Zachary may be able to attract more retail businesses if it offers developers incentives and spruces up its shopping centers — initiatives that also could boost economic activity in the eastern side of town and other areas that often get passed over by developers.
That’s according to Ashleigh McHugh, the City of Zachary’s economic development director. Speaking to the City Council on Nov. 12, she provided updates on her work and that of Retail Strategies, an Alabama-based firm that the city has contracted with for the past few years.
McHugh and the firm are in touch daily, she said, exchanging information on residents’ requests for certain types of retailers, businesses that may be a good fit for Zachary and sites that are available for lease or sale. Retail Strategies approaches companies and tries to get them to come to Zachary.
Several companies are eyeing Zachary for new locations, McHugh said. While the market and its demographics fit the profile many businesses are looking for, some are turned off by the lack of incentives from the city.
She said communities that have incentives tend to get faster responses from businesses. Examples of incentives include offering a break on sales taxes or utilities, among a plethora of other options.
“There are a lot, so that’s something that we’re looking into, and we feel like that will make the difference,” McHugh said.
She also is exploring whether it would help to create new economic development districts like the one already in place in the Americana development.
“There are other areas that it would make sense — east Zachary, for example, where there’s a lot of business leakage,” McHugh said. “Something like that would make sense in that area to really jump-start. They need grocery desperately, and we’re confident that if we can get an incentive in place, they would be more likely to look at that area of town.”
Another stumbling block in Zachary is a limited amount of retail space that appeals to companies.
“It just comes down to site,” McHugh said. “And that’s typically the hard part, and sometimes that’s where things come to a stop.”
A lot of retailers are on the hunt for suites in shopping centers. They struggle to find suitable units in Zachary.
“We have Americana, which is top-notch, top of the line, very high-quality product,” McHugh said. “I can’t say the same for other shopping centers that we have. We present them over and over and over and day in and day out, and price is too high, updates have not been completed, business owner doesn’t have to sell or lease for whatever reason — just not motivated.”
Mayor David McDavid noted that the shopping center anchored by Rouses Market is set for an overhaul. He said he recently talked with the facility’s owner.
“They have got a new group in. They’re coming in to redo the whole complex,” he said, adding that he has gotten word of other businesses being interested in coming to that area.
He said he wants everyone to know that Zachary is open for business.
“We’re working hard … to make sure that we get the needs here for the people of Zachary and the wants,” he said.
The discussion soon turned to the topic of Zachary’s appearance and what kind of an impression it makes on potential investors and developers.
Council members raised the issue of development code enforcement, a subject that has come up frequently at recent council meetings. The city has been working with Villavaso and Associates to rewrite its development code so that violations can be punished with civil penalties rather than criminally. Officials also have been studying the possibility of establishing a blight court to handle complaints and issue fines.
Council members have previously complained that the updates are taking too long. They’ve reported getting calls from constituents about junk issues going unaddressed and illegal signs such as feather flags and “for sale” notices cropping up around town.
“The way that we present the city to these commercial businesses, investors, it is important,” said Council member Ambre DeVirgilio. “I have concerns … particularly on the east side of Zachary where we have broken signs and the properties are just starting to decline. I want this process hopefully to get put in place as soon as possible.”
“The older parts of town — that’s always been a real big concern of mine from the beginning,” added Council member John LeBlanc. “And I don’t want to see those areas start to deteriorate.”
City Attorney John Hopewell said he expects to have more information on the development code revisions and new enforcement procedures by the end of the year. And McDavid assured the council that his staff members are doing their part to keep the city tidy.
“We have removed a bunch of signs off telephone poles, out of our flower beds, out of our medians all weekend long,” he said. “We’re continuing to combat that. We’re sending letters out with these feather flags, letting them know, hey, it’s against the rules.”
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