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Local News - August 2002 |
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City eyes downtown district By ALICE SMITH, LTN Staff Writer August 26, 2002 - A proposed Business Improvement District could raise taxes for some downtown Lincolnton businesses. A public meeting will be held at 7 tonight at the Cultural Center, so business owners can learn more and express their opinions about the project. The goal of a BID is to improve business downtown. Dollars generated from the tax — which will probably be $.25 per $100 — will be used for projects that benefit everyone in the district. An estimated $45,000 is expected to come from the tax. The tax will have to be voted on by the City Council before it is official. Some possible projects are new parking areas, streetscape improvements (sidewalks, benches, lights or trees), development incentives, additional maintenance and supplementary security. And while officials behind the idea expect some people to be opposed to more taxes, they hope people will ultimately see the benefits of a BID. “There’s been a very mixed response,” said Brad Guth, director of business and community development. “But a lot of it has been positive.” Guth compares a BID to a neighborhood association or an industrial park. The tax would pay for communal things, similar to a neighborhood association’s tax to fund a swimming pool or an industrial park’s tax to finance lighting. While approval from downtown property owners is not required to establish a BID, it is hoped that owners will take an active role in the initiative. “It’s a way for property owners to help contribute to downtown revitalization efforts,” Guth said. The Lincolnton BID would include 22 blocks, 171 properties and about 100 property owners. BIDs are a common way to fund downtown revitalization projects in North Carolina. There are 41 BIDs across the state. After hearing property owners’ concerns and ideas, the Downtown Development Association will research options and possibly amend the current draft plan. The BID draft plan includes three focus areas: parking, streetscape and development incentives.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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