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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-09-20 Midtown URB minutesPage 1 of 6 APPROVED minutes from January 9, 2020 board meeting voted on and approved during February 13, 2020 meeting held at the City Hall, Madison Room TO DO List: Everyone attend February 6 board meeting In attendance: Susan Fraser, Scott Hedglin, Carl Solvie, Nolan Campbell, Andrew Cetraro, David Fine, Valerie Wyman, Terry Cunningham A. Call to Order – Andrew called to order at 4:31pm. B. Changes to Agenda – move 9Ten to first item. C. Public Comment – none. D. Approve Minutes Carl motioned acceptance of November 7 minutes as presented. Nolan seconded the motion. All in favor. E.2. Action Item – 9TEN Mixed Use Project David reminded board they had already approved $1.5M to this project and that this presentation doesn’t change anything about that but answers the Board’s request to consider including other infrastructure. Scott with Instrinsik presented. Did find additional costs while working with engineering during this second look. Needed in order to answer the Board’s streetscape requests are four street lights at $4k/each and $88k for streetscaping along other sections (see Attachment A). Discussion. Scott motioned to approve $30k for improvements to West Aspen section as presented; Andrew seconded the motion. All in favor. E.1. Resolution 2020-01 – Resolution Approving…..Bonds David said this document was written by the bond counsel and is scheduled for Monday’s City Commission meeting (see Attachment B). Discussion. Scott brought up his concern that maybe, considering the TIF income and the speed of projects now occurring, if we should do this or let the board sunset. Discussion. Andrew wants it to continue as bigger things are to come for the district. Discussion continued. Terry has heard no wavering of Commission’s support of N. 7th. Scott noted that this discussion has cleared his concerns and he is in support of bonding. Andrew made the motion to support the resolution as written and to submit it to the Commission for approval. Valerie seconded the motion. All in favor. E.3. Provide MURB comments to the Planning Board on the Bozeman Community Plan Draft David went over his suggestions that he gleaned from working with downtown and consultant (see Attachment C). Page 2 of 6 Discussion. Scott motioned to direct staff to draft letter from MURB to Planning Board, with our MURB Chair’s signature, with these presented bullet points as recommendations. Susan seconded the motion. All in favor. F. FYI Postscript: this was Carl Solvie’s last board meeting. Adjournment Andrew adjourned the meeting at 5:25pm. Page 3 of 6 Attachment A Page 4 of 6 Attachment B RESOLUTION NO. 2020-01 RESOLUTION APPROVING CERTAIN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BOZEMAN MIDTOWN URBAN RENEWAL DISTRICT AS AN URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT AND REQUESTING THAT THE BOZEMAN CITY COMMISSION FINANCE THE PROJECT THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF TAX INCREMENT URBAN RENEWAL BONDS BE IT RESOLVED by the Bozeman Midtown Urban Renewal District Board (the “Board”), as follows: Section 1 Recitals. 1.01. Under the provisions of Montana Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 15, Parts 42 and 43, as amended (the “Act”), the City of Bozeman, Montana (the “City”) is authorized to create urban renewal areas, prepare and adopt an urban renewal plan therefor and amendments thereto, undertake urban renewal projects therein, provide for the segregation and collection of tax increment with respect to property taxes collected in such areas, and apply tax increment revenues derived from projects undertaken within the urban renewal area to pay eligible costs. 1.02. Pursuant to the Act and Ordinance No. 1685 adopted by the City Commission of the City (the “City Commission”) on November 27, 2006, as amended by Ordinance No. 1925, adopted by the City Commission on December 16, 2015 (collectively, the “Ordinance”), the City has created the Bozeman Midtown Urban Renewal District (the “District”) as an urban renewal district and has approved the Bozeman Midtown Urban Renewal Plan (the “Plan”) as an urban renewal plan in accordance with the Act, which Plan provides for the segregation and collection of tax increment revenues with respect to the District. 1.03. As set forth in the Plan, tax increment financing is to be used to further the implementation goals in the Plan, which include promoting economic development, improving multi-modal transportation and improving, maintaining and supporting innovation in infrastructure, which the Plan expects may include installing signage, lighting, landscaping and sidewalk, curb, gutter and street improvements. 