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Residents urge council to help The Rift and other small Main Street businesses
Summary
Multiple residents urged the council to review fees and support small businesses after venues like The Rift face high charges and potential closure; speakers said the venue provides affordable, all-ages activities and asked the council to revisit sewer-impact and other fees.
Several residents spoke during Aug. 4 public comment urging the council to help preserve small, affordable Main Street businesses — notably an arcade/venue referred to as The Rift — that they said are being priced out by fees and rising rents.
Speakers described The Rift as an affordable, inclusive space that hosts all-ages events and argued that municipal fee structures (including sewer-impact fees) and landlords’ rent increases threaten such venues. Skyler, Gabrielle Terrell and others said The Rift’s fees and a pattern of commercial turnover have removed venues that previously drew and kept young residents and contributed to downtown vibrancy.
Councilor Woods said The Rift is reopening on Washington Street and pledged to check the technical details of fees such as the sewer-impact charge and whether they apply per site or per business. Councilors and speakers asked staff to review fee applications and consider whether current practices unduly burden small or all-ages businesses.
"Please look into the required fees for the rift to keep their doors open... I know you guys have done for other larger businesses in town," one resident said, urging equitable treatment for small enterprises.
