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Lewiston Urban Renewal Agency presents RAA finances and projects for sewer, Bridal and downtown
Summary
Assistant city planner Katie Hollinshead told the council the URA manages three open revenue allocation areas (East Orchard Sewer, Brighton/Bridal, Downtown), outlined bank balances and annual increment forecasts, described active sewer construction and potential downtown partnerships tied to a bond, and explained legal limits on RAAs under Idaho law.
The Lewiston Urban Renewal Agency briefed the City Council on Tuesday about three active revenue allocation areas (RAAs), their current balances and planned projects.
Assistant City Planner and Urban Renewal Director Katie Hollinshead said the URA acts as a financing partner for infrastructure and redevelopment projects and is governed by Title 50 of Idaho Code (chapters 29 and 20). The board, staffed separately from the city, sets plans that the council approves when a new RAA or boundary is established.
Hollinshead reported the East Orchard Sewer RAA (No. 5) holds approximately $1.79 million, with an annual increment estimated at $690,000 (2025 estimate); phase 3 of sewer installation (about 3,200 linear feet) is under construction with completion estimated in December and the RAA scheduled to close in 2037 with an estimated $8.2 million in increment at close. The Brighton/Bridal RAA (No. 6) has just over $2 million in the bank, estimated annual increment of $545,000 and projects including Bridal street rebuilds and water/sewer upgrades; URA has a reimbursement agreement to fund half of certain water infrastructure work. The new downtown RAA (No. 7) opened after the original downtown RAA closed; it has about $628,000 in increment to date, estimated annual increment near $310,000 and projected close‑of‑life increment of about $5.2 million in 2041.
Hollinshead explained financing tools (pay‑as‑you‑go, developer reimbursement, bonds), said Lewiston currently has roughly 6.25% of the city’s assessed value inside RAAs (the statutory limit is 10%), and invited council members to URA meetings and online resources. She said the URA board will discuss East Orchard phase‑3 projects at its next meeting and revisit the downtown plan after a November bond election.
Councilors asked how to measure post‑closure growth; Hollinshead said the county can produce September values worksheets to compare closing‑year and current assessed values, but the URA does not routinely track post‑closure growth.
