HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-13-13 Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) Minutes/
Downtown Business Improvement District
Board Meeting Minutes
November 13, 2013
Attending: Mike Basile, Eric Bowman, Ileana Indreland, Dan Himsworth, Chris Naumann
Absent: Eric Sutherland, Buck Taylor
Public Comments
None
Disclosures
None
Minutes
ACTION: Mike
Basile moved to approve the September minutes as presented.
Ileana Indreland seconded the motion.
All voted in favor.
Finance Report
Chris presented the Finance report reviewing
the revenues and expenditures as of November 13, 2013. He noted the only expenditures from the previous month in addition to typical maintenance expenses were: annual Mule service for
$188 and second quarter Partnership management fee for $16,750.
Chris concluded by noting the BID has $79,166 in the savings and checking accounts.
The board did not have any further
questions about the Finance Report.
Executive Director’s Report
Maintenance Program Update
Below are the maintenance statistics comparing year-to-date figures from this year (FY14)
to the stats from the same period last year (FY13). We are operating at our typical fall-winter maintenance levels. Currently we have one part-time employee emptying trash 3-4 days a
week. We also have one other employee “on-call” to help with larger projects.
FY2013
FY2014
Difference
Trash Emptied
1180
1710
+530
Graffiti Removed
26
55
+29
Holiday
Decorations Update
Holiday Sponsorship request went out last week. We mailed letters and forms directly to 50 businesses that have sponsored the Flower Basket and/or Holiday programs
in the past. I also sent out an e-mail announcement to approximately 400 business owners and my analytics show that 191 opened the e-mail in the first 48 hours.
Here is the holiday
schedule:
11/19-20 Streetlamp Garland Installed
12/2 Holiday Spiders Installed
12/3-4 Holiday Wreaths and Soroptomist Lights Installed
12/7 Christmas Stroll
1/6 Holiday Spiders Removed
1/7-8 Holiday Wreaths and Soroptomist Lights Removed
1/6-8 Streetlamp Garland Removed
Street Hardware Update
The Lumec streetlamp
base covers have finally arrived. Depending on the maintenance staff workload and the weather, we may replace the old corroded ones before winter sets in or wait until spring.
The
recycling receptacles will be shipping out this week. We will place one per block face as soon as they arrive and do a press release about single-stream recycling downtown.
Downtown
Parking Update
The graph on the back of this page shows an increase in both garage use and revenue for October. Entries and revenue were up 17% and 26% over October 2012. Year to date
both entries and revenue are up 13% and 12% respectively.
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Discussion and Decision Items
COB Ord. 1874—Manufacturing Definition
The board discussed the memo Chris had previously distributed titled “Proposed Text Amendment to the Municipal Code
Defining Manufacturing” (included below). The board agreed that the “artisan” definition was needed to allow a wider variety of cottage manufacturing downtown.
Chris informed the board
that the action taken by the TIF board included a stipulation requiring a CUP if an artisan manufacturing business did not include a retail component.
During the subsequent discussion
the board decided against the CUP option and took the following action.
ACTION: Mike Basile moved to support artisan manufacturing in the designated core to be required to incorporate
a prominent retail component facing Main Street.
Ileana Indreland seconded the motion.
All voted in favor.
The board asked Chris to prepare a recommendation to the City Commission
expressing the board’s stance. Chris said he would draft the memo and send to the board via e-mail for their review prior to final submittal.
Board Vacancy
Chris updated the board that
he had spoken to three individuals interested in the BID board vacancy. Dylan Clarkson of American Bank had previously applied but not appointed. Chris said he recently met Tod Peterson
of Wells Fargo Bank. Erik Nelson of Thinktank is also interested.
The board instructed Chris to meet with Dylan and encourage him to reapply if he is still interested.
With no further
new or old business, the meeting was adjourned.
PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE BOZEMAN MUNICIPAL CODE DEFINING MANUFACTURING AND ASSIGNMENT TO ZONING DISTRICTS
Below are excerpts
from the City of Bozeman Draft Ordinance No. 1874 adding a third manufacturing category called “artisan” and revising how the three types of manufacturing uses would be allowed in each
zoning district. As proposed two of the three manufacturing categories would be allowed in the downtown B3 district. Below are a summary and my analysis of the two types of manufacturing
that are proposed in the B3 district.
