Downtown Development Authority Minutes
July 6, 2005 - 7:45am
Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce
Chairman Wright called the meeting to order at 7:50 a.m.
Roll Call.
Members Present:
Mayor Davis, Wright, Hankerd, Gilbert, Oliver, Howe,
Members Absent: Stehle, Irish, and
vacant position
Others Present:
Ex. Dir. Hathaway, Ramos, J. Horvath,
Approval of
Minutes.
The minutes of the meetings of May 4, 2005 and June 1, 2005 were
approved.
Gilbert/Oliver m/s/p
Election of Officers
and Appointments.
Chairman Wright conducted elections for officers and appointments for
Executive Director and Secretary/Treasurer.
Office of Chairman: Chairman Wright was nominated and elected.
Oliver/Davis m/s/p
Office of Vice-Chairman: John Oliver was nominated and elected.
Howe/Davis m/s/p
Position of Exec. Director/Secretary/Treasurer: Phil Hathaway was
appointed.
Oliver/Davis m/s/p
Communications:
Thank you note
to Four Winds Council was mailed. The City Council adopted the By-Law
amendment regarding attendance.
Citizen Comments:
Mayor Davis announced that he has received a letter of
resignation from Jeff McMaster and asked members to consider a candidate
to replace him on the Board.
Financial Status.
A. Operational Budget
Checking.........................................................
$ 1,470.74
Savings............................................................
$ 9,212.47
Total
........................................................... $
10,683.21
B. Development Plan Budget
Carry Over from ’04-’05 is $15,781.04.
Items of Business.
A. Payment of Bills.
The following expenses were authorized for payment:
A. Organizational Expenses:
GOES Lithographing Company..............
$ 40.72
City Of Owosso—Postage.....................
$ 20.35
B. Tax Increment Development Plan Expenses:
None
Oliver/Davis m/s/p
A. Boundary Amendment
Request. A
map of Roy Marr’s property at 121 Michigan Avenue was reviewed. The
influencing factors in making a decision on a boundary amendment, as
developed when a previous amendment was requested include:
1)
Is there
identity with the downtown?
2)
Is there
entryway significance to the parcel?
3)
Is there
a physical connection to the downtown?
4)
Is the
site deemed to be a beneficiary of downtown’s customer drawing power?
Items 1,3 and 4 were all found to be pertinent to this site. Other
influencing factors are:
1)
The
straight-line boundary of Clinton Street that precedes the present
occupant’s use of the site is a probable development boundary for the
downtown and in fact has received a commercial rezoning only a month ago
for three houses west of this site.
2)
Two of
the structures on this site are income property.
3)
The DDA
has benefited this site with environmental investigations of the Tim
Horton site that induced sales of a portion of the owner’s property.
4)
The
owner, when asked to sell the property in 1994, explained that it was a
development site worth much more than its assessed value.
5)
There is
a long term plan, known to the owner when he purchased the site to
construct a footbridge from the James Miner Walkway to the end of
Clinton Street at the river.
The matter did not require a vote; no action was taken on the request
and the owner shall be notified.
B. Focus Owosso
Report. The
new downtown coordinator is Tammy Smith who has considerable experience
in promotions and events management. Bill Gilbert explained that the
committee had four solid candidates and Tammy’s distinctive trait was
her background and aptitude for relationship building. The position
begins on July 19th.
C. Former Hotel Site.
The developers have hired an architect and structural engineer and the
City has hired a parking consultant, Walker Parking Consultants of
Kalamazoo to examine the foundation plan for the future structure. The
foundation plan will reveal the available parking for an underground
parking structure. Additionally the developers are seeking additional
investors to take on a portion of the project’s debt load. The City was
not awarded a Cool Cities grant—the awards were made to larger cities as
with last year. The developers are not deterred by this announcement.
D. Check Writing
Authorization.
Three persons were authorized to sign checks for the DDA—Craig
Wright, John Oliver, and Phil Hathaway.
Howe/Gilbert m/s/p
E. Web Site.
After review of two
proposals, members selected the team of Cornell Technology Solutions and
Cabin Creek Technology Services, Inc to produce the web page. Fixed
start up costs are $3,300 with a $25 web hosting fee and $30 per hour
update fee. A contract to move ahead was authorized.
