Business View Civil Municipal - July 2023

53 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 7 BANNING , CAL I FORNIA Schulze admits. “From the city’s perspective, it’s frustrating. We are looking at ways to disincentivize that.” The city’s plan includes implementing fees for the registration of vacant buildings and annual fire inspections, which may push these absentee property owners to lease or sell. The City has also taken an aggressive approach with court-ordered receivership when property owners are uncooperative. The city also has plans for revitalizing the downtown area. “We do have some city-owned land that we feel will kick off redevelopment and revitalization of our downtown,” Schulze says. One such property sits directly across from City Hall. The city is working with the Shanghai Construction Group to develop this into a full-service hotel with an adjacent 120 multifamily housing units. “To have a full- service hotel right in the downtown plus 120 units of multifamily housing is going to help support the small businesses,” Schulze affirms. In its quest to revitalize, Banning isn’t just focused on residential and commercial growth; it also has an eye on adjusting policy and improving infrastructure. “One other thing is that in our downtown core housing is not currently an allowed use,” Schulze discloses. The city plans to amend the zoning code to allow mixed-use type housing, a move that could unlock the potential of the downtown area. On the infrastructure front, the city is gearing up to accommodate the expected influx of businesses and residents. “The city received two grants in the last two years. One is an active transportation planning grant,” Schulze shares, painting a picture of the future cityscape. The city is exploring complete street concepts, considering community feedback for safer crosswalks, street lighting, and community gathering spaces. The second grant, a downtown revitalization grant, enables the city to repurpose unused spaces. “We have many alleyways downtown... they’re just kind of lost space,” Schulze says. The city is considering transforming these alleyways into outdoor dining experiences or community gathering spots, adding a touch of charm to the bustling city center.