SUMMARY
Manufacturing Definitions
1. Artisan—Proposed New Definition
Section 38.42.1865. Manufacturing, artisan
“Production of goods by the use of hand tools or small-scale, light mechanical equipment occurring solely within an enclosed building where such production requires no outdoor operations
or storage, and where the production, operations, and storage of materials related to production occupy no more than 3,500 square feet of gross floor area. Typical uses have negligible
negative impact on surrounding properties and include woodworking and cabinet shops, ceramic studios, jewelry manufacturing and similar types of arts and crafts, production of alcohol,
or food processing.”
2. Light—Existing Definition
Sec. 38.42.1870. Manufacturing, light
Fabrication of and/or assembly of goods from previously prepared materials.
Zoning Application
as proposed in Ord. No. 1874
Permitted Uses
B-1
B-2
B-3
Manufacturing-Artisan
P
P
P
Manufacturing-Light
C
C3
P=Principal Use
C=Conditionally Permitted
Use
3=”Except on ground floor in the core area” between the alleys from Rouse to Grand
Artisan Manufacturing is proposed to be allowed as a Principal use in the B3 district. This means
that if an Artisan Manufacturing use is proposed anywhere in the B3 that does not require any other higher levels of review and approval, that Artisan Manufacturing use would be administratively
approved within the Community Development Department.
Light Manufacturing is currently not allowed in the B3 district. Ordinance No. 1874 proposes to allow Light Manufacturing in the
B3 district as a conditionally permitted use except for in the core area where it will not be permitted on the ground floor. This means that if a Light Manufacturing use is proposed
anywhere except in the core area would require a Conditional Use Permit to be applied for, reviewed by Community Development Department and ultimately approved by the City Commission.
Zoning
Commission Public Hearing
On Tuesday November 5, 2013 the Zoning Commission held a public hearing regarding Ordinance 1874. The Zoning Commission consisted of Erik Garberg, Trever McSpadden,
George Thompson, and Carson Taylor. Chris Saunders, COB, presented the staff report.
The ZC members discussed some of the nuances of the “artisan” definition and asked staff several
questions about how it would apply to several different zoning districts.
The only public comment was offered by Michael Delaney who said he supported the proposed changes but asked
that a retail requirement be added to the “artisan” definition so as to ensure a certain amount of vibrancy.
The ZC members acknowledged Mr. Delaney’s request and the importance of foot
traffic and “store front” vibrancy. They offered that market forces (i.e. lease rates) would in all likelihood drive any downtown artisan manufacturing to include a retail component
as a revenue source.
Staff also offered the option to modify the 3500 square foot requirement and/or to recommend “artisan” manufacturing require conditional approval in the core area
of the B3 district.
The ZC approved a motion recommending that the City Commission adopt Ordinance 1874 as proposed.
ANALYSIS
Here are some examples of businesses that would be classified accordingly if Ordinance 1874 were in place:
Artisan—Carter’s Cobbler, former JoNae’s Chocolate Shop, La Chatelaine
Chocolates
About 18 months ago, On the Rise Bakery inquired about relocating downtown but was classified as “manufacturing” which at the time was not allowed.
Light—Alpha Graphics (Color
World) Printers, Insty-Prints
Approximately a year ago, Mystery Ranch Backpacks considered relocating to an off-Main downtown location but manufacturing was not allowed at that time.
There
has been a long history of great downtown businesses that technically should have been classified as manufacturing and therefore were non-conforming. There is also a history of businesses
looking to relocate downtown and would have been positive additions to the business mix that were classified as manufacturing and therefore not allowed.
I think that the new definition
and subsequent zoning assignments will allow a more diversified business base to be established in downtown. I envision Artisan and some Light manufacturing businesses will help downtown
expand to the north and south of Main Street. Artisan manufacturing businesses might play a role in revitalizing the alleys.
One suggestion I have for the boards to consider is requesting
that Artisan manufacturing be classified as a principal use in the B3 District except in the designated core area (between the alleys from Rouse to Grand). This classification would
require any Artisan manufacturing business proposing to locate in the core area to seek a Conditional Use Permit. The CUP process includes a public hearing which would allow downtown
stakeholders and the downtown boards to publically support or oppose each proposed Artisan use on a case by case basis.
Prepared by Chris Naumann, Executive Director, Downtown Bozeman
Partnership 10/28/13