Star council adopts district-based downtown visioning plan, drops Veterans Square label and adds plaza node

Consultants from South Beck & Baird presented a district-based downtown visioning plan to the Star City Council on April 21 and recommended shifting emphasis from a single central core to multiple districts: the State Street (Highway 44) corridor, Star Road corridor, an Art district, a Village district and a River district anchored by a proposed linear park and boardwalk.

"Residents desire a walkable, visual, cohesive gathering place designed for people first," consultant Mike Williams told the council, summarizing public feedback gathered through open houses and online surveys. Williams said the community consistently asked for fewer drive-throughs downtown, more restaurants and pedestrian amenities such as benches, bike parking and lighting.

The plan recommends district-specific design standards (building placement, "mountain modern" architectural guidance), prioritized pedestrian improvements, parking strategies that hide lots behind buildings or in linear park areas, and a phased implementation pathway that includes ordinance updates, incorporating the plan into the comprehensive plan, and forming a downtown visioning committee to refine standards and implementation steps.

On funding, Williams outlined a menu of tools the city could pursue: urban renewal districts, local improvement districts, business improvement districts, grants, tax credits, low-interest loans and public-private partnerships. He and staff noted code mechanisms already permit cash-in-lieu for parking; the transcript references a per-space amount in code ($6,000 as cited in the discussion), and consultants recommended reviewing that figure against current land and construction costs before relying on it for program design.

Public commenters voiced support for the district approach while urging attention to specific elements: Denise Van Dorne asked that district-level uses and design standards receive separate public hearings; Richard Tinsley urged early action in Old Town North with sidewalks and streetscape improvements; Steve Burton and others asked that thematic and design details be kept manageable.

Councilmembers debated implementation specifics, especially the feasibility and phasing of the proposed north-south linear park between Main Street and Star Road. Council members and consultants agreed the plan should identify the park corridor in policy and pursue easements or developer-built connections over time rather than expect a single phased build-out.

Councilwoman Solomon moved to approve the downtown visioning plan with two modifications: remove the "historic Veterans Square" label and add an activity/plaza node at Poppler & State Street. Councilman Wheelock seconded. The council took a roll-call vote; the motion carried.

City staff and the consultants said district-specific design standards, parking strategies and implementation steps will return for additional hearings and ordinance changes. The plan is to incorporate the adopted vision into the comprehensive plan and follow with code amendments and detailed design standards for each district.