Items of note regarding Downtown Christiansburg from the Town Council meeting held Tuesday, November 6.
Cambria Emporium, Antiques on Main and Treasured Memories antiques dealers were present, along with Cambria Depot owner Meghan Dorsett who asked for council's support of an antiques district. Such a district can bring traffic into the downtown area, and it was pointed out that 60% of traffic on Interstate 81 was identified as being due to tourism related travel.
Tourism related spending has increased across the Commonwealth three-fold in the last year, Dorsett reported, and is a primary source for job creation attracting small business entrepreneurs who create new jobs. These antique dealers want to encourage traffic through, and into, Christiansburg's three identified historic points -- Christiansburg Institute, Cambria Depot and the Montgomery Museum.
The antiques dealers recognize they are more effective when working collectively, and have developed related marketing materials.
This dialog picks up a discussion thread from summer 2006 where a group was working with VA Logo for signage directing traveler's into and through downtown and Cambria. Cambria businesses recently had a well attended special event, celebrating the opening of the Toy Station and a historic anniversary for this district.
Another event is planned for December 1-2 in Cambria, Christmas Past, with additional plans for resurrecting the "Depot Days" event in Spring 2008 -- a counterbalance to the the annual Wilderness Trail Festival held in the fall.
These business operators asked council for support in obtaining additional signage, event planning and perhaps the installation of historically correct street signs and light posts. The Mayor directed the matter to the council's Central Business District Committee for consideration and action.
If you want to know more about the December event in Cambria, please contact Meghan Dorsett or Carol Lindstrom at the Toy Station at 382-6431.
A second agenda item was the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce president/CEO (who also serves as the Tourism Council's Director) to present an update on the joint tourism initiative. This initiative is funded by Montgomery County and the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg through lodging taxes. Related contracts were put into place in late 2006 and/or early 2007, with the chamber managing over $200,000+ in tourism funding since 2005 (general allocations were made to the chamber prior to the execution of the tourism contracts).
The contract with the Town of Christiansburg stipulates that reports are to be made to council by each April and September, with this past September being the first, formal reporting time. The chamber's president, however, had conflicts in September, October and again for this meeting and was unable to attend. Since the contract specifically requires the Tourism Director (chamber president) to present this information and be available for any questions or clarifications, council deferred receiving this information from another chamber representative and moved the agenda item to its next meeting on November 20.
The third agenda item of note was addressing proposed changes to the town's Sidewalk Sale ordinance. At a previous meeting, it was pointed out the existing ordinance required sponsorship by the Christiansburg Chamber of Commerce, which merged with the Blacksburg Chamber in 2002 and therefore no longer existed. In having such a sale, intital requests were not sponsored by the merged chamber's president, even though stipulated requirements were provided -- permission from the two adjacent property owners and/or business operators, proof of insurance, and completed town application for a permit. In researching the basis of this denial, it was learned the ordinance delegated the decision to the chamber.
Ultimately, sponsorship was granted by a chamber employee and the permitting process brought the out dated ordinance requirements to light.
Town council approved a revision to the ordinance, which strikes the four times per year limit and chamber's endorsement. This means that a licensed business operator in the town of Christiansburg can conduct a sidewalk sale as often as desired by submitting a permit to the town manager at least 15 days in advance
of the event while providing proof of insurance to hold the town harmless. As a matter of protocol, it may be prudent to inform your business neighbors, as engaging them may increase awareness and revenues. Key is that 60% of the public sidewalk must remain open to pedestrian traffic.
More information to be sent out soon regarding spring and summer events designed to bring people into the downtown, increasing sales, awareness and enjoyment of Downtown Christiansburg.