THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 11, 1994 TAG: 9407090016
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
Anew team has taken office in Norfolk. In a speech as gracious as it was politic, newly sworn-in Mayor Paul Fraim embraced the legacy of harmony he received from his predecessors. It will be interesting to see how well that spirit of harmony holds, because it didn't take long for a discordant note to sound. Seven residents of Ocean View said they would like to secede.
The secession idea is probably unrealistic, of course. The city and the state would have to agree, which seems unlikely. Still, City Hall might look upon the secession talk as a signal that all is not bliss beyond downtown. City government has a vital role to play in urban revival, and the best way it can do that is by concentrating on providing the basic services residents and businesses expect, and doing it at reasonable cost.
For the past two decades, Norfolk's city government has touted downtown development as a means of boosting Norfolk's tax base and diversifying its economy. In numbers of businesses, Norfolk seems to have held its own over the past 10 years, but it has also lost population and jobs. Other cities that have followed the same strategy - such as Baltimore, Cleveland and New Orleans - are discovering that downtown development does not necessarily prevent people and businesses from moving elsewhere.
The city is considering a pilot program for commercial revitalization in the neighborhoods of East Little Creek Road, the Greater Park Place Area and Southside. If the study is approved by City Council, it could lead to better street lighting, improved sidewalks, landscaping and financial incentives for business to move into the area.
But aren't street lighting, properly maintained sidewalks and clean city-owned property something residents have a right to expect as part of basic services? Offering financial incentives to move into the area could simply cause businesses elsewhere in the city to shut down and relocate in the favored neighborhood.
Norfolk has the same problems as many older cities surrounded by newer suburbs. Pilot plans for revitalization show that the city wants to renew itself, but it can best do that by providing the essential services that people and businesses demand.
KEYWORDS: NORFOLK CITY COUNCIL
by CNB