What's next in DTR?

Ed. note: This is the second in a series about Clearwater's downtown revitalization efforts.

When Clearwater village officials receive the Downtown Revitalization Capital Improvement Plan, it will include proposed improvements at focus areas, which were unveiled Nov. 8, during an open house at the American Legion.

Additionally, it will outline what types of infrastructure and streetscape improvements may best fit the village, based on feedback from visitors during the open house.

Bobbi Pettit, owner of Five Rule Rural Planning, told village trustees the next step will include applying for a downtown revitalization improvement grant.

LB840 funds could be used to fund private business improvements, according to Pettit.

"It could definitely incentivize these improvements."Pettit said several communities her company works with offer business loans, facade grants or matching grants.

"The plans we're offering you are the improvements you'll make to this building to bring it back to the period it was built or at least to add a little character to it."

Should public money be sent to improve private buildings?

"Your downtown buildings are an asset for the entire community so I think it's worth it for the taxpayer to put money into the private building. However, if you're going to make a significant investment in your building and you want us to play a role in it, then you've got to do something close to this," Pettit said.

When you get the plan, it will come with a standard set of design guidelines.

"The main purpose, I think, is to be a guide to you if you want to improve or reset whatever type of small business loans and grant programs you have," Pettit said.

"Then, we save whatever grant funds we can get for you to put toward public spaces," Pettit said.

Next, a community-wide survey will be available will be distributed.

It will include photographs of potential improvements and questions to give the DTR team "a better idea of what the taxpayers in Clearwater would think are worthwhile improvements or be willing to fund in downtown Clearwater."

"Once that's done, we'll also have a couple more proposed landscaping improvements," Pettit said.

A draft of the capital improvement plan will be presented to trustees in February, with a March date set for delivery of the final version.

Pettit said the village's contract with Five Rule Rural Planning allows for additional time to work on bringing everyone to the table to advance project ideas and work with economic development director Lauren Sheridan-Simonsen and village clerk Angie Hupp to find other funding streams.

"We should be completely done working with you this summer on this project," Pettit said.

That's good news for the village since grant applications for downtown revitalization project dollars will open in September.

Pettit said $400,000, with a 10% match, is possible.

"We'll keep going and build on it," Pettit said.

Village board member Cody Kester said, "The things that stick out to people are things we take for granted, we've seen them all our lives."

"You become blind to it," Simonsen said.

Pettit said Clearwater's downtown district has an advantage.

"It's next to a major highway but it isn't on a major highway. There's a lot of cool stuff that's still there and a lot of cool stuff to build on," she said.

Patrick Moore, of Goodlife Archicture, along with Austen Arens, landscape architect with RDG Planning & Design in Omaha, will assist with the design of the proposed veterans' memorial park.

"We can easily get it done on the scope of the project," Pettit said.

If village officials apply for DTR project dollars for building improvements, instead of infrastructure, it will keep buildings close to the time periods when they were built.

The State Historical Presevation Office would be involved.

Simonsen said tax incentives and value incentive programs are available that can help someone who wants to invest in a building that wasn't spotlighted by DTR team.