When Littleton residents want to buy shoes, books or go out to a
bar or restaurant, they are leaving city limits more often that are
staying.
That’s according to a 2007 report from ERSI, a geographic
information system technology used to compile market retail
data.
The statistic seems to be a symptom of a bigger problem. While
the majority of Littleton residents want to see downtown and other
areas thriving, there is a difference of opinion of how this should
be accomplished.
“There’s a small amount of people that think they’re the
guardians of old Littleton,” said David Svenson, longtime Littleton
resident and owner of Café Terra Cotta. “They have the same desires
that we have, but they have no idea of how to get there. Their idea
of getting there is you can’t create a parking problem.”
While change seems inevitable in Littleton, like it has been in
neighboring cities, Svenson does not think it has to come at the
cost of any charm or uniqueness Littleton has to offer.
Svenson is hoping to receive approval from the planning
commission March 24, for a new restaurant at Main and Curtice
streets converted from the old garage on the site. He sees this
business as a boon to downtown, drawing in more people to shop in
the historic district. However, the issue of where customers will
park has proved a hindrance toward this goal.
“It doesn’t make sense to deny a potential business that really
has the potential to make an impact for the betterment of Main
Street,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense for a city government to
deny something like that. What makes sense is to make changes to
this problem that are permanent.”
These kinds of road blocks have become synonymous with Littleton
among the world of developers, Svenson said, a statement backed up
by Chris Gibbons, director of Business and Industry
Affairs.
And then, there’s always the Wal-Mart scenario, where council
approved the zoning change, but was overruled by the people. And a
vocal element of Littleton politics has spoken against high-density
housing and development known as mixed use, combining retail and
residential in one place.
Miscommunication?
Jeff Kirkendall, a developer in Littleton since 1993, attributes
poor communication between city council and staff as part of this
overall problem of attracting developers. He said staff is unable
to advise developers with their plans in a way they can confidently
say will pass a council vote.
“Staff is scared to death and doesn’t have any guidance of what
to do,” he said. “Littleton has always had a position that if I’m
looking to start a development in Littleton I’m not allowed to talk
to a city council member or planning commission member. You have to
talk to staff first and trust them.”
However, he said that has led to wasted time for developers, who
can feasibly spend years developing a plan, guided by staff, only
to have it turned down by council or the planning
commission.
Mayor Doug Clark attributes some of the developing issues to a
vague comprehensive plan, the document that details what kinds of
uses are allowed for each part of Littleton. Council and the
planning commission are in the process of updating this document,
which has not changed since 1982, with the intent of reducing
ambiguity among developers, he said.
For whatever combination of reasons, the result has been market
gaps, such as shoe stores, book stores, Targets and department
stores, all places that Littleton residents are shopping, whether
or not they want them next door. By traveling to neighboring cities
to pay patronage to these kinds of stores, sales tax, the main
source of revenue for Littleton, is lost.
Let’s get talking
Kirkendall, Svenson and other major property owners in Littleton
want to get proactive about the situation.
“Some of the larger property owners on Main Street are getting
together and making sure that we all have the same wants and wishes
for Main Street, which in simplest terms is a thriving historical
business district,” Svenson said.
The next step will be to present these ideas to council, in
hopes of coming up with a plan of action, he said.
“What it comes down to is do we want to create this high-density
area in the area around the light rail station and provide
opportunities for people, things that draw people in, or do we want
them to go somewhere else, to keep this cutesy downtown?” Svenson
said. “I’ve heard from everyone that they want downtown Littleton
to become this kind of thriving downtown. They have to be done with
these changes allowed.”
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