Sustainable Social and Economic Development Ideas For Business Investment, Revitalization and Tourism Promotion in Naga City

Naga Studio Planning Course May 2007Jeffery Chase, Celene Fung, Brady Martin and Marian Thomas

Sustainable Social and Economic Development Ideas

For Business Investment, Revitalization and Tourism Promotion in Naga City

The Problem• Trying to maintain vitality and encourage

investment in CBD I

• Identifying models and mechanisms for local business development and public participation

• Recommending low cost strategies for increasing tourism within the context of the Naga region.

Our Key• Principles• To complement the many ideas, practices and work

already underway in the City

• To build on Naga’s rich cultural history, impressive local governance models and processes, beautiful natural landscape and engaged public citizenry

• To ensure that recommendations are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable

• To situate the discussion within context of Naga

• To explore new forms of partnerships

• To institutionalize a framework that encourages aesthetics, functionality, accessibility, and investment in the public realm

Recommendations:Urban Design and Place-making

Use Urban Design Principles and Place-Making Initiatives to revitalize CBD I

Urban Design and Place-making

URBAN DESIGN

• Plans, design guidelines and regulations governing:

- Street and sidewalk design

- Plazas and open spaces

- Building height and massing

- Building materials

- Architectural character

Urban Design and Place-making

PLACEMAKING

Designing neighborhoods that are interesting and inviting but also contribute a sense of identity, pride and uniqueness to a city.

- Strategies include:

Character-building

Cultural and historic preservation

Marketing and branding

Process Recommendations:

COMMUNITY VISIONING WORKSHOP

• Outline the optimal and ideal vision for the city

• Respect cultural identity, history, natural landscape and existing built form

• Involve all stakeholders

• Be daring and imaginative!

Process Recommendations:

IMPLEMENTATION OF VISION

• Based on the visioning workshop, develop a list of guidingprinciples for the design and look of CBD I.

• Integrate these guiding design principles into bylaws and policies to be included in the Official Community/Development Plan for the district

Urban Design and Place-making

Existing Assets already in place:

• Street Design Narrow StreetsStreet Connectivity

• Compact Urban Fabric

• Lively Public Plazas, Squares and Marketplace

• Beautiful and culturally significant Heritage Buildings

Narrow Streets

Compact Urban Fabric Heritage Buildings

Urban Design and Place-making

•Make the CBD I as comfortable and engaging as indoor shopping and entertainment venues

Urban design strategies for CBD I:

Marked Crosswalk

Raised Crosswalk

On-Street ParkingSidewalk Rehabilitation

Urban Design and Place-making•Make the CBD I as comfortable and engaging as indoor shopping and entertainment venues

Urban design strategies for CBD I:

Street Lighting

Street Furniture Mixed-UseStreet Trees

Urban Design and Place-making

Façade Rehabilitation

Heritage Preservation

Place-making Strategies for CBD I:

Vernacular Architecture

Urban Design and Place-makingPlace-making Strategies for CBD I Continue

Entertainment District

Neighborhood Branding/Marketing Public Market

Public private partnerships and processes for implementing

revitalization strategies

Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)Public-Private Partnership (PPP)

What is it?

• Obtain Local Developers to Build Infrastructure

• Agree Upon Guaranteed Time-Space Lease

• Win-Win Situation = Good Public Amenities andProfitable Returns for Businesses

• Re-Zoning and Re-Engineering of the Downtown to Maximize Space

• Sustainable partnerships

• Extending economic life

Case Study Quezon Plaza

Enhancing Public Spaces and Community Inclusively Through Collaborative Large Scale Development Project Partnerships

In balancing business interests and the public interest, often City officials are placed in a position to encourage investment at the same time promote civic interests to enhance the quality of public places and local livelihoods.

Win-Win Solutions for Everyone

• Both private and public sectors have distinctive, but potentially complementary, parts to play.

• The approach tries to maximize returns for the investor and the City. It also presents a direct opportunity for community members to participate in place making and ensuring that the new development not only brings in investment, but also meets their community's needs.

A Case study: Redevelopment of Oakridge Centre Mall, Vancouver BC

Public Involvement from beginning to end…

• Consultation meetings• Open House • Detailed Workshop

Topics include: Use, Users, PPP community infrastructure, Urban Form and Social Integration opportunities

Key Transferable OutcomesThe Developer• The developer was allowed to rezoning to a greater capacity

than the initially zoning allowed• A range of diversity of mixes on site to ensure expanded market niche • A process that created support for the project vs. opposition

The City• Increased business means an increased tax base• Enhanced public facilities and amenities spaces such as

park/open space, daycare, seniors centre and library.

The Community• Opportunities for the urban poor to enhance their livelihoods

though integration of local retail • Ensured a diversity of shops and services to meet the entire

community's needs

Business Improvement AreasOpportunity for Local Economic Development

and Empowering Local Businesses

The Traditional Business Association Model

Traditional business association is based on voluntarymembership, and is funded primarily through member dues and limited grants.

Business associations either have very narrow or very broad memberships.

The Business Improvement Area (BIA) Model

A “BIA” is two things:• A Business Improvement

Area or “BIA” model is aeconomically and socially sustainable.

• A BIA is not intended to replace existing business organizations but to complement their role in a designated targeted commercial area.

