Victoria's downtown entertainment district will soon be expanded after city council approved it on Tuesday.
The entertainment district was approved and established by the City Council on September 23, according to city documents. City documents say the district includes a 13-block area of downtown Victoria and encourages certain activities to attract tourists to the area.
These actions include exempting merchandise sellers in the District from traveling sales requirements, allowing store owners to install temporary shelves on sidewalks outside their storefronts, and allowing restaurants to install additional temporary seating on sidewalks. This includes allowing road closures within the red light district. For special events.
With the approval of the expansion, the Victoria Main Street Program seeks to expand the boundaries of the entertainment district to include parcels currently under development or containing the development of future recreational assets that will enhance the district.
Victoria Main Street Manager Kate Garcia said the goal of the expansion is to have one integrated entertainment district.
“The goal is connectivity and maintaining some kind of boundaries, so instead of having two disparate sections of the entertainment district, we're essentially connecting and extending across Power Avenue and Navarro. We’re going to have one section,” Garcia said.
The current boundaries of the entertainment district extend from Glass Street to William Street and from Juan Linh Street to Goodwin Avenue. The expanded boundary covers the area from Juan Linh Street to Power Avenue and Main Street to Navarro.
City Council also approved the 2035 Comprehensive Plan of Action for 2024-2026.
City documents state the Victorian Comprehensive Plan should be a “living document” that responds to ongoing change and is a document that is frequently referenced to guide local decision-making. I am. You should also periodically review the plan's key considerations, goals, and action strategies to ensure that the plan provides clear and reliable direction on a variety of issues.
The 2024-2026 Action Plan lists 38 short-, medium-, and long-term actions to be taken to implement the goals and vision outlined in the City's 2035 Comprehensive Plan.
The city's needs identified in the 2035 Comprehensive Plan are land use and development, mobility, growth capacity and infrastructure, economic opportunity and recreation and amenities.
Additionally, Council approved an updated City of Victoria seal.
In 1972, the City of Victoria officially adopted a coat of arms designed by artist Tom Jones of Victoria Bank and Trust. The city seal reflected a unique design depicting the flags of the six countries that have long asserted Texas' sovereignty. In 1994, the City Council decided it was in the community's best interest to do so and updated the seal to include the Confederate flag instead of the Confederate battle flag. The flags of Spain and France were historically inaccurate because they were not the flags flown over Texas during the reigns of their respective countries.
In an effort to correct historically inaccurate flags across Texas, the Texas Historical Commission has filed a motion to accurately identify the flags of each country that flew over Texas at a time when each nation claimed authority over Texas. It was adopted. Additionally, changes were made to correct the flags of Spain and France by placing the flags in the order of the countries that claim authority over Texas, according to city documents.