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Commissioners agree to petition to renew Downtown Billings Business Improvement District
Summary
The Board approved a petition to renew the Downtown Billings Business Improvement District (BID), enabling property owners to decide whether to reauthorize a 10-year renewal of assessments that fund downtown clean, safe, public-art and events programs.
Yellowstone County commissioners voted to approve a petition to renew the Downtown Billings Business Improvement District, a property-owner-funded special assessment district that pays for downtown cleaning, safety, public art and events.
Katie Schreiner, representing Downtown Billings, outlined the BID's programs: sidewalk sweeping and power washing, trash removal, snow clearing, downtown flower baskets, a clean-and-safe team, reimbursement for three full-time police officers focused on downtown, a community outreach team that coordinates with social service providers and a public-art program that includes murals and light-bike installations. Joe Stout, director of the BID, and community resource director Cody Christiansen were part of the presentation.
Schreiner said the district covers more than 1,000 properties in the downtown boundary and is funded by assessments shown on property tax bills for property owners within the district; owners such as the city, county, school district and hospitals are assessed if they own property inside the BID boundary.
Approval of the county's petition allows Downtown Billings to continue the renewal process; the BID organizers must secure signatures from 60% of property owners in the district and then seek certification by the City of Billings for a 10-year renewal.
Ending: County commissioners approved submission of the petition; BID organizers will continue signature-gathering and follow city certification procedures.
