City submits $41M-plus CDBG-DR pre‑applications focused on housing and flood recovery

City officials told the Barrie City Council they filed pre‑applications this week to the state’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) program seeking roughly $41 million for housing and related flood‑recovery work. The pre‑applications include three major housing proposals: an equity partnership for a multistory mixed‑income building at 143 North Main (request: $4,610,000); funding to finish infrastructure at Prospect Heights to enable a 91‑unit subdivision (request: about $5,200,000); and a North‑End Gateway package centered on a 64‑unit, five‑story building at Waube Park plus neighborhood acquisitions, day‑care and grocery components, and green‑space/flood‑resilience work (combined request: about $15,210,000). The city manager told council the state directed applicants to prioritize housing and that “61% out of the 55,000,000 … is housing,” which shaped the city’s submission. He also said the pre‑applications were due the day of the meeting and that the state expects a public hearing; council staff plan that hearing for Sept. 23, ahead of the Sept. 30 application deadline. The pre‑applications also seek funds for stormwater upgrades ($5,000,000 proposed), targeted Potash Brook / Courier Park channel and culvert work ($3,000,000 proposed), auditorium match funding, and two planning grants ($250,000 each) for downtown housing planning and Grand List strategic planning. Council and staff described the pre‑application step as both a competitive signal to the state and a way to test priorities. “The pre applications, that we submitted today were required, and they were, as I mentioned, due by today,” City Manager Nicholas said. He told council the state scores applications with a citizen board and the administration ultimately awards funds, and that feedback from the state on pre‑applications is not guaranteed. Councilor Guston, who has been working on the applications with staff, said the city leaned into the state’s priorities to maximize competitiveness: “We leaned heavy into housing because the state wants us to lean heavy into housing.” To strengthen grant scoring, council approved creation of a short‑term Long‑Term Redevelopment Plan committee. The council voted to appoint a five‑member committee to assemble a 5–7 page redevelopment plan drawing on the municipal plan, the flood resiliency plan, the housing task force white paper and other publicly vetted documents. Members named in the meeting were Tess Taylor (housing and homelessness liaison), Councilor Guston, Planning Commission chair Dave Sitchell (or a commission designee), State Representative Teddy Wazazek (noted as co‑chair of the Flood Recovery Caucus), and City Manager Nicholas (council liaison). The motion to appoint the committee passed unanimously. Staff cautioned that awards will be competitive across Washington County and that the state has limited infrastructure/multi‑purpose mitigation funds compared with housing; the city’s packaging follows guidance from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. Final applications must be substantially more detailed than the pre‑applications; staff said they have 55 days to complete full applications and will return to council for site‑control documentation, budgets and public process items. If the state funds a portion rather than the full asks, staff said they expect the state to be able to offer partial awards and guidance, but noted they were still awaiting confirmation of the state’s approach to partial funding. The council set a Sept. 23 public hearing in advance of the Sept. 30 submission deadline and directed the newly formed redevelopment committee to draft the short plan for council approval prior to the final filing.