Renaissance Zone Review Board

Renaissance Zone Board Meeting Meeting Minutes for July 22, 2021 @ 8:30am. Council Chambers City Hall, 515 2nd Avenue SW Members Present: Pete Hugret (Chair), Pat Bailey (Vice-Chair), Jason Bentley, Betty Fedorchak, Jen Cook, Justin Anderson, Josh Wolsky Members Absent: Kerry Candrian Others Present: Jonathan Rosenthal (Economic Development Administrator), Brian Billingsley (Community & Economic Development Director), Paul Pitner (City Council Liaison), Kevin Black (MACEDC/Creedence Energy) Call to Order: Pete Hugret called the meeting to order at 8:35 am. Agenda: 2021 Renaissance Zone Development Plan – FINAL DRAFT Schedule Public Hearing on Development Plan Façade Improvement Program Update _____________________________________________________________________ Approval of Minutes Motion by Bailey to approve the May 20, 2021 meeting minutes, second by Bentley. ayes: all, nays: none. Motion passes 2021 Renaissance Zone Development Plan – FINAL DRAFT Billingsley started the discussion on the Renaissance Zone Development Plan Final Draft. The goal is to get the final draft to City Council in September or October (at the latest) for adoption due to the Renaissance Zone expiring later this year (November). Billingsley will submit a new plan for the Renaissance Zone and request a 5-year extension.  Page 3: The highlighted yellow portions are contributions from Josh Wolsky.  Page 4: Updated to indicate that the City of Minot’s current population allows us to have 42 blocks. Currently, we have 40 ½ blocks designated, therefore we have 1½ blocks available to us right now.  Page 5: Updated to reflect the 17-block expansion added in 2020. In addition, 17 blocks were eliminated because they are completed.  Page 6: Bottom of the page (highlighted in purple) will indicate the original assessed values versus the 2021 assessment.  There is a request from the committee that the available property addresses that are completed be listed on the website. Rosenthal will have this item completed by November. In addition, second applications may be reconsidered by the state legislature.  Page 8: “Planning Department” has been replaced with “Community Development Department.” Roles are defined, i.e. Rosenthal will be responsible for day-to-day activities. Anything underlined is new language. Strike-outs indicate removed or changed language.  Page 9: MACEDC has been added as a partner to market the Renaissance Zone. Motion by Bailey to add a member from MACEDC and a 3rd member at large to the committee, second by Anderson. ayes: all, nays: none  Page 11. Rosenthal has updated all of the goals and objectives.  Page 12: Paragraph 2 has been updated to reflect 30 years (not 15) to achieve the City’s vision for the area. In addition, “economic outlook” verbiage replaces “property damage”. Paragraph 3. Year 2025 replaces year 20 (which was an incomplete number). In addition, “aims” replaces “hopes” in the second to last sentence. Paragraph 4 & 5 reworded.  Page 14. Non-conforming Uses (when zoning uses are changed) may not be eligible for the Renaissance Zone incentive. In addition, landscaping requirements have been increased to 25% above the minimum set forth in the land development code or double the caliper of the trees and include appropriate irrigation.  Page 15. Sweat equity is not an eligible expense.  Page 16. Language has been added stating that the Renaissance Zone Board, at its option, may approve or deny an application, request additional information, and/or approve with conditions. The City Council, at its option, may deny the application as submitted, send the application back to  the Renaissance Zone Review Board for additional information or approve the application. Also added, “The Board and City Council reserve the right to reject any project in which the benefit to the applicant outweighs its benefit to the community goals of extending the life of the building and improving its usability and livability. Substantial renovations are favored over inconsequential repairs.”  Page 17: In summary, there are two elements to program benefits. One is a local property tax exemption that is administered directly by the City of Minot and the other is state income tax credit. Further, a single extension of up to one year each may be requested in writing from the Renaissance Review Board. If the extension is rejected by the Renaissance Zone Review Board, it may be appealed by a written letter summarizing the issues to the City Council within 60 days of the written rejection.  Page 21. The city must conduct at least one public hearing.  Page 23. There are 477 properties in the Renaissance Zone. All highlighted numbers on this page have been updated.  Page 24. The C3 Zone has been eliminated in the code and is now the CBD (Central Business District). Language is changed, “closed blocks” will become “completed blocks” if this discussion remains in the document.  Page 25. C of O (Certificate of Occupancy) can be obtained if the major elements are ready to go. Up to 1/3 of a building may remain without a C of O if it is ready with wiring, plumbing, and HVAC for a tenant to fit out. Allowing transfer of ownership was discussed and will be included in the plan.  Page 26. Before final sign-off for submission to the City Council and State, the applicant must receive a Certificate of Occupancy for the whole building. This is applicable to residential property, not commercial.  Page 27. After the five-year tax exemption period expires, the Assessor’s office goes back to the building to reappraise the home to the current market conditions. Schedule Public Hearing on Development Plan Billingsley advised the board that there must be a public hearing on the Development Plan. It was decided that the City Council, with staff in attendance, would hold the meeting. Façade Improvement Program Update Rosenthal gave an update on the Façade Improvement Program. There were some last-minute changes. So far, five or six applications out there will most likely go forward. If a Renaissance Zone member, such as Betty Fedorchak has a façade application, they would be required to abstain from talking about it and from voting. There is $945,000 in the account. The maximum for any façade improvement project is $100,000. The entire façade must be completed, not just a portion of it. Next Meeting – Thursday, August 19, 2021 @ 8:30 at Public Works. A motion by Hugret to adjourn the meeting, second by Bailey. ayes: all, nays: none Meeting adjourned the meeting at 10:00 am. Schedule Public Hearing on Development Plan, Façade Improvement Program Update Next Meeting Thursday, August 19, 2021 @ Public Works building, 8:30 am – 10:30 am.