Downtown Development Authority

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MINUTES Monday, March 14, 2022 Council Assembly Room 6:30 PM 70 S. Clayton St, GA 30046 Call to Order Chairman Merritt called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm after recognizing a quorum. PRESENT Board Member Victoria Jones Board Member Bruce Johnson Board Member Joanie Perry Ward Board Member Katrina Fellows Board Member Chris Adams Board Member Jeremy Higginbotham Board Member Lee Merritt Approval of Agenda Motion to approve agenda made by Board Member Jones, Seconded by Board Member Johnson. Voting Yea: Board Member Jones, Board Member Johnson, Board Member Perry Ward, Board Member Fellows, Board Member Adams, Board Member Higginbotham, Board Member Merritt Downtown Development Business 1. March 2022 Treasurer’s Report Board Member Fellows, Treasurer for the DDA Board reviewed the March 2022 Treasurer's Report with the Board. Motion to approve the March 2022 Treasurer's Report made by Board Member Perry Ward, Seconded by Board Member Higginbotham. Voting Yea: Board Member Jones, Board Member Johnson, Board Member Perry Ward, Board Member Fellows, Board Member Adams, Board Member Higginbotham, Board Member Merritt 2. Façade Grant Program Chairman Merritt reminded everyone that the Board agreed to the amount for the grants and requested Board Member Higginbotham and Jasmine Billings to finalize the details. Jasmine Billings gave an update on the details. They have also worked with Planning & Development because permitting would be involved. The boundaries for the Facade Grant would be the Open Container/Entertainment District. The grant recipients would be reimbursed up to half with a maximum $2,500 of the cost of the upgrades to their facade. The process is very user friendly. They will meet with Jasmine, the Mainstreet Manager to share with her their plans and she will review their application. The next step is assisting them to work with Planning & Development to make sure they are aware of the various permits they might need. Some items need a permit and some items do not. The permit application is very long and she is working with Planning & Development if they could create another permit application for the facade grant program because several questions on the regular permit application would not apply in these cases. The grant recipients will have a year to complete their project. They will be required to send before and after photos of their building and keep us updated along the way. Jasmine will be working with the marketing department with the City to get the word out through email blasts, social media, DTL website, and DDA webpage on the City website. Considering possibly sending mailers to businesses in the area. Board Member Higginbotham suggested the information be placed on the City merchants information page. Chairman Merritt suggested a map of the district in which the businesses need to be located be placed on back of the Facade Grant applications. Board Member Jones asked if the Mainstreet program would have a problem with the entertainment district being included since it is not in the Mainstreet area. Jasmine confirmed that as long as the Mainstreet area is included it is okay, the added area is just an added bonus. 3. Economic Development Material Chairman Merritt and Barry Mock requested the Community Relations department to create some materials that they can share with potential residents, lenders, investors, developers, etc. to update them on all the projects we have going on in our Downtown. Jasmine Billings said she is working with Partnership Gwinnett, Explore Gwinnett, Gwinnett County, and Northside Hospital to get more Lawrenceville specific items to include in the materials.  Board Member Higginbotham suggested contacting the developer for South Lawn and the developer for City View to get their numbers they used to decide to come to Lawrenceville as well. 4. Pike Street Outparcel Intergovernmental Agreement Motion to approve the Pike Street Outparcel Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Lawrenceville made by Board Member Higginbotham, Seconded by Board Member Fellows. Voting Yea: Board Member Jones, Board Member Johnson, Board Member Perry Ward, Board Member Fellows, Board Member Adams, Board Member Higginbotham, Board Member Merritt 5. Central Block Contract Second Agreement Motion to accept the Central Block Contract Second Amendment made by Board Member Johnson, Seconded by Board Member Perry Ward. Voting Yea: Board Member Jones, Board Member Johnson, Board Member Perry Ward, Board Member Fellows, Board Member Adams, Board Member Higginbotham, Board Member Merritt Mainstreet Business Jasmine Billings updated the Board on the Mainstreet items. St. Paddy's Day on Perry this past weekend went very well despite the sudden cold and windy weather. Due to the weather the bouncy houses were not able to be set up so we had s’more stations for the kids which was a big hit among the families. Board Member Perry Ward commended Jasmine on her Mainstreet presentation to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Mainstreet Team. Board Member Perry Ward said the Mainstreet Team is rarely enthralled with presentations, but they were with Jasmine's. She thoroughly impressed them with her sensational presentation. Other Business Paula Foil, Executive Assistant updated the Board on the paid private parking lot in Downtown Lawrenceville. Citizen Comments No Citizen Comments. Executive Session - Real Estate Motion to enter Executive Session made by Board Member Higginbotham, Seconded by Board Member Adams. Voting Yea: Board Member Jones, Board Member Johnson, Board Member Perry Ward, Board Member Fellows, Board Member Adams, Board Member Higginbotham, Board Member Merritt Motion to exit Executive Session made by Board Member Merritt, Seconded by Board Member Fellows. Voting Yea: Board Member Jones, Board Member Johnson, Board Member Perry Ward, Board Member Fellows, Board Member Adams, Board Member Higginbotham, Board Member Merritt 9 Real Estate Items were discussed and 1 Vote was taken Final Adjournment Motion to adjourn the meeting made by Board Member Higginbotham, Seconded by Board Member Perry Ward. Voting Yea: Board Member Jones, Board Member Johnson, Board Member Perry Ward, Board Member Fellows, Board Member Adams, Board Member Higginbotham, Board Member Merritt Minutes Signature _________________________ Lee Merritt, Chairman _________________________ Barry Mock, Secretary