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Pottstown officials start process for downtown Business Improvement District to access state Main Street funds
Summary
Council committee heard a PAID presentation on a proposed Business Improvement District (BID) covering parts of High, King and Hanover streets. Staff will seek authorization on the council consent agenda to schedule a required public hearing in March so property owners can be notified and comment.
A representative of Pottstown Area Industrial Development (PAID) told the Committee of the Whole on Jan. 8 that PAID is proposing a Business Improvement District covering core blocks of High, King and Hanover streets to provide sustained placemaking and downtown services and to make the borough eligible for the state—s Main Street Matters funding.
PAID said the original area under consideration would have included 636 parcels and produced an assessment in the $169,000 range, but revised boundaries reduce the BID to approximately 297 income‑producing parcels; non‑tax producing parcels such as churches, schools and borough property would not be assessed. "The assessments now would be on 297 parcels," the PAID presenter said.
PAID explained that Gov. Josh Shapiro committed $20 million statewide for the Main Street Matters program administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). The presenter said the program requires localities to be designated as a downtown/main street and to have a sustaining local funding mechanism (a BID or similar district) to be eligible for assistance; PAID estimated the locality could access up to $225,000 over four years through the program.
Solicitor/staff told the committee the next procedural step is for council to authorize staff to schedule the formally required public hearing. At the meeting staff proposed a motion for Monday's council meeting to "authorize staff to move forward and schedule the required public hearing for the March meeting of council," which would reopen the notification and comment period for affected property owners.
The presenter said PAID will continue outreach to property owners between now and the public hearing to explain assessment methodology, boundaries and proposed services. No council vote was taken at the Jan. 8 Committee meeting; the committee discussion put the BID public hearing on the agenda for the council meeting the following Monday.
