The pedestrian pathway would run half a block west of Main Street, between Center Street and 200 South. It is part of Heber’s vision to turn downtown into a destination for locals and visitors.
Eventually, leaders say they want to have outdoor dining and small businesses in that section, similar to Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado.
Heber City’s community development director, Tony Kohler, said developing C Street will require numerous decisions from the city council, including architectural standards, historic building preservation and limiting the approved uses to “specialty retail and restaurants.”
At the city council meeting Sept. 2, Kohler said C Street won’t start until a property owner wants to make changes within those two blocks.
“The overlay zone would not kick in until or unless somebody redevelops or adds new square footage,” he said. “We would want to have a property owner-centric process.”
He said he wants everyone who owns property within that area to feel involved and heard.
“I do know that there are some property owners that I think feel pushed, that the city is pushing, pushing, pushing, and that they’ve just not had their say,” he said. “So, I would really like this to include property owners.”
The city is also considering hiring a consultant to help with the overall vision for the pedestrian corridor.
Kohler said he believes it’s key for the city to know its plan before entering talks with any developers.
“We’re getting excitement about these two blocks, and I don’t want the development community to drive what we do and force us into making mistakes,” he said. “I think we are behind the curve, and I want to get ahead of the curve so that we hand over to developers what we want to see.”
The city council discussed implementing a six- to 12-month moratorium on development on those two blocks until the high-level plan is finalized.
Heber will add a small overlay zone for the area, with requirements like brick construction and fees in lieu of on-site parking.
Then, any developers who want to make changes within the overlay zone must adhere to the city’s C Street plans. The street itself would be owned by Heber.
Financial details remain murky, however. The city formed a community reinvestment area to raise tax dollars for downtown improvements. So far, neither Wasatch County nor the school district has agreed to help Heber with its plans.
No formal decisions were made Tuesday, but city planners will start contacting consultants who could help shape their vision for C Street. They’ll also research grants that could pay for the corridor design.
Heber City is a financial supporter of KPCW. For a full list, click here.
