Case Studies

Downtown Grass Valley capitalizes on its historic resources to retain its sense of community history and reclaim competitiveness as a commercial center and community-gathering place. Through revitalization and organizational efforts realized from the National Main Street Program, the Grass Valley Downtown Association (GVDA) has strengthened and harnessed community pride to enhance the quality of life that historically existed in Grass Valley.

The Main Street Program is promoted by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and involves downtown stakeholders working together to determine their future, assess their own unique market potential, and build upon the local cultural and historical identity. In 1986, Grass Valley became a recognized California "Main Street" and has been very successful in their quest for economic prosperity, historic preservation, community pride, and heightened sense of place.

Grass Valley has increased the number of businesses in its downtown core, added jobs, invested more than $6 million in public and private design projects, and accounts for over 25 percent of all sales tax revenue from the city. Historically, partial funding for Main Street programs has been available from the California Office of Historic Preservation. Unfortunately, recent budget shortfalls caused this program to be shut down. Currently, funding for the Grass Valley program comes from a Business Improvement District, which assesses more than 235 businesses. Although state funding for the Main Street program has dried up, communities from Kings Beach to Lone Pine are pushing forward with visions of retaining, investing, and building upon the historical characteristics that make those towns unique.

The city of Bend, Oregon recognizes how its historic natural features shape the community, help retain a feeling of undeveloped open space, and provide scenic breaks in the urban fabric. Bend residents realize that the existence of the dynamic natural features that helped shape their land are vital to the community's sense of place As stated in chapter two of the Bend Area General Plan, "A city is the sum of physical, biological, and historical processes that shape the social values and image of the community. The natural features such as the rock outcroppings, native vegetation, the river, and wildlife frame Bend's special character and sense of place (Bend Area General Plan 2000). " To retain this historic landscape, the city of Bend created the zoning designation, Areas of Special Interest, to help preserve the natural features.

Specific rock outcroppings, scenic ridges, areas with features that are typical of Central Oregon, or important wildlife areas receive Areas of Special Interest designation. In 1999, a volunteer team inventoried the entire city for special interest sites and has since had 33 designated as Areas of Special Interest. These sites can be public or private as long as they are kept intact and retain their natural character. Examples of other code language and incentives that encourage preservation of natural features could include:

* More flexible subdivision lot and street standards to allow including natural features into the subdivision design;

* Planned Unit Development standards that are easier to follow and administer;

* A new "cluster housing" subdivision option specifically aimed at preserving natural features;

* Flexible minimum residential density standards on sensitive lands to protect natural features (Bend Area General Plan 2000).

Bend uses their zoning code, design ordinances, and natural feature overlays to instill and retain their sense of place in their fast-growing community. As Judy Clinton, a longtime Bend resident, puts it, "[The designation] has to do with keeping the nature of of Bend so that people understand what it was like [and] we're not 'Anywhere USA.' It's the same reason for trying to preserve the river and its wilderness. To not make everything mediocre" (Flowers 2005)