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Appendix A: A sample checklist to identify business area needs
Appendix A: A sample checklist to identify business area needs
Economic and attitudinal environment
Economic Environment
- failure to tap potential market
- failure to compete (merchandise, variety and price) with neighbouring communities or outlying retail areas
- relocation of businesses to outlying retail centres
- closing down of businesses
- increasing number of storefront vacancies
- vacant upper stories
- no new development in recent years
- decreasing number of pedestrians and shoppers
- vacant land along business streets
- lack of suitable sites or buildings to attract new business
- declining market
- unstable employment base
Attitude
- no interest from business community or building owners to upgrade premises
- apathy from business community with respect to area problems
- residents shop elsewhere for goods and services available locally
- no area newsletter, annual general meeting, effective committees
- no regular communication between businesses
This checklist includes items for consideration when identifying business area needs in planning a BIA. The matters listed are suggestions only, and are not intended to be complete or accurate for actual local use.
Municipal policy and infrastructure
Municipal policy
- no explicit policy to protect viability of the area as a retail centre
- overly restrictive land use standards
- overly stringent development agreement standards
- lack of maintenance bylaws and/or inadequate enforcement of maintenance bylaws
- hesitancy from local council to support business initiatives
- lack of technical and staff resources to pursue initiatives
Infrastructure
- inadequate water, storm and sewer systems to support new development
- inadequate street lighting
- business disruption by frequent repair of sidewalks and utilities
This checklist includes items for consideration when identifying municipal policy and infrastructure matters in planning a BIA. The matters listed are suggestions only, and are not intended to be complete or accurate for actual local use.
Function and physical appearance
Function
- poor access to the area
- lack of adequate directional signage
- poor road and sidewalk maintenance
- inconvenient traffic circulation within the area
- traffic congestion and traffic conflicts
- insufficient street parking
- inconvenient location of off-street parking areas
- poor access from parking spaces to stores
- poor pedestrian routes
Physical appearance
- unattractive entry to the area
- dirty and littered streets, sidewalks and lanes
- poorly maintained facades
- inappropriate remodelling
- uninteresting store interiors
- unattractive, poorly designed, poorly lighted parking areas
- inappropriate and poorly maintained signage
- lack of visual focal points
This checklist includes items for consideration when identifying function and physical appearance matters in planning a BIA. The matters listed are suggestions only, and are not intended to be complete or accurate for actual local use.