Redmond councilors to review public feedback on downtown street closures for special events

Survey conducted; communication with businesses raised as concern

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A small-town feel in the heart of Central Oregon is exactly why so many people love Redmond. Car shows, parades, and street fairs all contribute to the city's identity. But Redmond is growing, and the city wants to make sure residents support the street closures that come with some special events.

"People in Redmond really like the small-town feel -- they want to keep it," City Manager Keith Witcosky said Thursday. "But we've also got to be able to be nimble and evaluate in conjunction with the growth."

In 2014, the city adopted a policy regarding closures of Fifth and Sixth Streets downtown for special events. Last fall, city councilors asked for public feedback on events and how the policy was working.

Now, it's looking at those results.

People who live, own a business or have property in Redmond were invited to take the survey. Of those who did, 45% said there are just the right amount of downtown events, while 25% said they want more. People said they want street festivals, live music and parades. They also indicated they prefer events to be on Sixth Street, but Centennial Park was also a top choice.

Since the policy was created, the city's population has grown nearly 80%.

"It just means we have to frequently revisit the way we used to do things," Witcosky said. "And consider whether that's the way we should do things going forward."

Witcosky says it's a good thing the city is growing, but the survey also brought up some concerns.

"Businesses just want to be informed before the decision is made to close a street," he said. "A lot of times, that decision is made in maybe February or March by the council, and the event happens in July, and sometimes catches businesses by surprise -- which you never really want to do."

"So the more we can do, the more people promoting events can do, to let people know before the decision is made that, 'Hey, they want to close sixth street this Saturday, this Sunday -- come to council and talk about your concerns,'" Witcosky said. "The more people are made aware of that and have the opportunity to participate, the better."

The council will discuss the feedback and whether the policy needs updating during a work session next Tuesday at 6 p.m..