Study Identifies City Catalysts To Spur Growth
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A Community Facilities Plan detailing public-sector catalysts that could drive growth in Water Valley was presented on January 7. The gathering included state and local Main Street representatives including (from left) Jeannie Zieren, Thomas Gregory, Alyssa Benedict, Jennifer Lay and Bob Barber.
WATER VALLEY – Information gathered to help guide and boost future growth in Water Valley was presented by way of a Community Facilities Plan (CFP) shared in a community meeting on January 7.
Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) was selected in 2020 as the recipient of a USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training (CFTAT) grant. MMSA partnered with Water Valley Main Street Street Association and Orion Planning+Design to cultivate a revitalization plan for Water Valley’s historic Main Street. Unlike past studies, the CFP focuses solely on public investment from the City of Water Valley for projects that will be catalysts for future sustainable growth within the community.
The year-long project included mapping existing community facilities, identifying future community facility needs, exploring the connection between existing and proposed public facilities, and providing actionable steps to guide community members in implementation of the proposed improvements. Community facilities are defined as those that provide an essential service for the orderly development of the local community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial, or business undertakings. Examples of community facilities include healthcare facilities, municipal buildings, public safety services, educational services, and local food systems.
Orion founding partner Bob Barber shared that the long-term goal will be achieved in incremental steps that include investing in tourism, repurposing municipal structures, and creating more public spaces. Barber explained the significance of the Community Catalyst Approach, focused on identifying community development opportunities that are highly likely to impact other aspects of the community. These opportunities are known as “catalysts,” or community assets that are valuable and serve as spurs to additional community development activity.
“A solid, quality investment in a public asset has all types of spillover effects,” Barber said. “We are trying to develop an investible, achievable strategy from catalytic projects and their connections.”
The catalysts include small efforts to clean up usable public spaces and create a potential for community growth. An example cited by Barber is the city-owned power plant building on Blount Street, currently used for city storage, that could potentially be converted into a community event space similar to the Powerhouse in Oxford. Many municipal buildings, including City Hall, are in need of cleaning and renovation, according to the information presented in the CFP.
Also in the plan, a Wagner Street property site is labeled as a high priority, remediation and redevelopment project. In an effort to support the expansion of housing opportunities, the city could relocate the gravel yard to clear the way for new development at the site.
The Main Street Beautification Project, a core catalyst, includes improvements to lighting and buried utility lines, as well as sidewalk widening and repair.
“My vision is to clean up a lot of the things in town and use our public facilities to the fullest,” Water Valley Mayor Donald Gray noted during the presentation. “We can’t ask everyone else to clean up their property until we clean up ours.”
Gray cited one example already in the works, the Water Valley Civic Auditorium, where a roof replacement and interior renovation are expected to start in the coming months.
The CFP projects that the momentum from these smaller, catalytic projects has potential to inspire the eventual plan for a rail trail park spanning the length of Main Street.
“It doesn’t take much to envision the draw of a quality downtown park, connected by rail trail to another place in the community. Not just to draw people in, but to enhance the life quality of folks who are here now,” Barber added during the presentation that included participation from city officials, Water Valley Main Street Association Executive Director Alyssa Benedict, MMSA representatives and Mechanics Bank President Cam Tyler.
Rail trails are multi-use paths created through the conversion of abandoned railways into usable public space. Many of these old rail lines run through historic areas, such as Water Valley’s historic Main Street. Free and accessible public recreation spaces are a crucial element of the city’s role in the development of a stable economic future on Main Street.
The finalized CFP presents city leaders with methods to begin public revitalization efforts and inspire private industries in ways that contribute to the growth of the city. This plan is a list of potential projects to be completed by the city over the coming years.
According to Barber, the potential tourism tax revenue, state and federal grants, and funding from the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area (MHNHA) will all be crucial funding option to the catalytic projects laid out in the presentation.
“Water Valley has to prioritize it and pursue it,” said Barber.
The potential tourism tax revenue referenced by Barber will be determined by Water Valley voters in a special election on March 8. Voters will decide if a two percent tourism tax on prepared food will be levied at restaurants and businesses that sell prepared food and beverages. If approved, revenue from the proposed tax would be stored in a fund specifically designated for tourism, parks, and recreation.
Similar taxes have been adopted in Oxford, Grenada, Batesville, and dozens of other cities and counties across the state, according to the Mississippi Department of Revenue’s website. These funds are used for promotion, community events, parks and recreation, and infrastructure improvements that can be connected to tourism.
“The tourism tax would be huge to help lift this kind of investment. We are looking at real solid economic development,” Barber noted about the opportunity.
Orion’s presentation provided a matrix representing a large number of state and federal grant resources that are available to the city in its effort to push community leaders into pursuing further capital for public projects. The Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area will contribute matching funds to the approved catalyst projects in Water Valley, as well as for four other Main Street efforts in communities within the Mississippi Hills region.
The next steps for city officials are to refine these concepts into actionable project parameters, develop cost estimates from planning to construction, and apply for matched funding through state, federal, local and non-profit grants. The proposed tourism tax election is scheduled March 8. If voters approve the tax, Barber said the revenue would grant Water Valley a large, secured fund to finance these projects.
