Main St. BID project aims to clear critical hurdle

Wave goodbye to the old Mitchell Main Street and prepare to welcome a fresh, new feel.

The core idea behind a Main Street beautification plan has been in the works for years, but Mitchell Main Street & Beyond hopes to take a critical step forward at Monday's City Council meeting.

During the 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall, the eight-person board will consider establishing the boundaries for a business improvement district (BID) that would effectively tax downtown property owners to enhance their own property. The council will also consider setting initial terms for members of the BID board.

But the overall implementation of the self-imposed taxation process will be a long one.

"From start to finish, the whole process will take several months even without delays," City Attorney Justin Johnson's staff report states.

If approved, the BID would encompass the historic downtown district, with The Depot Pub & Grill serving as its southern boundary and Seventh Avenue serving as the northern boundary. Commercial buildings located within the district would be expected to pay a special assessment of $5 per $1,000 of property tax assessed valuation to generate funding to improve the look of the district.

Mitchell Main Street & Beyond offered an example within the project plan.

"For illustrative purposes only, a BID Property assessed at Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000) shall pay approximately Three Hundred Seventy-five Dollars ($375) per year as a special assessment."

Upon approval, the BID is expected to last seven consecutive years, with an option for extension, and would provide funds to establish building facade improvements for eligible buildings within the district. It would also be utilized for park benches, statues, light pole banners and programming events, according to the plan.

The plan needs 51 percent support from district property owners, and it is believed the BID has necessary support.

"It is the vision of Mitchell Main Street & Beyond to create a walkable downtown that is economically vibrant and community minded through pedestrian-friendly streets," the plan states.

A full list of properties proposed for inclusion in the district is available on the council agenda, which is on the city of Mitchell's website.

Consent agenda

The council will consider approving the following items of the consent agenda:

• Minutes from previous meetings, a 2017 annual financial report, a raffle permit request from the Davison County Democrats and a taxicab license for Lyft driver Robert Buchholz.

• Authorize a grant application for funds that would provide for the purchase of new playground equipment at Doty Park.

• Set 1:30 p.m. on March 26 as the date for bid opening on a paving and overlay project.

• Set 1:30 p.m. on April 10 as the date and time for bid openings on a curb and gutter project, a water main project and valve replacement and a compost screener project.

• A change order to the Corn Palace Plaza project, deducting $2,190 due to a change in light design.

• Gas and fuel quotes, pay estimates, bills, payroll, salary adjustments, new employee hires and payment of recurring and other expenses in advance as approved by the finance officer.

Agenda items

The council will consider the following agenda items:

• Hold a Public Health and Safety Committee meeting at 6 p.m. to consider a pyrotechnics permit request for the Hairball concert on April 7 at the Corn Palace.

• Conduct the Pledge of Allegiance, hear an invocation, conduct roll call, call for citizen input and hear a committee report from Public Health and Safety.

• Hold hearings on an application for the transfer of malt beverage license No. RB-2169 from David D. Backlund Jr., doing business as Par Tee Bar at 117 S. Lawler St., to Keke Leiferman, doing business as The Back 40 LLC at 511 N. Main St, and Leiferman's application for a retail on-off sale wine license.

• Action on special event, consumption and noise permit requests which would authorize Mitchell Main Street & Beyond to host 1st Fridays on Main on June 1, July 6, Aug. 3 and Sept. 7.

• Hold a hearing on Valor Investment Properties LLC's request for variances to accommodate the construction of a multi-family property on Juniper Avenue.

• Consider tabling a hearing on an oversize variance request from Roger and Tami Hartley at 504 W. 13th Ave.

• Hold a hearing on a conditional use permit request to construct an accessory building on a non-contiguous lot. The request comes from Jeffrey and Mary Lanning, of 76 S. Harmon Dr.

• Action on Agreement No. A2018-13, an agreement with a firm called Buxton for a "retail recruitment & visitor insights solution." The $65,000 project, of which the city would contribute $25,000 with a local partnership of organizations contributing $40,000, would consider a variety of items beyond retail recruitment.

• Action on Resolution No. R2018-09, a plat in the Tech Center Addition.

• Action on Resolution No. R2018-10, a survey plat of Schmig Tract 1.

• Action on Resolution No. R2018-11, a S.D. Department of Transportation bridge inspection resolution for this year's West End Bridge inspection.

• Action on Resolution No. R2018-12, a city of Mitchell naming rights policy.

• Action on Resolution No. R2018-13, establishing the boundaries for proposed BID No. 3 and setting terms for initial board members.

• Motion to adjourn.