A comprehensive plan for the future of Boulder’s downtown could come out of a grant application currently in the works. Speaking to a group of about a dozen Boulder business owners July 25, Jefferson Local Development Corporation’s Micky Zurcher explained Montana Main Street grant applications are due August 15.
Under a proposed application, Boulder would ask for funding to hire a consultant to develop a master plan focused on business and economic development. If approved as requested, the grant would be for $20,000 from the state matched by $5000 from the JLDC, she said. Zurcher noted the consultant would help the community envision the future appearance of Main Street and the types of businesses the community hopes to attract.
“This document would help create that for 20 years down the road,” she said. Having a downtown master plan is also needed to get other grant funding, said Zurcher. “It’s a key component to go for future funding,” she said. The geographical area to be included in the grant application was a topic of discussion. Zurcher said she wanted input on that issue but had tentatively defined the area as Main Street from the Boulder River on the south end to the Town Pump on the north.
Some participants noted that not all of Boulder’s commercial zoning is on Main Street. Businesses without a Main Street address include the bank and the newspaper, they pointed out. Boulder’s commercial zoning also includes areas around the courthouse. The group agreed that Zurcher would seek advice from the Montana Main Street program.
The hiring process for the consultant was discussed as well. Zurcher said a request for proposals would go out, probably through the city. Tom Harrington, JLDC, said the process would probably also involve representatives of the business owners in interviewing. Zurcher said involvement of business owners would be key throughout the process of creating a downtown master plan.
The main reason for last week’s meeting, she said, was to be sure “we’ve got this core group of people committed to this.” She added, “We need to know that we’re all working toward the same goals.”
The real work will begin after the community hires a consultant, said Drew Dawson, chair of the Boulder Transition Advisory Committee (BTAC). “It’s not going to be the consultant’s master plan; it’s the community’s master plan,” he said.
Harrington voiced optimism that the community is ready to move forward and is in a good position to do so. Noting the amount of traffic that passes through the community every day, he said, “Most of the communities that you see, they don’t have what you have here.” No date, time or place for a next meeting was set, but participants emphasized that it would be important to find a time when the greatest number of business owners can be involved.
