HomeMy WebLinkAbout081622-11.01 CHAMBERdariville area.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
August 8, 2022
Honorable Newell Arnerich
Mayor, Town of Danville
510 La Gonda Way
Danville, CA 94526
Dear Mayor Arnerich,
We want to thank you for your diligence and work on the components of the Downtown Master Plan. It
has been wonderful to see how our downtown can be re -imagined and shaped to increase community
engagement, business profitability and pedestrian safety.
On July 14, 2022, we held an Economic Development Committee meeting specific to the Downtown
Master Plan and components being brought forward for Town Council consideration regarding American
Relief Plan Act (ARPA) funding. We were very pleased to have had representation from many business
sectors, including retail, restaurants, property owners and community leaders who care deeply about
our downtown. We have heard from even more business and community stakeholders in the past few
weeks. It's great to see our community engaged and caring about the future of business in our historic
downtown area.
We realize the tight timeframe to get projects in the works, given the guidelines on how ARPA funding
must be utilized and deadlines for completion in the near term. We are also cognizant that the purpose
of this funding is to revitalize business and communities during the pandemic.
While we support development of the Theater Plaza, businesses have also expressed interest in seeing
more activity in different areas that promote community gathering on Hartz Avenue. We encourage
consideration of these pedestrian plazas as soon as money is available because we believe this will
promote further engagement at retail businesses, restaurants, and service businesses. This is also an
opportunity for the Town to put in place public improvements that promote safety. We support
enhanced lighting as well as other improvements that will make our downtown more appealing and
safer for community gathering.
We also want to honor new business sectors coming into Danville, many of whom are in the health and
wellness sectors and are owned by young women and men of color, representing the future of the
Town's economy. Plans are coming together to work with these emerging business sectors to showcase
and celebrate the newfound diversity in our Town. We will be working closely with business owners to
ensure they have the tools they need to be successful and financially viable. We encourage the Town to
engage in studies that promote a comprehensive look at new sectors of our economy to ensure we are
doing the right things to support new businesses.
danville area
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Special thanks to Joe Calabrigo and Jill Bergman for the work they have done to promote the future of
downtown in concert with SWA. We are energized and proud to be among the stakeholders who care
deeply about Danville's future and promotion of a strong economic foundation for businesses
throughout Danville.
Best wishes,
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Brittany Doyle Riley
Chair, Economic Development Committee
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Judy B. Lloyd
President & CEO