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Report recommends Vienna calm down a few of its strict enterprise restrictions

Report recommends Vienna relax some of its strict business restrictions

A new report confirms what anyone who has driven to a store in Vienna might have suspected: getting there by car can be a nightmare, strict zoning rules can make it difficult to find store fronts, and much of the retail space has to be be heavily serviced if it hopes to survive.

An economic development report by the consultant Streetsense and the real estate consultancy RCLCO examined Vienna’s economic health and made recommendations on where it can be improved.

“Retailers reported that the biggest pain point for customers arriving by car is the heavy traffic on Maple Avenue and the adjacent streets that lead to commercial hubs,” the report said. “The extended travel time means that the customer perceives inconvenience.”

The report notes that many streets in the city have turn restrictions, which restricts vehicle traffic in the city and annoys customers, especially those trying to reach business parks when entering the city on back roads – for example People who travel to Vienna from the Mosaikviertel.

According to the report, the lack of a coherent parking strategy is another pain for visitors:

Although there are more than 200 on-street and off-street parking spaces available to visitors in the heart of the city and more parking is available in private shopping malls along Maple Avenue, customers have reported problems finding convenient parking on peak nights when customers stay longer in the city due to restaurants. There is currently no common parking structure / agreement to support the additional use of available parking spaces for different shopping centers and public parking spaces.

According to the report, the challenges of driving in Vienna are exacerbated by the clear demarcation between residential and business districts, leaving just a few residents within walking distance of much of the city’s retail trade.

“In Vienna, only a few residents live within 0.25 miles of the city’s business center, measured at the intersection of W & OD Trail and Maple Avenue,” the report said. “As a result, most customers are expected to travel by car and find parking conveniently close to their final destination business.”

The report said these challenges put Vienna behind regional competitors such as Alexandria’s Old Town, the Mosaic District and the Falls Church.

According to the report, Vienna currently has a 9% retail vacancy rate, but more than half of that vacancy rate is in Class B spaces – medium quality facilities that a national retailer needs to be serviced to operate.

“Class B areas make up the majority of the areas in the city with 45% or SF 472,000 of the total stock,” the report says. “Though present all over the city, most of the Class B is in the Maple Avenue node.”

In order to build a healthier business base, the report recommends that the City of Vienna relax a little on flexible zoning, which could be addressed as part of the ongoing revision of the city’s zone code.

“Although Maple Avenue, Church Street and Mill Street legally permit a wide variety of uses – primarily retail, restaurant, lightweight and professional offices (but only in” office buildings “),” the report says There are still a number of new uses that are highly complementary to retail tenants and actually encourage visiting commercial hubs that are either not allowed or that require conditional use permissions or a high minimum of off-street parking that require concept testing hinder in the market. “

The report also recommends that the city relax some of its restrictions on the creative use of front zones to help retailers market their stores.

“The storefront and its front zone are a retailer’s stage and often help attract a new customer’s attention or make a first impression,” the report said. “So it’s important that retailers have the ability to maximize visual merchandising, signage, and advertising right in front of the store. Currently, the city prohibits blade signs that extend into the front zone, as well as the display of goods in the open air. “

According to the report, local businesses have identified these limitations in feedback sessions as disadvantageous.

“The customer’s attention is often short-lived. especially now that they are more selective about how and where they spend their time and dollars, ”the report reads. “Now more than ever, storefronts need to carefully consider how to approach a mix of temporary / ad hoc and permanent signage, using classic, timeless approaches and even subtle details, including creative outdoor displays and restaurants, blade signs and sandwich boards . “