Cliff Buchan
News EditorA revised downtown redevelopment plan reflecting work accomplished and what may yet come should be before the city Economic Development Authority by Monday, June 28.
EDA staff and consultants said Monday their re-draft should be ready for its first review by the next regular meeting of the EDA board.
City planner Bill Sander, tax-increment consultant Dan Wilson and City Engineer Paul Hornby will also have input on the plan with the consult of Chip Robinson, EDA executive director and city administrator.
The revised plan was requested this spring to reflect construction that has taken place downtown and and take into account projects once on the drawing table but have not happened.
A big change has been Washington Countyís changing plans for a new library and government center in the downtown. The county is now exploring possible use of the community center site for its proposed facilities here after once considering the Houle Feed Mill site as a location.
As the summer unfolds, EDA and city officials continue to patiently await word on a potential state grant to assist in a Lakeside Park development plan. The city has applied for a Department of Natural Resources grant to assist with the park project and a potential relocation of the park boat launching ramp.
Hornby reported Monday the staff will meet with the DNR to review two potential plans for a ramp relocation to the north on NE 2nd Avenue.
One proposal that would provide for 20 to 25 on-site parking areas for vehicles and boat trailers will cost in the area of $750,000, Hornby said. The second proposal with no on-site parking will cost approximately $275,000, he said.
Hornby cautioned that time is fast escaping for a project in 2004. The city and EDA have planned to do the park redevelopment and north end improvements to the municipal parking lot as one project. No plans and specifications have been ordered which means the project may fall to spring of 2005, Hornby said.
Wilson reported on TIF finances and said the pot of TIF money is not growing as fast as once expected. Last yearís bond sale for E. Broadway Ave. improvements produced funds to do the north end work, Wilson said, but other TIF funds are coming in slowly.
He said the city was anticipating $463,000 in TIF proceeds in 2004 from new increments, but will collect only $395,000 because of tax law changes and the fact the The Plaza was not fully on line, Wilson said.
The Everton Park TIF area west of I-35 will offset some of the downtown loss, he said. The EDA has a TIF collection of $189,000 in its 2004 budget but will capture an increment of $198,000, Wilson said.
ìThe point is the pot is not growing,î Wilson said.
Planner Sanders said a conceptual look at the downtown should be ready for the next meeting showing the current projects and a new view of what the future may hold, including a potential new boat launch area.
Robinson suggested that once the new plan is prepared and reviewed by the EDA the time may be right for a joint session with city council to review the plan and the future role of the EDA. That could come in late July, Robinson said.
Top of Page
