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Rivertown business improvement zone cleared by committee to go to property‑owner vote after lengthy public hearing
Summary
After a lengthy, at times contentious public hearing, the Committee of the Whole voted to send the Rivertown Business Improvement Zone petition to formal session and a property‑owner mail ballot; petitioners said they have commitments above the 60% statutory threshold but council asked for parcel‑level assessment details and ownership support lists before the next meeting.
The Committee of the Whole advanced a petition to create a Rivertown Business Improvement Zone (BIZ) after an extended public hearing that produced both organized support from local businesses and property owners and sharp objections from residents and smaller owners who worried about rent increases and inclusion of vacant parcels and residentially‑assessed properties.
Jefferson East and a coalition of neighborhood partners presented the zone plan, describing proposed services (clean ambassadors, safety ambassadors, outreach to unsheltered residents, marketing and coordinated safety and lighting work) and an assessment formula based on building floor area and assessed value. Jefferson East said petition outreach had secured a level of support sufficient to proceed to a formal property‑owner ballot: petitioners reported they exceeded the 30% petition threshold to trigger the process and…
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