Standing Committees
March 7, 2025

Downtown Vista Committee Meeting
March 7, 2025
Minutes
•Kickoff meeting reception 5:00-6:00pm
•Welcome and Introductions
o Meeting called to order at 6:00 pm
o Opening remarks by City Manager John Conley
o Councilmember & Committee member Corinna Contreras provided an introduction
o All Committee members were present and provided introductions:
Councilmember Corinna Contreras, City Council
Lisa De Jesus, Planning Commission
Sharon Larimer, Traffic Commission
Terry Woods, CVBID Advisory Committee
Nicole Halle, Community Safety Commission
Lev Gershman, Chamber of Commerce
Natalie Trevino, Business Owner
Mike Zane, Business Owner
Julie Lowen, Property Owner
Cassidy McCarthy for Clay McCarthy, Property Owner
Anne Pate, Resident
Deanna Faraone, Resident
o Staff / Council Present:
Councilmember Jeff Fox
John Conley, City Manager
Imelda M. Huerta, Assistant City Manager
Joe Vacca, Community Development Director
Larry Vaupel, Economic Development Director
Chris Mitchell, Information Technology Director
Sam Hasenin, Engineering Division Manager
Fred Tracey, Communications Officer
•City Manager John Conley provided information regarding Brown Act Requirements and procedural rules for meetings.
•Selection of Chair and Vice Chair
o Nicole Halle nominated Councilmember Contreras as the Chair for the Downtown Vista Committee. Anne Pate seconded the motion. Unanimous approval.

Downtown Vista Committee Meeting
March 7, 2025
Minutes
o Mike Zane nominated Terry Woods as Vice Chair; Deanna Faraone seconded the motion. Unanimous approval.
• Goals and Objectives for the Committee
o City Manager John Conley presented draft goals and objectives based on Committee interview input and staff input.
o Draft goals included:
 Create a welcoming & comfortable community gathering space for the public to meet & socialize
 Create a multi-functional open space for the public and for community events
 Preserve, protect, and enhance the unique character and open space features of the downtown area
 Create a sense of place through unique and thoughtfully designed streetscapes with ties to the community and its history through public art installations, historical markers, and themed landscaping  Create a more pedestrian-friendly corrido/plaza
 Create a more vibrant downtown village area
 Help encourage walking/biking/transit to and from the downtown area  Provide environmental, educational, and leisure-type opportunities in the downtown area for the community
 Foster the health and well-being of the community through thoughtfully designed green and open public space planning in the downtown area
 Increase business foot traffic
• Attendee Comments
o Jeanette Bradshaw
 Create a space where everyone can come. Have special events to bring families downtown.
 Create a small park where kids can play, and adults can enjoy beverages.
o Jim Ellis
 Recommends a small park.
 Maintain history.
o Chad Baker
 Connect to the transit center to attract visitors.
o Councilmember Jeff Fox
 Generate business for downtown and increase tourism.

Downtown Vista Committee Meeting
March 7, 2025
Minutes
o Luis
 Coffee shop
 Create more spaces for film and music and make them accessible to the local community.
 Touring and local artists perform at the AVO.
 Activate underutilized buildings.
 Examples – LA Forum, Fonda Theatre, etc.
o Lev Gershman
 Attract people from outside of Vista
 We are completing with other options in Oceanside, Carlsbad, etc. o Sharon Larimer
 Address accessibility for people with disabilities and senior citizens, while adding areas for children.
 Add park benches.
o Lisa De Jesus
 Construct a public amphitheater. The AVO is a good spot for events.  Connect to Santa Fe Senior Village.
 Give people a reason to come downtown so they don’t have to go to Oceanside.
o Janis Jones
 Appreciates transformation
 More public art downtown. Expand the public art program. o Kyle Adams
 Watched plays downtown
 Provide opportunities for young people to perform at the AVO; there is not much for kids to do downtown.
 Visual and performing arts
o Charles Bradshaw
 Pedestrian-friendly spaces with landmarks
o Carol Jeffries
 Feature art and music downtown.
 Address the ADA issues with the AVO.
 They miss watching plays at the AVO when Moonlight performed there.
 More for kids to do downtown.
 Connect the Civic Center and the library to downtown.  Traveling back and forth between downtown and the transit center isn't easy. Connect everything.

