Old Orchard Business District Advisory Commission

Old Orchard Special Business District Advisory Commission MEETING MINUTES DRAFT MEETING DATE: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 LOCATION: Zoom CALLED TO ORDER 8:06 AM MEETING ADJOURNED: 8:45 AM NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, July 13, 2021 NAME PRESENT ABSENT Bob Weber, Chair X Holland Saltsman, Vice Chair X Angel Venegoni X John Barr X Steve Zielinski X Abby Culleton X Ken Creehan X Vacancy Vacancy Emerson Smith, Council Liaison X Mara Perry, City Liaison X Also in attendance: Fran Sudekum – Administrative Support Approval of Minutes Motion to approve the June minutes was made by Angel Venegoni, seconded by Steve Zielinski, and was unanimously approved. Streetscape Update Waiting on the delivery of materials for the new lamp post continues to push out the construction start date. Once receive everyone will be notified of the construction start date. Gazebo Series St. Louis County has dropped COVID restrictions on events. Plans are moving forward to pursue sponsorships. Bob Weber has not been able to connect with Stacie Swederska to further discuss her plan to potentially bring back the movies to the event; it will be added to the discussion at the next Organizers’ meeting which will take place next week. All Commission Members are welcome to take part in that meeting. Trash Can Review The Public Works department is conducting a review of trash can locations in the District identifying missing/moved trash cans and possible new locations for existing ones and locations for the two to three new ones that were put in the budget. A map of all the locations is provided to the trash hauler contracted to remove the trash. Mara Perry asked for input from Commission Members on locations where trash cans are needed. John Barr provided several suggestions. Anyone else with suggestions, let Mara know. Page 1 of 7 Facade Program Commission members reviewed and discussed the Façade Program documents outlining the application and eligibility process presented at the May meeting (see Appendix A). MOTION: Steve Zielinski made a motion to adopt the process for the Façade Program outlined in the presented documents. Ken Creehan seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved. MOTION: Holland Saltsman made a motion to issue a Purchase Order to carry over the funds for the Façade Program allocated in the 2021 budget to the 2022 budget. Angel Venegoni seconded the motion and it as unanimously approved. BDC Update John Barr has had to step down from the BDC, so Old Orchard will no longer have a rep on the Commission. City Update • Amy’s Cake Pop Shop and Boozy Bites in Old Orchard is open. • Wingstop in Yorkshire Plaza continues their construction. • Zushi in Yorkshire Plaza continues their construction. • Le Macaron in Old Webster continues their construction. • DD Mao in Old Webster continues their construction. • Union Bagels in Crossroads continues their construction. • A new interior design firm, Eurotrash, will be moving into the former dry cleaners location next to Dewey’s. • A comic bookstore, Betty’s Book, is going into part of the space that was the former Gymboree location in Old Orchard. • Rolling Ridge in Old Webster submitted a CUP to hold events in a portion of their existing space in off hours or off season; they will have a final reading before City Council next week. • Patterson Performing Arts applied for a CUP to use “classroom” space in Webster Groves Presbyterian Church. • Total Access Urgent Care at Big Bend and Laclede Station completed their demolitions and is getting their permits. • After three months of hearings before the Plan Commission, the Commission voted to allow the code amendment changes for D and C Commercial to address multi-family as a permitted use with a specific set of regulations, such as setbacks, height, intensity of use, required parking, and landscaping. It now goes before City Council for a hearing in three weeks. • SG Collaborative submitted a rezoning for the Douglass Hill Project (a.k.a. North Old Webster Redevelopment Proposed Project). It was open at the June 7th Plan Commission meeting. The process involved in rezoning was discussed and all public comment received thus far were read; each with a time limit of three minutes. Reading of the public comments took over two hours. The hearing was held open until the next Plan Commission meeting. SG Collaborative will make a presentation at that meeting. • Nerinx Hall is expanding their parking and reconfiguring the front of their location. Page 2 of 7 • City Council had approved text amendments changes to existing A4 zoning related to two-family structures. Two-family structures have been in A4 zoning since the 1950’s but with a restriction requiring existing two-family structures to be in place on the block before any new could be built which resulted in preventing any new construction. That restriction was opened up while keeping all the other existing regulations in place; such as height, parking, intensity of use, and size. A referendum came forward to put the issue to a vote whether to repeal the change of keep it in place; thus Proposition #1 will be on the August ballot. • The new City budget will be voted on at the next City Council meeting. • With the St. Louis County dropping the restrictions on events, many events are moving forward o Old Webster Summer Night Street Dance o Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival o Old Orchard Gazebo Series o Webster Arts’ Chalk Festival in Old Webster o A special activities permit has been submitted to have the Lions Club Carnival on the grounds of Eden Seminary. o The 4th of July Parade will be held on July 3rd since the 4th this year lands on a Sunday. o Fireworks will be on the 4th of July Events Adjournment – Meeting adjourned at 8:44 AM. Page 3 of 7  APPENDIX A OLD ORCHARD SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT FAÇADE BEAUTIFICATION MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM The Old Orchard Special Tax