DIG Debates Main Street Building Maintenance

DOWNIEVILLE — The Downieville Improvement Group (DIG) held a monthly meeting at the residence of member Karen Galan this Tuesday. The group discussed ideas for improving the visual appeal and structural integrity of Downieville’s Main Street, where some buildings are in a questionable state of repair. Supervisor Lee Adams accepted an invitation and was present. However, Planning Director Brandon Pangman could not attend, being otherwise engaged on the east side of the county.

DIG raised specific issues with the buildings owned by the Sherali family: the grocery store, gas station, and pizza parlor (Two Rivers Cafe). Members argued that the buildings looked as though they were falling apart. They were concerned about the grocery store, which had its second floor red-tagged after a fire. If and how that issue was resolved and to what extent the main grocery floor was affected remains unclear to the public. Supervisor Adams said he would follow up with the Planning Department and try to ensure he and Pangman were at the next DIG meeting. He also agreed to look into the status of health inspections at the pizza parlor.

DIG members suggested that the Sheralis do not care about the town and community, being “absentee owners” and rarely visiting their businesses. They had attempted to contact the family before with no response. Still, they would like to open a line of communication to start a discussion on how DIG might help improve the condition of the buildings they own. Otherwise, they hope that the county would be amenable to invoking nuisance ordinances to require the Sheralis to maintain the properties, a solution they also suggested for several other potentially hazardous buildings in town.

Supervisor Adams responded that though several of DIG’s concerns were valid and would be followed up on by him, he was grateful to the Sheralis for keeping alive what was, up until recent labor challenges, the most consistently open eatery in town. Despite delays, he is also glad that progress is being made on the gas station. Adams hopes to avoid disputes between business owners, especially in a small community with limited options. Instead of enforcing how buildings on private property are allowed to look, a task he does not believe is generally in the scope of government, Adams prefers programs to incentivize businesses to maintain their facades.

Adams suggested options such as providing public funding in the form of grants to offset the cost of exterior work on high-visibility businesses, similar to one implemented successfully in Bishop, California. He also floated the idea of creating a historic district; however, several modern changes throughout Main Street make the possibility unlikely.

Other issues discussed at the meeting included the narrow walkway near the Post Office, where tree roots create a tripping hazard, and several structures and vehicles near the river, which may create environmental hazards. DIG’s next meeting, on April 15th, is expected to continue much that was brought up on Tuesday.