Local Business/Gateways Task Force- Week 1 May 16

Vision & Values activity and discussion

This group’s emphasis was on the following areas:

Identity

• A strong, well articulated, positive identity
• PR/Advertising as part of identity
• Making it comfortable
• Express our identity in a way that attracts people from all over as well as the neighborhood
• Franklin as a part of Seward
• Shaking the ‘bad rap’
• Events that reinforce the neighborhood sense of identify

Locally owned Business

• Asset to the livability of the neighborhood
• Attracting shoppers who then may end up wanting to work or live here
• No franchises, no big box!
• Diversity

Safety

• Evening activity
• Lighting and activity and windows

Parking

• Balance the need for parking, the perception that we need parking, residents feeling that they don’t want commercial parking in front of their homes, successful commercial district
• Making parking areas attractive and SAFE

Connections

• River as a way to connect to Franklin through the neighborhood
• Connecting the neighborhood, local businesse3s, destination businesses and Franklin.
• Multi-modal access – more bus access, more service from the #8
• Gateways and landmarks

Green construction/sustainability

• A central value of the community

Destination Businesses

• Accessibility, east access
• Making people feel comfortable
• Having a good reputation
• River