District Board of Directors has established a beautification matching grant program for use within the Old Orchard Business District by owners or tenants interested in the improvement and beautification of their property. The purpose of the grant is to stimulate efforts to improve the street appearance of the Old Orchard commercial and business façade and streetscape. Grants are available for all businesses and can be issued to owners or tenants within the defined business district boundary. There is a $2,000 maximum per grant, which must be matched by the applicant. The total amount available for grants within each fiscal year is limited. Therefore grants will be awarded on a first-come, first served basis as determined by a review committee of the Special Tax District Board. Grants are limited to real property, one application per business and/or building (one grant per property) and are not limited based on ownership. Tenants applying for matching grants must have the signed approval of the property owner. Grant monies may be used for street façade improvements, landscaping, or other beautification projects. Please refer to the attached eligibility memo for those projects that will be considered under the grant review. The following steps are necessary to apply: I. Application: Submit a completed grant application (copy attached). Include with your application a recent photograph of the property to be improved, drawings of the proposed improvements where applicable, a written description of the proposed improvements including materials and colors to be used, and a preliminary estimate of the cost. Submit your completed application package and supporting documentation to: Chairman, Old Orchard Tax District Boardc/o Department of Planning City of Webster Groves4 E. Lockwood Ave. Webster Groves, MO 63119 II. Preliminary approval: Upon completion of a review by the tax district board’s review committee and an on-site inspection of the proposed improvement property, the applicant will be notified of a preliminary approval, rejection, or requested modification. III. Final approval: Upon notification of preliminary grant approval, the applicant must submit a final contractor itemized bid, including relevant product specifications. After this bid has been submitted, the grant review committee will make final approval, or request a modification for the grant. Page 4 of 7 IV. Final payment: Grant payment will be made as a reimbursement to the applicant upon verification that the work has been completed according to the application, and the full contract amount has been paid. Verification of the completed work will be made by a member of the district’s grant review committee, or may be certified by the applicant’s architect. Upon submittal of the final payment and completion verification, the grant payment will be made to the applicant within 10 days. For more information about the beautification matching grant program Contact: Mara Perry Director of Planning and Development City of Webster Groves / 4 E. Lockwood Ave. / Webster Groves, MO 63119 Phone: (314) 963-5333 E-mail: perrym@webstergroves.org Page 5 of 7  OLD ORCHARD BUSINESS DISTRICT FAÇADE BEAUTIFICATION GRANTS PROJECT ELIGIBILITY WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR A MATCHING GRANT Any property owner or tenant within the Old Orchard Special Business District may submit an application for a matching Beautification Grant. Submit an application on the Grant Form indicating name and ownership of the property. If a tenant, the owner of the property must approve the application. Describe the work being proposed, the estimated cost for the work, and the amount of the grant you request. WORK THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING • Exterior façade improvements, renovations, or upgrades. • Renovations and/or modifications to building entrances. • Landscaping. • Beautification plans for a property, such as: benches or planting areas, vest pocket park, tree planting,and expansion of “green” areas. • Rear entrance/yard improvements to property. • Renovations or restorations to storefront windows and doors. • Professional fees for renovation or beautification design. WORK THAT CANNOT BE FUNDED • Business signage of any kind. • Sidewalk maintenance, repair or replacement around a property or public sidewalk. • Deferred maintenance unless it is a part of a larger beautification/renovation project. • Roofing that is not visible from the front façade. • Interior work of any kind. • Utility conversions, repairs, and/or relocations. • Paving of parking lots. • Fencing CRITERIA FOR REVIEW EVALUATION • Priority will be given to those projects that will improve the District’s visual quality. • Renovations of storefronts and building facades. • Compliance of proposed projects with District guidelines. • Improvement to rear of building and/or borders to District residential neighbors. • Improvement in parking. • Beautification for the streetscape and District environment. • Improve “problem” areas within the District. District Guidelines are provided as a general set of recommendations under which the Grant Program can be reviewed and administered. The Guidelines should be referred to for projects that apply for theFaçade Beautification Grant Program. Page 6 of 7  OLD ORCHARD SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT FAÇADE BEAUTIFICATION MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM _ APPLICATION APPLICATION DATE: _ 1. Applicant/CO- Applicant 2. Owner of Business 3. Business Name and Address 4. Phone: Fax: 5. Estimated Cost of the project: $ $ $ $ TOTAL $ 6. Requested Matching Grant Amount $ 7. Items needed to process this application, please attach: a. Current photograph of property to be improved. b. Drawings of the proposed improvements. (Submission of Façade renovations must include proposed signage.) c. Written description of the proposed improvement, include color and materials. Applicant(s) Signature(s) Property Owner Signature (if not applicant, Owner approval is required) Page 7 of 7