The Pendleton City Council will explore solutions on how to fill up empty storefronts in the downtown area.
The city council met Tuesday, Oct. 8, for a work session to discuss policies to promote commercial building occupancy in the downtown area.
According to the staff report, vacant storefronts lead to a decline in community standards, affect economic development, depress property values and reduce the attractiveness of the area as a place to shop and dine.
The proposal will explore financial incentives and disincentives while talking through ways to attract tenants to occupy the empty storefronts.
According to a memo from City Manager Robb Corbett and Pendleton Urban Renewal Associate Director Charles Denight to the council, an economically successful downtown shopping district is a benefit to any community. It is particularly important in smaller towns that depend on their downtown as a magnet to attract visitors and residents and to provide everyone with a great experience.
The city council also discussed changes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program requirements for development in flood hazard areas.
According to the staff report, the Pendleton Planning Department is reviewing FEMA’s model code, comparing it to Pendleton’s code and making notations of changes needed.
City Planner Julie Chase said people should be aware because it’s going to affect how they develop their land if it is within a flood zone.
Pendleton has approximately 470 properties within the flood hazard area or 3,400-4,000 acres in the urban growth boundary the new ruling will affect.
Pendleton participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, which allows cities to apply for flood recovery and flood protection grants. It also entitles residents to purchase flood insurance as a means of personal recovery in cases where flooding has occurred.
Community members who purchase the flood insurance are exempt from any payout under a federally declared emergency, while those who do not purchase NFI only receive payments if the flood is declared a federal emergency.
The new code must be adopted by December. All communities that do not meet the deadline will be placed on the permit-by-permit review.
