The Parrish Lane off-ramp from I-15 in Centerville is developing as the city's new commercial and business core and should be carefully nurtured to become an attractive entryway into the city.
That's one recommendation of an economic development plan submitted recently to the City Council after several months of study by a citizens committee.Economic development was one of Mayor Priscilla Todd's main campaign issues in last fall's general election, and one of the first things she did on taking office in January was appoint a 10-member study committee.
The group looked at five areas of Centerville: the Parrish Lane freeway off-ramp; Pages Lane; the I-15 frontage road between Pages and Parrish lanes; Main Street and downtown; and the industrial area west of I-15.
One area of considerable concern is the deteriorating com-merical center on Pages Lane, according to committee chairman Paul Mendenhall.
The old J.C. Penney store there has been converted to a catalog telephone answering center and no longer offers retail services; Ernst moved out of its store just to the east, which now stands unused; and several other storefronts are either vacant or turn over repeatedly.
"This area offers a whole different set of problems and opportunities than the other retail areas of the city," Mendenhall told the council. "We've had a turnover in businesses, and now some of the properties are becoming rundown."
Vacant land north of the commercial areas on both sides of Main Street should be rezoned for residential use, the committee suggested, rather than encourage new commercial ventures that would compete with the existing stores.
The city may have to use its redevelopment-agency powers to encourage rehabilitation there, Men-denhall said.
"And, maybe the best thing to do with some of those properties is bulldoze them down and start over again," he said.
The committee was more optimistic about the city's other areas.
With proper setbacks, landscaping requirements and a realigned frontage road, the Parrish Lane entrance to the city could become an attractive, parklike center, the report suggests.
It also recommends the city consider light rail in its future, citing the area as a possible station site.
In addition to the area becoming the commercial and retail heart of the city, the report suggests a restaurant park (multiple restaurants grouped together) and a mid-rise office complex be considered.
The existing industrial area west of I-15 should be more aggressively marketed, the report suggests, citing its convenient location off the freeway and the cheap land.
As for Main Street, the new city hall and existing park and post office should be used to encourage development of small commercial and retail shops patronized by pedestrians.
"We envision a Main Street that people love to visit and walk along - with people places, beautified store fronts, and smaller specialty businesses," the study recommends.
The I-15 frontage road between Parrish and Pages lanes should be part of the greenbelt that is being developed from Bountiful north to Farmington that will include landscaping, pedestrian and bike trails and trees.