Council discusses 'Paint Pasco' project

PASCO — The City Council discussed funding for the effort to regentrify the downtown areas.

During a council meeting July 24, Community and Economic Development Director Jacob Gonzalez introduced two Framework Consulting presenters, whom the city paired with as part of the downtown master plan adopted in January.

Lesley Bain and Jeff Arango presented a change to the municipal code as well as a plan and a bid for funding “Paint Pasco.”

Bain and Arango presented several steps to the process as well as a comprehensive approach to the funding for the project, including talks of lodging taxes, grants and private sector partners.

The goal is to promote alley use, with a suggestion of alley furnishings as well as other ways to continue with the downtown master plan, presenters said.

Councilman Pete Serrano voiced concern over code change proposal wording regarding protection of freedom of expression, as well as the safeguards against obscenities.

“I get leery when I hear those types of things (guidelines) written in the code without further definition,” Serrano said.

He pointed out the 800-foot notice that residents were given prior to the mural’s creation, mentioning that although unrelated to the discussion, he hoped to see this amount of precaution mirrored in land-use, property-related zoning notices.

Councilmen Irving Brown congratulated the presenters highlighting the first goal of the project was to “celebrate the people.”