Downtown Vista Committee Meeting
March 7, 2025
Minutes
o Sharon Larimer
 Place plaques on historic buildings to provide historical context of the building.
o Shawnta Fleming
 Honor the locals and the traditions of our residents. People are proud to be from Vista.
 Incorporate cultural and art that folks are proud of
o Edith Guerrero
 Has lived here for many years
 Provide intergenerational activities and activities for Hispanic families.
 Need more diversity downtown, including diverse music and art.  Focus on Vista residents to promote the downtown. People who live in Vista don’t come downtown. Communicate to residents that downtown Vista has changed. Connect the community to downtown Vista.
o Cassidy McCarthy for Clay McCarthy (via text)
 Fine with parking study depending on design
• One way plan and gravel parking short term solution
 Long term solution parking structure to replace existing parking • City savings account or fund for a parkin structure
• Firsts floor of structure can be commercial or restaurant space on the street frontage so City gets rental income
 Consideration for trees and blocking businesses signs  No additional taxes on property owners downtown because downtown is utilized by entire population and not solely for the benefit of property owners
 Long term – middle school property taken over by City and utilized for downtown area and connectivity from civic center and historic downtown
 Pavilion reimagined, or redone
• Remove for more parking or proposed stage area
 Goal of a functional esthetically pleasing destination location  Walking bridge over Satna Fe
• Ease of access from public transit and for pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.

Downtown Vista Committee Meeting
March 7, 2025
Minutes
• Presentations
o A presentation was provided by Jason St. John with BW Design and Julie Lowen regarding a proposed project at 211/221 Main Street in Vista.  The proposed venue would include music, food, and dancing  Growth sector
 Vista Jazz component
 Bells & Whistles
• Bells + Whistles is a California based hospitality design firm – specializes in restaurant design
• Mission: Transforming the Vista bank property at Main Street into a thriving Southern California venue with live music, restaurant, bar and co-working space
• Presented renderings of proposed project
• Provided a case study on how Carlsbad’s economy grew by $1billion in 2021, highlighting the rising appeal of the burgeoning restaurant scene
• Proposing a music venue for music lovers all over San Diego • Two Floors
o Floor 1 – music venue, restaurant, bar speakeasy, green room, patios
o Floor 2 – retail store, coworking space, restaurant and bar, rooftop patio and bar and event space
• Proposing a historical design with hand-worked designing • Proposing a membership co-working space with a social mission of creating community, a retail space, a restaurant and a rooftop bar and event space, networking opportunities, lounges
o A presentation was also provided by Terry Woods regarding downtown parking
 Provided a background and information on the following:
• Historic downtown and past businesses in downtown (i.e.

Juanita’s Taco Shop, Hennessey’s, etc.)
• Visit trends
• Hourly visits
• Visit duration
 Total parking spaces - 394
 Showed a one-way proposal video

Downtown Vista Committee Meeting
March 7, 2025
Minutes
Provided information on the Parking Study 2025
Funded gravel parking at Michigan and Vista Village – 30 spots Construct performance stage in gazebo area facing parking lot •Future Meeting Dates
o April 17 or April 29 as options
•Q&A / Open Forum
o Julie Lowen
Envisions similar to Santa Monica
Folks want to experience restaurants and eat & play
Noted the Junkyard Sports Bar in Oceanside
Partnership opportunities
Participation with Frontwave Arena
Partnership with City of Vista, nonprofits, collection of developers Would like buy-in / assistance before permit process
o Lev Gershman
Do this together
Noted competitiveness with the coast
o Cosmic Bloom
Noted flow of traffic, parking, and public restrooms
o Councilmember Contreras
Transit connectivity
NCTD & micro transit
Appreciates intergenerational comment
A healthier, interconnected community
Noted structure of future meetings and would like translation services available
Avo recommendations go to City Council March 11
o Cassidy McCarthy
Use of middle school to use field space
Consideration for businesses & landscaping, trees
Walking bridge over S. Santa Fe
o Lev Gershman
Discussed implementing meeting duration/strategies
o John Conley noted hopefully a 6-month period for a vision or strategic plan o Lisa De Jesus
Recommends a map for the next meeting
Walking trail
o Ann Pate
More Diversity in day-to day retail options
More attention to the captive audience of downtown residents More mixed use developments that include residential options Dog park

Downtown Vista Committee Meeting
March 7, 2025
Minutes
o Next meeting will be at City Hall in the Community Room at 6pm o Other Public Comments
See what Cities of Orange and La Mesa have done
Scottsdale is a good example
Bring people downtown now
Local bands
Networking / partners
Don’t forget about those in the 25-year age range
Some can’t pay for a $40 dinner
•Meeting concluded at approximately 8:00 p.m.