TOP COMMENT If nothing changes, nothing changes
This happens a lot to cities that grow. In the beginning, there were churches within a small proximity of each other.
That was normal.
As towns grow and expand, churches and government buildings encroach the business district. Typically, they eventually move to more spacious and strategic areas to serve their audience.
That is not happening naturally here, and the problem with that is it inhibits growth.
The indicators are not there for local investors to feel comfortable to invest in the local area; thus, they go somewhere else.
It's not about maintaining the status quo — who wants that? It is about the future, growth and, by all indications, the economic, cultural and business-type indicators are not there; thus, no investment, no growth.
So the city council is trying to move this natural process along and some people have a problem with it — strange.
If nothing changes, nothing changes.
Okaloosa GoLocal
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Amendment would keep Main Street alive
This is simply to make Main Street what it needs to be in order to survive the times.
It needs to have a vast shopping, dining and entertainment atmosphere that keeps everyone's interest going into the evenings, not just 8 to 5.
(The amendment) has nothing to do with bringing down churches. We need help keeping Main Street alive and thriving.
Cheryl Bunyan
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Need to re-imagine downtown Crestview
Ignoring the proposed code change, let's be honest: The Main Street area has never really thrived.
I've lived here all of my life (48 years), except when I was away about 10 years. The only time that it had any semblance of "thriving" died in the mid 80s, when Wal-Mart showed up and effectively put a nail in the coffin of nearly every retail place on Main Street.
Since then, and except for a few places, it has been a never-ending rotation of poorly performing, poorly thought out ventures.
… The sad thing is that people aren't going to support that area. It's not hip enough. To make that area viable, it would need to be bulldozed and re-imagined. They would need to add an amphitheater, a dining district that would bring in some restaurants and include our favorites. It would need a park or green area and some retail shopping, too.
Without that, it is going to remain a bunch of dilapidated buildings with rotating owners.
Dean Barrow
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Suggestion for Main Street's makeup
Needs to be a mini downtown Pensacola. That would be cool.
Julio Escobar
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Churches' location doesn't hurt business
It would be great to have a thriving downtown, but what does a location of a church have to do with that?
Nothing.
So you tell me why that was part of the proposal at all. What does a location of a church have to do with bringing businesses to downtown?
Sarah Campbell Myers
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Leave Crestview just for the beach
The only reason we should have to leave is for the beach. We are so far behind it's not funny.
Chris Foster
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Rezoning isn't religious persecution
There's a serious difference between "religious persecution" and attempting to grow our Main Street area downtown.
Right now, the majority of stores aren't open on weekends and close at 4 or 5 p.m. every day, and those are thrift stores and churches.
There's plenty of room in the city of Crestview for new churches, expanding churches and relocating. Get on board with building a better, bigger, newer and more attractive Main Street for the greater good of the city.
This will only bring more people and more revenue.
Breana Carlson Uptigrove
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Why penalize churches?
Why should the churches, that have been in that area longer than majority of those businesses, relocate?
Why should they be penalized by not being able to expand and grow?
Mary Henderson
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Examples of churches' benefits
How exactly have the churches stifled growth in Crestview? Let me guess: by providing a place of refuge for those who are hurting, by feeding the hungry, by donating school supplies and clothes to needy children, or is it one of the other community services they provide?
Mary Henderson
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Increasing shops increases revenue
Churches do not bring in money for the town, nor for shop owners. Stores do. By increasing the shops, you also increase revenue.
Katrina Yant Walker
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Bring the buses back
I hope they start the buses back in Crestview and run it through Addison Place Apartments.
Katie Ragland
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Suggestion for Jaws of Life benefit
Make a GoFundMe account and have the entire department share it! We love our Crestview Fire Department IAFF Local 2680.
Ashley Scott
•••Another firefighter fundraiser idea
Can they set up a table in front of Publix a couple of days on the weekend taking donations?
Luke M. Sheplock
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Flowers is an angel
An angel amongst us. Need more of them, too.
God Bless you, Mr. Flowers.
Gisela Harper
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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HUBBUB: Leave Crestview just for the beach, rezoning isn't religious persecution