2008 Woodie Awards
Business owners still want canopies
Cella, Reneé
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: News
Because of a recent proposal by the Kirksville City Council, the canopies over the shops on the Square might be removed, much to the dismay of store owners.
Some business owners on the Square were angered at the last Council meeting by the discussion to remove the canopies from their respective shops at business owners' expense. The Council maintains that because of an agreement made by store owners in the '70s and the results of a community improvement study done in recent years, the canopies might need to be taken down, despite owners' complaints.
Plans to change the width of the sidewalks are a main component to the issue.
"In a community-developed plan made during the 1970s, the city ordinance said that if the city made changes to width of sidewalk, then property owners had to remove their canopies and make changes to them," City Manager Mari Macomber said.
However, the changing sidewalks are not the only factor contributing to the proposed change.
"A.T. Still and Truman State University, among others, started the TIF Commission to revitalize downtown Kirksville," said Aaron Rodgerson, councilmember and Council representative for the TIF Commission.
Rodgerson said that in 1999, the commission spent $50,000 and hired a firm to do a study about what people in Kirksville wanted to see downtown. He said that in 2004, the study revealed that residents wanted a quaint, historic square.
"The current canopies are old-looking, and with a couple thousand dollars from the business owners, we could get the desired look," he said.
Rodgerson said the commission recommended the removal of the awnings and that once the plans were laid out, it received opposition from business owners.
Rodgerson said the city also is doing all it can to follow what the 2004 guidelines laid out for Kirksville.
"The city is following the guidelines - the new sidewalks and parking were all part of the renovation process," Rodgerson said. "The city has tried, but business owners don't want to put up the money."
Some business owners on the Square were angered at the last Council meeting by the discussion to remove the canopies from their respective shops at business owners' expense. The Council maintains that because of an agreement made by store owners in the '70s and the results of a community improvement study done in recent years, the canopies might need to be taken down, despite owners' complaints.
Plans to change the width of the sidewalks are a main component to the issue.
"In a community-developed plan made during the 1970s, the city ordinance said that if the city made changes to width of sidewalk, then property owners had to remove their canopies and make changes to them," City Manager Mari Macomber said.
However, the changing sidewalks are not the only factor contributing to the proposed change.
"A.T. Still and Truman State University, among others, started the TIF Commission to revitalize downtown Kirksville," said Aaron Rodgerson, councilmember and Council representative for the TIF Commission.
Rodgerson said that in 1999, the commission spent $50,000 and hired a firm to do a study about what people in Kirksville wanted to see downtown. He said that in 2004, the study revealed that residents wanted a quaint, historic square.
"The current canopies are old-looking, and with a couple thousand dollars from the business owners, we could get the desired look," he said.
Rodgerson said the commission recommended the removal of the awnings and that once the plans were laid out, it received opposition from business owners.
Rodgerson said the city also is doing all it can to follow what the 2004 guidelines laid out for Kirksville.
"The city is following the guidelines - the new sidewalks and parking were all part of the renovation process," Rodgerson said. "The city has tried, but business owners don't want to put up the money."
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