Council schedules public hearing after petition to form downtown Community Improvement District

Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and downtown business owners told the Poplar Bluff City Council on Aug. 4 they have petitioned to form a downtown Community Improvement District (CID) and presented a five-year plan that would restrict spending to projects benefiting the downtown area. Steve Halter and Morgan McIntosh of the Chamber said the petition process followed guidance from legal counsel and that property owners in the proposed district must sign the petition under state law. “We got well over 50% of the property owners down there to approve,” Halter told the council, describing outreach and notarized petitions from downtown property owners. How the CID would work: petitioners described a district in which businesses that charge sales tax would collect an extra 1% local sales/use tax on qualifying transactions within the CID boundary; that revenue would be placed in a dedicated fund and used only for the types of projects specified in the CID plan, such as infrastructure, façade grants, events, public safety and beautification. Petitioners said initial receipts would be modest—about $35,000 a year at present activity levels—and could grow if new businesses locate downtown. Public comments and concerns: several downtown business owners and property owners spoke. Jeffrey Canel, owner of Miniprint, said he had not received petition notice and expressed concern about specific plan elements—such as closing Vine Street to vehicle traffic—that could impede deliveries to his business. “I didn’t receive a letter or a petition, and the first notification I got was the agenda for tonight,” Canel said. Morgan Taylor, who helped implement the Sycamore CID, spoke in favor and said the Sycamore experience had been positive. Legal and procedural points: petitioners and the council noted that state statute requires property-owner petitions and sets eligibility rules (citizenship and age for board members were cited). The council discussed whether the petition represented property owners or revenue-generating businesses; petitioners said state statute uses property-owner signatures. Halter and McIntosh said they worked with counsel Shannon Creighton (Gilmore & Bell) and a consultant on a blight/study process and that specifics on demolition or street closures would require subsequent approvals and public input. Council action: a motion to schedule a public hearing on the petition for the council’s Aug. 18 meeting passed after roll call. The public hearing will give additional opportunity for affected business owners and residents to comment and for city staff to provide details on the proposed district and its boundaries. Next steps: if the CID is established, the mayor will appoint a five-member board (petitioners said the city manager will likely be a member). That board would decide whether to levy the 1% sales/use tax; establishment of the CID does not itself automatically impose the tax.