Page 24 - Cuero, TX Downtown Plan
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Implementation Actions Establish a Cuero Heritage Fund to provide loans
and grants for historic preservation/restoration
Step-up code enforcement of Downtown buildings. activities. Capitalize the fund using Small City
Focus initially on roofs, windows, and structural CDBG funds, Certified Local Government (CLG)
elements in order to preserve structural/ grants, general revenues, tax increment (TIRZ)
architectural integrity and assure public safety.
bonds, pooled bank funds, and donations from
Establish a historic district commission and foundations and corporations. Funds should be
DOWNTOWN CUERO PLAN
develop/institute Downtown design criteria to used for low-interest and deferred loans, sale-
guide Downtown restoration activities, and to vet leasebacks, façade improvement and sign grants for
projects seeking public incentives. historic properties including technical assistance
Implement a public awareness campaign among (design) grants.
Downtown employers to reserve on-street parking Change the City’s the façade grant program to a
for customers only. If problems persist, consider 50%/50% matching grant with a cap of $10,000
enforcing a two-hour parking maximum. per project. Extend grant eligibility to business
Re-certify Cuero’s Main Street program to owners for common area, “back-of-house”
provide technical and business assistance and to improvements such as patios, landscaping, seating
professionally develop, program, and manage areas, doorways, utility, enclosures, murals, signs
Downtown events. and special pavement treatments.
Seek Certified Local Government (CLG) status to Work with TxDOT and drilling companies to
help bring more historic preservation resources program public improvements along Esplanade
into the City. (See inset on page 25) Street (Highway 183) into the state and county
capital improvements program (CIP).
Work with the Main Street program and the Texas
Historic Preservation Office to conduct a series Begin initial research on possibly establishing
of informational, property-owner workshops on a tax increment (TIRZ) district in Downtown
topics such as accessing historic preservation tax by compiling data on current assessments and
credits, creative compliance with American with conducting an official “blight” study.
Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, restoration/ Relocate the Farmers Market to Downtown starting
reconstruction techniques and resources, and the in 2013 using the streets around the courthouse
establishment of Public Improvement Districts square as a temporary “beta” site.
(PIDs).
Talk to property/business owners on E. Church, W.
Church, W. Main, and W. Courthouse Streets to get
their opinions on converting it to a one-way street.
Public Improvement District
Best Practices and Guiding Principles
A Public Improvement District or “PID” is a
type of funding mechanism whereby downtown 1. Density and Infill
businesses agree to surcharge themselves The term “density” evokes a range of reactions both
in order to pay for shared services or special positive and negative. Whatever the connotation,
amenities that are not otherwise available it is a necessary ingredient in creating a vibrant
through the City. Sometimes referred to as downtown because it maximizes the overall usage
special management districts, they operate and activity that occurs there. It also optimizes
something like a dues-paying homeowners the utility of infrastructure and helps make public
association with the amount of each business’ transit supportable.
dues based upon some pre-established
formula (such as size of building, percentage of 2. Mixed Use
assessed value, etc.). Related to density is the combining of various
land uses within a neighborhood and even in the
PIDs typically are used to help fund things like same building. Mixed use helps enliven urban
special lighting and streetscapes, and to help neighborhoods at various times of the day or week,
fund special events that benefit Downtown which helps to balance traffic and parking loads.
businesses. They are sometimes used to help The City’s zoning ordinance currently allows
pay for professional program development and dwelling units on the second story of ground-floor
management services for things such as farmers businesses in Downtown(§158.034, Cuero Code of
markets. Ordinances).
24 ADOPTED 03.04.13
