News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Anne Gentry, the Alpena Downtown Development Authority executive director, looks over Santa’s seasonal home at Culligan Plaza in downtown Alpena. The DDA is hosting a pair of public informational meetings next month where Gentry will review DDA business this year and what could be in store in 2023.

ALPENA — Paid parking and the expansion of the Alpena Downtown Development Authority boundaries are among topics to be discussed during a pair of public informational meetings next month.

The meetings, which the state requires DDAs around Michigan to hold annually, will include a report from Alpena DDA Executive Director Anne Gentry that will recap projects and investments the authority made this year as well as outline priorities and projects for 2023.

The first meeting is scheduled for Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. and the second on Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. Both meetings will be in the council chambers at City Hall.

Gentry said the DDA was busy this year. She said there were projects — large and small — and many events that lured people downtown.

“Some of the activities we did over the last year include the Fresh Waves mural project and we added two new murals to the downtown, and spent time and money on our boundary expansion,” Gentry said. “I’ll give an update on the Ice Festival, Chilli and Chowder Cookoff, shopping events, as well as some of our more routine investments like hanging flower baskets and the alleyway project on 2nd Avenue.”

The DDA has worked for months to expand its boundaries further down Chisholm Street and 2nd Avenue. The Alpena Municipal Council is expected to vote on expanding the boundaries in February.

Gentry said as of now, there are no plans to extend downtown Alpena’s social district, though she said the topic could be considered in the future.

A social district allows alcoholic beverages purchased at a licensed business and consumed outdoors within the designated social district borders. Drinks can also be taken inside participating businesses that don’t serve food or drinks.

Alcoholic beverages need to be carried in specially-branded cups that identify the business from which the beverage was purchased.

Next year, the DDA and the city will attempt to tackle one of the largest issues downtown — parking.

The DDA has received preliminary quotes on parking meters that could be installed downtown to help open up more high-demand parking stalls for customers of small businesses.

Gentry said a paid-parking plan will be presented to the city council early in the new year.

Other projects planned for 2023 include more murals downtown and continued improvements to the alley between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue. Gentry said the DDA will also work with the city to promote the boat harbor and its economic impact on businesses downtown.

“That is a priority,” she said. “We need to find a better way to market the marina and put that into our messaging. We haven’t set any funds aside for it, but it is definitely a high priority.”

More information about the meetings and information about participating in them via video or telephone is available on the DDA website.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.