City of North Bay staff are recommending that a few enhancements be made to the Downtown Community Improvement Plan by upping the incentives for property owners to invest in the downtown core by spurring development and redevelopment projects. PHOTO BY LIAM BERTI
More incentives for investment in the downtown core could be on the way.
City Council members were privy to a report from city staff during Monday night’s committee meetings, which suggests that the Downtown Community Improvement Plan alter its approach to encourage property owners to continue investing.
Highlighting the recommended changes are more attractive incentive programs, with hopes of attracting more investment from property owners in the targeted area.
Staff are recommending that applicants of the Professional Study Grant Program, which supports a business in acquiring professional services for potential construction projects, be eligible for 75 per cent funding up to $3,750 for costs associated with renovation design studies. Currently, the grant provides funding of up to 50 per cent or a maximum of $2,500,
The Building Improvement Grant Program would also be able to provide a business with up to half of the costs associated with improving and building’s exterior up to a maximum of $30,000, up from the current maximum of $15,000. The amended plan would also allow interior building renovations to be eligible for the program for the first time.
“We recognize that all successful cities have a vibrant downtown and this Downtown Improvement Program not only shows our commitment and support, but also shows that we are invested in the downtown core so that we continue to build it,” Mayor Al McDonald said after Monday’s discussion.
However, the Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Loan Program, which previously provided secure loans of up to $50,000 for property redevelopment projects, would no longer be available.
Finally, the program that provides refunds of up to $250,000 for a number of municipal permits for renovations would also be expanded to include the Rail Lands Target Area.
The Community Services Committee voted unanimously in favour of the report put forward by city staff and will likely go before council at next week’s regular meeting.
The report states that the DCIP was very popular at first, garnering 23, 24 and 25 applications in 2003, 2004, and 2005. After that progressive linear increase though, the city received only 16 applications in 2006 and have only received two or three applications per year since then.
As councillors alluded to, whether or not the application numbers return to their old numbers will be determined by the downtown business and property owners themselves.
“This is really going to be driven by the property owners in the downtown core if they are going to take advantage of this program,” said McDonald. “They might not want to make any changes at all, but the program is there for them to take advantage of if they want to.”
So far, the DCIP program has provided roughly $862,660 in grants to some 83 projects.
The small to medium sized projects, which have received an average of $10,406 in grants per project, have resulted in over $5 million in private investment in the downtown area. Larger projects, on the other hand, have generated an estimated $20 million dollars.
“If you look at the overall strategy when it comes to a downtown improvement program, we want to protect the downtown, we want to see it grow, which creates additional assessment for the City of North Bay,” the Mayor explained.
“We consider it an investment in the downtown core and it helps the existing property owners and merchants downtown update their properties, which in the long-term is a very good thing for the City of North Bay,” he added.
Chairwoman of the North Bay Downtown Improvement Area, Michelle Trudeau, and DIA member Barry Klus were on hand to offer the DIA’s support and encouragement to council.
“This program has helped properties in the past, and you can see the results along Oak Street and Main Street," said Trudeau. "By updating and continuing this program, more properties will be able to make use of this much-needed resource."
If adopted, the plan would be subject to amendments in relation to the Downtown Waterfront Land Use Urban Design Plan, which members of the DIA and property owners apparently expressed was a priority moving forward.
The funding for the current program is through a reserve fund, which as of the end of last October contained $340,403. The report states that the reserve account, which also funds the Airport Community Improvement Plan and Brownfield Community Improvement Plan, is for the short term only.
Deputy Mayor Sheldon Forgette expressed concern for the long-term outlook of the funding for the project, as there is no plan in place to increase the funds in that reserve account.
In her presentation to city politicians, Beverley Hillier, the city’s manager of planning services, said that when the reserve funds are near gone, city staff would be going to council to look for long-term options moving forward.
