Lake City Finances.
The concentration of this type of use (medium density affordable housing) will forever define and only further diminish the Village and Big Bear Lake of the ability to grow and prosper and create long term opportunity for small businesses, good pay jobs for locals and increase our standing in the regional resort field.
Upscale hotels, hi-quality restaurants and mixed use retail/office/residential development is what will allow us to compete in the regional retail marketplace for lost retail revenues and create good pay jobs for locals. This will take vision, and an updating of the development code and Village Specific Plan. Also needed is a change in policy and planning (or lack of planning) standards and an end to short sighted profiteering and the continuation of over-building our glutted residential sector. Only 30% of City Residential Dwellings are occupied full time. Nearly 80% of all DWP bills are sent out as ZERO water use. The cost of maintaining our utility infrastructure is unfairly divided among the 30% of occupied dwellings.
The City's Mayor Pro Tem, is the developer and operator of the existing affordable rental complex on Pine Knot Ave. He and his fellow council members, apparently want to concentrate the City's proposed affordable housing to constrict growth of City's Retail shopping district using our property tax dollars to subsidize the higher vacant land prices in and near the Village to create profit for low income real estate developers who don't give a hoot about our community. All in the name of meeting State mandated use of Improvement Agency funds set aside for this type of project. Only current City Council members sit on the Improvement Agency Board and alone, decide where city property tax dollars allocated to our Improvement Agency will be spent.
On March 9, 2009 the City Council voted to go forward with letters of support for the project and seek not only City Improvement Agency funds, but also other County funds for the Pacific Companies, an Out of State developer. Mayor Pro Tem Jahn may be no stranger to the Pacific Companies, as Pacific Company's home base is Idaho, with one Pacific development just down the road from Jahn's (Tetonia, Idaho) subdivision ( http://packsaddleproperties.com/). Jahn is the managing partner for packsaddle, along with Brent Tragaskis, who works for Big Bear Mountain Resorts and Big Bear Lake Planning Commissioner Craig Smith, who's wife is in charge of Big Bear Lake City Finances.
The concentration of this type of use (medium density affordable housing) will forever define and only further diminish the Village and Big Bear Lake of the ability to grow and prosper and create long term opportunity for small businesses, good pay jobs for locals and increase our standing in the regional resort field.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Big Bear Lake Improvment Agency to get Involved
At the March 9, 2009 City Council meeting, the Big Bear Lake City Council and Improvement Agency, directed staff, including Redevelopment Director for the City, Lyle Haynes, to move forward with projects to update and enhance sidewalk lighting in the Village and create lighted pedestrian paths connecting Bartlett Parking Lot to Pine Knot Ave. The Pedestrian paths will require cooperation from Village Private Property Owners to become reality.
There still is no plan to address waining demographics of Valley visitors, or for a new and different marketing strategy to curtail the 3 year decline in overall retail sales with current sales off some 40% on the year, said Charlie Brewster, President of the Village Business Association, an affiliate of the Big Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Catherine Sandstrom on the Improvement Agency Meeting:http://kbhr933.com/road-news/city-staff-village-business-association-partner-plans-revive-big-bear-lakes-village-area/
There still is no plan to address waining demographics of Valley visitors, or for a new and different marketing strategy to curtail the 3 year decline in overall retail sales with current sales off some 40% on the year, said Charlie Brewster, President of the Village Business Association, an affiliate of the Big Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Catherine Sandstrom on the Improvement Agency Meeting:http://kbhr933.com/road-news/city-staff-village-business-association-partner-plans-revive-big-bear-lakes-village-area/
Friday, February 27, 2009
Chrome Stop Closes Big Bear Blvd. Store
The Chrome Stop has closed up shop and vacated the retail space at 41449 Big Bear Blvd. The exclusive motorcycle accessory store had been in the highly visible location for almost 2 years and gave every effort possible in serving local and visiting motorcycle enthusiasts but the numbers just did not match up.
This adds another 2000 sq ft to the commercial space available report we will up date this month.
This adds another 2000 sq ft to the commercial space available report we will up date this month.
