Preservation key to Rehoboth success

When Urban Land Institute Senior Planner Ed McMahon spoke in Rehoboth Beach recently, he focused on attributes that make successful communities successful.

"Successful communities are unique communities," he said. When it comes to tourism, McMahon noted that people like to go to places different from other places. Photos of commercial strips studded with national franchises made his point. The sameness of such areas, coast to coast, is not what attracts tourists.

Of course, McMahon didn't have to search hard to find attributes that make Rehoboth Beach unique and attractive. From his podium, the Atlantic Ocean, the Boardwalk and Rehoboth's magnificent beaches were a little more than two blocks away. Several parks, two unique freshwater lakes, a fine museum, an eclectic collection of beach resort architecture and a thriving commercial area were within easy walks.

But, said McMahon, "No place will stay special by accident. You either grow by choice or grow by chance."

Though preservation doesn't stand out as one of the words McMahon used extensively in his talk, its nuances permeated the message. He talked of tools that can help a place stay special, such as incentives to developers to build to a community's scale, historic districts to help guide decisions, and encouraging walking and bicycling as modes of transportation appropriate for Rehoboth Beach's limited size.

Given McMahon's sensible admonitions, and Rehoboth's finite boundaries - between ocean and canal, the Pines and Silver Lake - here are two suggestions for taking advantage of his insights.

First, Rehoboth Beach officials should acknowledge that an important part of the city's success as a community is all of its special features. The decision should be made immediately to inventory and memorialize all of those features, in writing, so they are always available for reference.

Second, city officials should designate the entire city as a Special District, a twist on other towns' historic districts, and appoint a Specialness Committee to help articulate attributes that make Rehoboth special, identify threats to those assets and make suggestions for addressing those threats. Preserving and building on all of what makes Rehoboth special is essential to the community's continued success.