What are some BIA Objectives?

• To form and implement strategies to compete with larger or stronger markets outside BIA area; and

• To build on going partnerships and strengthen the capacity of the local small business community.

• And continue to improve the public realm in their business area and build their client base.

How are BIAs Managed?

• A BIA is a registered non-profit society. The status provides a formalized structure to administer and implement the BIA budget and secure additional funds.

• The BIA Board members are volunteerbased and elected by the BIA members.

• BIA budget spending and activities are monitored by community members and City staff.

• Every year at the AGM, the Board proposes a business promotion plan and a budget that the BIA members must approve

How are BIAs funded?

• A BIA is formally designated by a municipal bylaw. This jurisdiction allows the municipality collects an annual special tax levy from eligible commercial properties within the designated boundary.

• The collected levied money is then 100% re-directed back to the BIA.

• The BIA levy is renewed on anannual basis.

How is the Funding Fair?

• A commercial property owner’s share of the annual BIA budget is proportionate to their share of the total taxable property value within the BIA boundary.

Proportion of Individual's BIA Contribution Relative to the BIA Budget

Total BIABudget

Individual Proportion

Proportion of Individual's Tax Contribution Relative to the Total Property Tax in the BIA

Area

Total PropertyTax

Individual Proportion

What is the role of the City?

• The City can assist local business groups establish a BIA. The City has a continued role assisting with contacts between the BIA and City departments, facilitating the annual funding process, and monitoring BIA expenditures.

• City Council essentially approves the annual budget and levy fees within the defined BIA area.

Applying the BIA to the NagaRiver Context

Naga RiverWalk Possibilities

River Walk Case Study: San Antonio, Texas: El Paseo del Rio

The Success of San Antonio:

BIA in Practice

San Antonio Riverwalk

Goals for Naga Riverwalk:

• Revitalize and Improve Competitiveness of CBD I

• Create a Site to Promote Tourism and Commerce within Naga (Long-term)

• Utilize BIA Model to Raise funds and Community Participation

• Promote Riverside Clean up and Environmental Soundness

• Create a Vibrant Nightlife and Market

• Day time Business Mid-section, Night time Business Ground Floor and Residential Floors on Highest levels

Create a BIA of all Restaurants, Hotels, and other business entities on Riverside (CBD I)

A Step-by-Step Process: Incremental Implementation

• Local Leader to Promote and Create a Quorum

• Provide Public Consultations and Promotion

• Form River Walk Association

• Incorporate into a Non-Profit

• Pass Relevant Ordinances

• Short and Long-term Plans

Step by Step Continued…

• Progress Review Board of both BIA and City Staff Members

• Identify Historical, Cultural and Significant Markers on River

• Reclaim River Easement to begin Pubic Space Creation

• Divide into 4 sections, A Section at a time, Begin: Examples

• Beautification • Trail Building, Walkway and Seating • River Clean-Up

Additional Details and Ideas: Urban Revitalization

• Create a Riverwalk Website

• Create Advertising Space

• Banners and Signs for Place Identity

• Gift Shops, Local Arts and Crafts

• River Walk Tourism Office

• School Education Programs

• River Clean-up Activities

Tourism in the Naga Region___________________________________________________________

Sustainable recommendations for tourism development

Naga City Tourism: Key guidelines for recommendations

• Require little immediate costly infrastructure or substantial construction

• Include health and wellness possibilities

• Diversify economic and employment gains for communities

• Take into account the natural assets surrounding Naga and East Highland Tourism zone

Cultural Tourism

”The discovery and enjoyment of local culture coupled with experiences of a community in a culturally genuine way.” (Stebbins, 1996)

The tourism market is changing as travelers become more interested in genuine cultural contact/ more personalized trip experiences and less interested in package vacations, situating cultural tourism at a vantage point

Case Studies: Tourism with cultural identity

• In Canada, the Lax'Siik Clan of the Gitxsan in BC: travelers have the opportunity to experience rich cultural beauty, wildlife and be immersed in Gitxsan culture

• In Peru, the "Integrated Support Program for the Development of Tourism in Peru"; Highlight active involvement in local Peruvian communities as the main draw.

Cultural Tourism & Health and WellnessRecommendations

• Small-scale resorts or bed and breakfast type accommodations whereby the tourist can engage with Nagueno’s culture be developed

• That bed and breakfast type establishments develop specific health and wellness initiatives, day or weekend spa retreats

• That health and wellness be rebranded to include cultural tourism and outdoor related activities

• That consortia efforts be made to connect the resourcesof surrounding municipalities so that all communities benefit

• That culture becomes the destination

Naga City General Recommendations• The city website should be updated

to tap into diverse assets

• The visitor center could be relocated to a more visible location

• Transportation could be organized to assist tourists with accessing outlying sites

• Promotional material could be revisited

• That tourism in the area finds a balance between encouraging expansion and safeguarding culturewithin optimum sustainable limits

Conclusions

• Planning as work in progress is a mentality that can be exported to our own communities;

• Effective partnerships has been realized through practical and creative participation mechanisms that work to create win-win relationships;

• Instilling partnership as central to the relationship between City Government and citizens, creates capital from which both the government and citizens can come to expect higher standards.

Thank you!