Friday, January 9, 2009
City to Hire Retail Consultants
At the January 12, 2009 City Council Meeting, Council will be asked to approve the hiring of a new Retail Consultant. Nearly $12,000.00 will be committed to Assess and Define our local Retail marketplace in order to recruit new retail businesses to the city. The focus of The Fransen Company's work will be to attract new retailers to fill vacant space at the Von's Plaza and to fill "approved but not yet built" commercial space.
I will assume that this would be different information than was received from the 'Buxton Report', which was not released to the public when originally due in August, 08, nor in it's 'revised form' which was due to be released by the city prior to the end of 2008.
The many business closures throughout the valley in 2008 and the new commercial space completed in 07/08 have created a huge amount of vacant commercial space that seems to be the issue for the Redevelopment Agency.
The concern, should be, or at least of equal importance, how successfully our local retail marketplace competes for regional customers and the wicked fluctuation in tourism traffic during weekday and slack months. Changing our shrinking gross retail sales should be the short term goals for the City, well ahead of any plan for expansion.
Simply finding new businesses to fill vacant space will not change gross productivity but may exacerbate the problematic situation local merchants find themselves in today.
I will assume that this would be different information than was received from the 'Buxton Report', which was not released to the public when originally due in August, 08, nor in it's 'revised form' which was due to be released by the city prior to the end of 2008.
The many business closures throughout the valley in 2008 and the new commercial space completed in 07/08 have created a huge amount of vacant commercial space that seems to be the issue for the Redevelopment Agency.
The concern, should be, or at least of equal importance, how successfully our local retail marketplace competes for regional customers and the wicked fluctuation in tourism traffic during weekday and slack months. Changing our shrinking gross retail sales should be the short term goals for the City, well ahead of any plan for expansion.
Simply finding new businesses to fill vacant space will not change gross productivity but may exacerbate the problematic situation local merchants find themselves in today.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Haus and Home to Close Doors
The long time furnishings and decor store will close it's doors forever on Jan. 1, 2009, according to the channel 6 TV spot I saw over the holiday weekend. This will happen at the end of their "retirement sale" that has been in progress the past few weeks. The rumor is that Big 5 Sporting Goods will give up their approved use at the "Menaldi Development" site on the Blvd. and take the empty (+/- 15,000 sf ) Interlaken Plaza space. Either way, I believe Big 5 does intend to open a store in the City of Big Bear Lake. The discussion will be interesting, I'm sure.
http://www.topix.com/city/big-bear-lake-ca/2008/06/menaldi-project-gets-ok
timbreunig@unitedwoodcraftsmen.com
http://www.topix.com/city/big-bear-lake-ca/2008/06/menaldi-project-gets-ok
timbreunig@unitedwoodcraftsmen.com
Friday, November 21, 2008
Affordable Housing Threatens Village Vision
At least two development companies are currently proposing affordable housing projects on the perimeter of the Village Retail Shopping district in the City of Big Bear Lake. One 32 unit two story complex on upper Pine Knot (city council meeting 9/08/08) and a 72 unit affordable rental complex on Knickerbocker (city council meeting 6/23/08).
The concerns are many. As property and business owners, our concern should be the further dilution of the retail marketplace with developments, while meeting affordable housing needs and Redevelopment timelines, that could be located in better suited residential neighborhoods. The long time practice of intermixing this type of use in commercial/retail areas is not new for the city. Just take a drive up the Moodridge corridor.
It will be my advise for retail and housing concerns to be opposed to these, or any other projects like these, for the Village without the emphasis put on commercial/retail and housing in moderation, as mixed use and subordinate to commercial use.
timbreunig@unitedwoodcraftsmen.com
The concerns are many. As property and business owners, our concern should be the further dilution of the retail marketplace with developments, while meeting affordable housing needs and Redevelopment timelines, that could be located in better suited residential neighborhoods. The long time practice of intermixing this type of use in commercial/retail areas is not new for the city. Just take a drive up the Moodridge corridor.
It will be my advise for retail and housing concerns to be opposed to these, or any other projects like these, for the Village without the emphasis put on commercial/retail and housing in moderation, as mixed use and subordinate to commercial use.
timbreunig@unitedwoodcraftsmen.com
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