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City staff propose raising Business Improvement Grant cap, boost ADA reimbursement
Summary
Economic development staff presented proposed amendments to the Business Improvement Grant: higher maximum grants, increased staff approval authority and more generous ADA reimbursements.
Derek, economic development staff, briefed the council on proposed changes to the city’s Business Improvement Grant program, which provides matching grants for private commercial property improvements.
Under the current program (established in 2015), owners are eligible for 50/50 matching grants up to $25,000 and staff can approve grants up to $10,000. Derek explained staff are proposing three changes: raise the maximum grant to $30,000, raise the staff approval limit to $15,000 and increase the reimbursement rate for ADA accessibility work from 50% to 75% with a $10,000 cap.
"A lot of businesses or property owners like this just because it kinda expedites the process," Derek said, summarizing the program. Staff told the council the program routinely exhausts its existing annual appropriation of $50,000 and that the economic development department is recommending a potential budget increase to $120,000 for next year; that funding change would be considered during the budget process.
Why it matters: Council members generally voiced support for increasing the grant to match inflation and for a higher ADA reimbursement to improve accessibility downtown. Staff said grants are for building improvements (plumbing, electric, life safety) and generally benefit future tenants if a current business vacates the space.
Council response and next steps
Multiple aldermen expressed support for the ADA emphasis and the higher cap, noting $10,000 in 2015 buys less today. The council did not vote on the program changes at the meeting; staff will carry the proposal into the budget process where the proposed higher annual appropriation would be considered.
Funding source
Derek confirmed the program is funded from the city’s general fund; any increase to the program budget would be reviewed as part of the fiscal year budget discussions.
Ending: The council directed staff to include the proposed program changes in their budget materials for council review and to return with any recommended adjustments during the budget adoption cycle.