1.04. In addition, the Plan created the Board to exercise the powers of an urban renewal agency under the Act with respect to the District and to implement the Plan. Among other things, the Board is required to prepare an annual work program and budget for projects in the District, which program and budget are subject to review and approval by the Commission. Section 2 The Project. The Board has determined that it is in the best interest of the District to undertake the design, engineering and construction of various public infrastructure improvements within the District, including (i) development of Aspen Street as a “festival” street, including sidewalk, street light and curb and gutter improvements, pedestrian crossing, street trees and stormwater infrastructure improvements to Aspen Street between North 5th Avenue and North 7th Avenue; (ii) installation of angle parking infrastructure along the western edge of the Westlake BMX Park; (iii) street, sidewalk, street light and curb and gutter improvements, pedestrian crossing, street trees and stormwater infrastructure improvements to North 7th Avenue between Durston Road and Mendenhall Street; and (iv) construction of a multi-use path, allowing pedestrian and bike connectivity to the Westlake BMX Park, the Aspen Street improvements Page 5 of 6 described above and a new mixed-use development in the District known as the Aspen Crossing Project (such public infrastructure improvements, collectively, the “Project”). The engineering, design and construction of the Project is expected to cost approximately $5,010,000. Section 3 Approvals and Requests. The Board hereby finds that the Project is contemplated by and is within the scope of the Plan, and is eligible for tax increment financing under the Act. The Board hereby approves the Project as an urban renewal project under the Act and the Plan. The Board hereby requests that the Commission approve the Project as an urban renewal project under the Act and the Plan and issue tax increment revenue bonds, payable from tax increment revenues of the District, to finance all or a portion of the costs of the Project and, if necessary or desirable, to pay costs of issuance of the bonds and associated costs of the financing. PASSED, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED by the Bozeman Midtown Urban Renewal Board at a meeting held on the 9th day of January, 2020. ___________________________________ Chair ATTEST: ___________________________________ Secretary Page 6 of 6 Attachment C Potential Comments on the Bozeman Community Plan from the Midtown Urban Renewal Board  The Engineering Department has indicated potential updates to their Design Standards to allow for more compact development patterns that will support many goals in the Growth Policy. This update should be supported by and reflected throughout the Community Plan.  Page 11: "The needs of new and existing development coexist and they should remain in balance. Neither should overwhelm the other." This statement has the potential to be misinterpreted. There are areas of town, including many parts of Midtown, where underdevelopment could threaten the viability of the overall district.  Pages 11-12: "Infill development and redevelopment should be encouraged, but incremental compact outward growth is a necessary part of City growth." Consider using a stronger word such as "prioritized" or "emphasized" rather than "encouraged."  Page 15 and 31 - it is unclear what the purposes are for these exhibits.  Page 18: "Density of development must be balanced with other community priorities such as the housing choices of citizens." This statement also has the potential to be misinterpreted. Either identify additional other priorities or strike the second part of the sentence after "priorities." If Theme 2 of this plan is to have a City “bolstered by Downtown, Midtown, University and other commercial districts and neighborhood centers that are characterized by higher densities and intensities of use” it is critical not to underdevelop these centers. The EPS Report made a clear case that the market will not support the neighborhood amenities these districts desire and require for success without adequate adjacent density. Neighborhood businesses require enough customers to have a feasible business.  Page 20 – The elimination or reduction of parking requirements and is a major factor in supporting "urban development" within the City and should be noted as a specific action item under this goal. Projects proposed in the Midtown Urban Renewal District have shown that in the absence of parking requirements the majority of new developments will still provide parking. The Midtown Urban Renewal Board supports the recent motion adopted by the Planning Board proposing to: “Eliminate parking minimum requirements in commercial districts and for affordable housing and reduce parking minimums elsewhere, acknowledging that demand for parking will still result in new supply being built.”  Page 20 - "Document existing policies and practices and develop additional policies if needed to appropriately address issues for infill development." More specificity (such as updating Engineering Design Standards) would be helpful here as would more positive wording such as: "Document existing policies and practices and develop additional policies to support infill development."