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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-10-19 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 5:00 PM City Hall Council Chambers Minutes Councilors: Chair Weston, Blanchette, Bronson, Durgin, Gratwick, Longo and Nealley Staff: McKay, Wallace, Patterson, Pereira 1. Permission to Support ArtPlace Grant Opportunity Shirar Patterson, Business & Economic Development Officer for the City of Bangor, presented this item to the Committee stating that ArtPlace is a collaboration of top national funders, private foundations, arts funders and the National Endowment for the Arts as well as seven federal agencies. They have joined together to accelerate creating places across the United States. Last year they had a grant process that was by invitation only; they funded 34 projects in 25 communities and contributed $11.5 million. This year they have invited communities to apply for the next round of funding. Based on the work the City has been doing with the Commission on Cultural Development and their initiative to support the arts in Bangor as an economic development tool, this is a good opportunity for Bangor to apply for this grant opportunity. Letters of Inquiry along with a proposed project are due November 15, 2011. From the staff perspective, Shirar is looking to bring together the different arts groups in Bangor to have a conversation about ideas to accelerate the arts in Bangor, to help build capacity of all the organizations and to continue that discussion resulting in a list of priorities that the arts organizations see as a need in Bangor. This would also enable us to pursue other grants as they come forward. The main point for this initial discussion would be for the ArtPlace Opportunity but there will also be an opportunity from the Maine Arts Commission in February 2012 and others down the road. Depending on what initiative Bangor would apply for, the City could be the lead applicant or it might be appropriate to have a non-profit be the lead applicant. The most recent idea was to have a physical arts place downtown – a place where different arts organizations could have programming, classroom space and meeting space; we are also in need of more performance venues downtown. The groups would be convened in the next week or so. Shirar has had discussion with the arts organization that she deals with on a regular basis to let them know about this opportunity so that they can start thinking about concepts, etc. The Commission on Cultural Development will also be at the table and City Councilors are invited to participate as well as anybody in the community who wants to share ideas. Councilor Durgin suggested to Shirar that as she pulls together this group that 3 other players might want to be at the table if they’re not already -- The University of Maine, Husson University and University of Maine at Augusta – all of whom have a number of different art related venues and are looking at various different possibilities for growth of the creative economy. He added that this opportunity is a great idea and would endorse going forward with it. Councilor Durgin made a motion to approve staff recommendation to apply for the ArtPlace Grant funding as presented. Councilor Nealley seconded. Unanimous Committee vote. Councilor Durgin made a motion to go into Executive Session – Economic Development – Negotiations for Disposition of Property – Holland Street – 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) ( C ) 2. Executive Session – Economic Development – Negotiations for Disposition of Property – Holland Street – 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) ( C ) 3. Committee Action on Above Item A motion was made by Councilor Durgin and seconded by Councilor Nealley to accept staff’s recommendation to divide City property at 34 Holland Street, Lot 120 on Assessor’s Map 20, for sale at the City Assessor’s $10,000 estimate of value, to the abutting Holland Street property owners with 10 feet of width of Lot 120 encompassing approximately 2,145 square feet or approximately 28.57% of Lot 120 going to Ms. Ruopp, the owner of Lot 119 at 28 Holland Street, for $2,857 and the remaining 25 feet of width of Lot 120 to Mr. and Mrs. Kamyk, owners of Lot 121 at 38 Holland Street, encompassing approximately 5,362.5 square feet or 71.43% of Lot 120, for $7,143, thereby providing for both abutting lots to meet the minimum 75 feet lot width specified in the City’s Land Development Code for lots in the URD-1 zone. The vote was unanimously in favor of the motion. Councilor Durgin made a motion to go into Executive Session – Negotiations for Rehabilitation of Downtown Property - 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) ( C ) 4. Executive Session – Economic Development – Negotiations for the Rehabilitation of Downtown Property – 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) ( C ) 5. Committee Action on Above Item A motion was made by Councilor Durgin and seconded by Councilor Blanchette to recommend to the City Council approval of an Order authorizing a Development Agreement with Queen City Properties, LLC on or before December 31, 2011 providing for the return to Queen City Properties, LLC 50% of the new tax increment revenues paid on 22 Merchants Plaza for a period of 20 years following the completion of the rehabilitation of 22 Merchants Plaza into nine residential dwelling units. The vote was unanimously in favor of the motion.