Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council reviews proposed downtown façade grant using ARPA funds; staff seeks approval to proceed
Summary
City staff proposed a competitive downtown façade grant using roughly $40,000 in ARPA funds with matching grants capped at $5,000 per property; staff said applications would be scored by a panel and recommended projects returned to the council for approval.
City staff presented a proposed downtown façade grant program (referred to at the meeting as the Saad Grant Program) intended to use ARPA funds to provide matching grants to property owners in the downtown overlay district.
The presenter said the program would be competitive, require an application with drawings and specifications, and be scored by a review panel that would recommend projects to the council. Staff described an individual grant cap of $5,000 per unit and said approximately $40,000 had been budgeted in the ARPA line, which in theory could fund up to eight projects at the maximum amount.
The presenter noted existing downtown overlay design standards and said the program is intended to encourage building appearance improvements by sharing costs with property owners. Council members asked about eligibility for properties with previous ordinance violations, standards for signage and color, and how the scoring process would account for compliance with overlay district rules; staff said sign regulations are part of the overlay district and the panel would review the total package.
Council members generally signaled support to proceed with drafting an application and scoring process; staff said final agreements for property owners would return to the council for approval before any funds were spent. No appropriation ordinance or final award decisions were made at the meeting.
