Caldwell council approves downtown urban renewal, infrastructure MOUs and ARPA-funded tech purchase in final meeting of 2024

The Caldwell City Council concluded its final meeting of 2024 with a string of approvals that advance downtown redevelopment and city infrastructure projects.

The council voted 5–1 to adopt Bill 86/Ordinance 3647, a site-specific urban renewal plan for a downtown parcel that includes agency- and privately owned pieces of the dirt lot adjacent to the plaza. The measure authorizes the urban renewal agency to use the RFP process to dispose of agency-owned property and to use tax-increment financing for eligible public improvements during the plan period; Councilor Register recorded the lone no vote. City staff told council the plan limits the project list to items found financially feasible by the study and that the agency, not the council, will determine the exact RFP requirements and timelines.

Councilors also unanimously accepted the 2023 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for the City’s CDBG program. Community Development Director Robin Collins told the council the city received $444,484 from HUD for program year 2023 and highlighted outcomes including the completion and rapid lease-up of 26 new affordable rental units (Westview Lofts #2) and…