Downtown Clayton Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan

The Town of Clayton Downtown Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) Plan, authored by Consensus Planning, was the result of a planning process that sought to engage the community, both residents and business owners, into planning for the future of Downtown Clayton. The process involved a series of different methods and opportunities to engage the public in developing the Downtown MRA Plan. Participants in the planning process were asked, “What kind of place do you want Downtown Clayton to be in the future?”

The Downtown MRA Plan expresses the collective vision and provides a road map for creating a more inviting, vibrant, and prosperous business district. A series of catalytic public and private sector projects and investments, based on the development of strong and sustainable partnerships, provide the necessary guidance for making this vision a reality. The implementation of the Downtown MRA Plan depends on the Town of Clayton and the Clayton Union County Economic Development Partnership prioritizing the redevelopment of Downtown through a variety of means, including the allocation and pursuance of funding opportunities and resources, continued engagement with the business owners within the MRA District, collaboration with New Mexico MainStreet, and most of all, hard work. Successful implementation of the MRA Plan will lead Downtown Clayton back to being the heart and economic center of the Town.

A critical component of the planning process for the Downtown MRA Plan was gathering input and feedback from the community stakeholders. Members of the community contributed to this planning process by completing surveys, sharing information through interviews and discussions, participating in activities at an all day workshop, and attending the final workshop prior to adoption by the Clayton Board of Trustees. Consensus Planning facilitated the workshop, which included a presentation on the existing conditions and asset inventory completed by the firm, a walking tour of the Downtown core area, a SWOT analysis, asset mapping, and identification of opportunity sites for redevelopment. The community workshop was well attended with more than 20 people participating during the course of the day, including elected officials from Clayton and Union County.