EMMETT, Idaho — Emmett leaders have a long-term plan to bring new life into historic downtown, with the mayor and county commissioner working on a redevelopment plan designed to fill empty storefronts, boost local recreation, and keep neighbors' dollars at home.
Kirk Wille, county commissioner for Gem County and chairman of the Gem Community Economic Development Foundation (GCEDF), has been involved with the foundation for six years and has served as county commissioner for 3 years.
"The majority of the citizens of Emmett and Gem County want to be able to work and shop and dine and recreate here locally, and that's the focus of this project," Wille said.
Watch to learn more about Emmett's future revamp
Mayor Gordon Petrie has been serving as mayor since 2015, after moving to Emmett in 1989, when he became the first lawyer magistrate for Gem County.
The collaboration between city and county leadership began about 18 months ago when Wille approached Petrie with the redevelopment idea.
"Probably 18 months ago, Kirk Wille, who is the chair of the county commissioners and he's also the chair of the GEM Community Economic Development Committee Foundation, came to me and he said, 'Hey, I have an idea.' He said, 'We need to redo this community, and we need to encourage businesses to locate here.' At that time, there were several buildings downtown that were vacant, and he said 'Let's get together and see what we can do'," Petrie recalled.
The idea started with discussions inside the foundation and a call to Roger Brooks, the consultant who helped turn Caldwell's Indian Creek Plaza into a busy downtown hub.
"What he did was he brought in a fellow that developed Indian Creek over in Caldwell and from there, this whole D.E.R.T. committee, the 'Downtown Emmett Redevelopment Team' was created, and Kirk and others put together several business owners, citizens who were concerned," said Petrie. "And we've gone from there."
"There's gonna be a lot of dirt moved, [which] is why we decided that we should call it dirt, misspelled but nonetheless," Petrie explained.
The project is organized into several focus areas designed to address different aspects of community development.
"Primarily, what we've done is we've developed certain avenues where people will be focused on downtown redevelopment," said Petrie. "And of course, marketing, and we have a new website that focuses on visiting Emmett."
Leaders say this is about retaining the small-town feel while bringing in new opportunities for dining, shopping, and recreation— keeping residents from having to drive to the Treasure Valley.
"We happen to believe that people would much prefer to dine out, to recreate, to shop here in Emmett, not have to drive over the hill to do that, and then come back," Petrie said.
Petrie described the community's diverse demographics and the importance of preserving its character.
"We have the folks that have been here all their life. They have 4 or 5 generations that are buried here, and those are the salt of the Earth folk. They worked at the mill for generations, and they really have a vested interest in this community and frankly, having it retained what they grew up in, and that is also what we're attempting to do," said Petrie. "In fact, our whole comprehensive plan screams retaining the small town feel."
While growth is inevitable, the city is taking a measured approach to development.
"Now there's nothing we can do about growth as long as people are going to sell their land for development, and it's zoned properly. At least initially, you have to say, 'OK, you can do that.' The caveat is you have to have the proper infrastructure, and recently the council has been sending a clear message: If we don't see the infrastructure in place that will be able to support what you want to develop, you're probably not going to get to develop it right away. You're going to have to show us first," Petrie said.
The collaboration between the city and the county has been seamless, according to Petrie.
RELATED | Emmett City Council denies 'Riverbend Place' subdivision after heated public debate
One key aspect of the project is its funding approach, which relies on private sources rather than public money.
"We're having to generate the money from grants, from donations from outside sources, but not public funds," said Petrie. "I can't say we're doing it on the cheap because it's not on the cheap, but we're doing it in such a way that there's not gonna be an impact on property taxes or any of that," Petrie added.
The funding strategy will include various fundraising efforts. The project is designed as a long-term initiative with realistic expectations for results.
"This is long-term term and it's taken us over a year to get to where we are right now. We have, as was mentioned, we have 2 grants. We're going after a lot more grants, but we're probably talking a minimum 5 to 10 years before people will say, 'Hey, that was a great idea those people had way back when.' But they will see it, you know, the Indian Creek didn't happen overnight either, and neither will this," Petrie said.
After a year of work, the team has made significant progress.
"We've been working for about a year now, and in that year, we've hired a professional grant writer. We've hired a website developer and have launched or getting ready to launch a new website, which is visitemmett.com," Wille said.
The redevelopment effort extends beyond just the city limits.
"It's not just focused on the citizens of Emmett, it's focused on the entire county," Wille said.
ALSO READ | An Emmett family bought a 2-acre home at a garage sale using a $500 down payment