Howe/Hankerd m/s/p
F. Budget Status.
Members
reviewed three approaches to the DDA budget: a) this year’s 2 mill
operating budget; b) this year’s development plan budget, and; c) the
next 3 years of capital improvements for the downtown.
1)
2 Mill
Operating Budget.
Commentary here shows an $11,548.86 unallocated fund. The uses of these
monies will involve holiday lighting, web page development, graphics for
parking system alterations, and potentially overtime reimbursements to
the City for installation of holiday decorations. These costs could
total $9,000 of the unallocated funds.
2)
This
year’s Development Plan Budget.
Carry over funds plus this year’s tax capture are projected to be
$84,781. The principal use of the fund is to co-pay for the Farmer’s
Market/Water Street lot upgrade. This is the first year for the DDA to
pay its share of the hotel demolition/parking deck. The south side
welcome sign is budgeted and the evasive dumpster corral at the Greenway
Lot is scheduled once again. The unallocated funds are $8,231. Members
suggested a more aggressive use of funds for tree replacement on
Washington Street and on Main Street in the 200 block where the new
façade has been restored.
3)
The next
three years of capital improvements (2006-2009). A $360,000 budget is
forecasted with major investments in parking system adjustments.
Washington Street reconstruction is slated for 2007. Repaving the
Ball/Mason lot and the South ½ of the N. Park Street lots are scheduled
for that time period. The Ball Street parking mall (next to
Burlington’s) is scheduled. Ongoing investments include the demolition
payment, tree replacement, electrical system upgrades, and the Comstock
Center landscaping plan. One investment area for which more planning
decisions must be made involves the “tower” lights at intersections.
The new lights at the Farmer’s Market may persuade the DDA to look at
this type of fixture along with banner mounts.
G. Sandwich Board
Signs. The four sandwich board signs now in the right-of-way are
illegal and must be ordered off the sidewalks unless the DDA takes
action to permit them in a way that overrides the city’s sign
ordinance. The City Attorney has evaluated the DDA act and explained
that there are three references in the law that combine to allow
sidewalk signs if they are desired:
1)
Plan,
propose and construct improvements in public spaces if in the opinion of
the board, the action aids in the economic growth of the downtown
district.
2)
Acquire
personal property and lease that property to achieve the purpose of the
Act.
3)
Tie
public improvements to private property through special assessments.
Minimum standards for signs would involve appearance, size, lettering,
colors, symbols, and sidewalk opening. The desirable sidewalk opening
after sign placement is six feet with the minimum standard being five
feet under special circumstances. A sandwich board program would involve
a permit. Members asked for a specific proposal at the August meeting
for standards and procedures that involved a minimum procedural pathway
and expense to the businesses.
H. Rooftop Lighting.
A review of participants shows 17 downtown buildings now in the
program. A 2005 program was authorized with the reimbursable advance of
DDA funds to acquire materials.
Gilbert/Oliver m/s/p
I. Retail Recruitment
and Retention.
George Ramos reported that Scrubs is nearly ready to open and the
Gilbert’s are negotiating a lease with a retail outlet. The Italian
world market next to Cerveny’s is still in development. There is no
specific activity for Carpenter’s Corner. We Lil’ Me has not announced
that they are closing. This is an inventory reduction sale at this
time.
J. Heritage Footbridge Maintenance. Hathaway noted that the English Ivy in the triangular planting area
behind the Armory did not survive the winter and never had any
greenery. The installer is checking with the supplier on the warranty.
Members authorized a snow fence to be installed before the school year
starts to permit the garden to grow in undisturbed.
Oliver/Howe
m/s/p
K. Holiday Lighting.
The holiday lighting program will entail light stringer
replacement, a trial twinkle light installation at the Comstock Inn and
an expansion of the wreath program for two wreaths behind JC Penney’s
and wreaths and electrical work in the 200 block of N. Washington St.
Hathaway is to return in August with specific quantities and pricing.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:20 a.m.
Philip B. Hathaway, Secretary-Treasurer
