Old Webster Business District Advisory Commission

Old Webster Special Business District Advisory Commission MEETING MINUTES APPROVED MEETING DATE: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 LOCATION: City Hall CALLED TO ORDER: 8:02 AM MEETING ADJOURNED: 9:35 AM NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, August 22, 2017 NAME PRESENT ABSENT Ron Clipp, Chair X Chris Hite X Joe Rath X Stacie Swederska X Morry Cole X Mark Hinkle X Tim Delanty X Micki Hansel X Vacancy Matt Armstrong, Council Liaison X Mara Perry, City Liaison X Also in attendance: Faith – Parks & Recreation Department Fran Sudekum – Administrative Support APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion to approve May minutes was made by Joe Rath, seconded by Mark Hinkle, and unanimously approved. Motion to approve June minutes was made by Joe Rath, seconded by Mark Hinkle, and unanimously approved. OLD BUSINESS • Updated Holiday Decorations – Faith, Parks & Recreation Department, shared with the commission various options to decorate the lamp posts; new bows or fake evergreen swag or a combination of both. Factors to consider are durability, price, and color. Faith brought a catalog with examples of types, styles, and prices of ribbon; Mara Perry offered to scan the information and send out to commission members for further review to narrow down which ribbon commission members prefer. Members requested prices on evergreen swag as well as ornaments similar to those used in the Old Orchard District. Members would also like to look at possible new banners for the lamp post. Stacie Swederska offered to reach out to Jean Scholtes on banner graphics. A decision on the holiday decorations will need to be made at the August meeting. Faith will get pricing together for the bows, swag, and ornaments for the next meeting. Mara will get banner bids from Zane Williams for the next meeting; specs from the Zane Williams bid will be used to get a bid from Fast Signs. Mara will also bring full budget information to the next meeting. • District Parking – Parking in the District continues to be a major concern to Commission members. The employee lot on Gore is 100% full. While privately owned lots don’t seem to be fully utilized. Parking in the District needs to be looked at big picture level; identify the surface lots (private and public) and how they could be used and incent that use, i.e. lease space for public/employee use from private  owners. City Council needs to be engaged. Mara suggested looking at old parking study and bring key points to next meeting. It would also be a good idea to find out which businesses are increasing the number of their employees and how they do or don’t use the parking permits. Members felt adding some short-term 15-minute parking spots strategically throughout the District could help with the quick pick-up customers. Short-term spots would require an ordinance change and a look at the entire District to determine where to put them. • District Kiosk –. Commission members decided to push off the kiosk at this time and use the funds for banners and holiday decorations. • St. Louis CVC Membership – So far only 2 businesses have sent in their renewals; a minimum of 15 are needed. Stacie offered to walk around to businesses and get their renewals. • Parking Garage – Farnsworth is handling repairs to the garage. BDC’S THREE QUESTIONS 1. What is the vision for your district? 2. What businesses would you like to see in your district? 3. What do you believe that you have in common with the other business districts? • The vision of the District is high occupancy with a many of tax-paying businesses. A district that is walkable, retail and restaurant friendly, and focused on the community. • The businesses that have the owner in the business are the ones that are successful and the ones the District wants to attract. Customers people need know the proprietor, they need to see the owner. Owners that are active in the District and in the community, are the most successful and the one that we need to attract. • We need to ensure our core 63119 customers continue to come to the District, but we also need to bring in those from the outside to succeed. • A mix is important; a mix of retail, restaurant, and services is important; this contributes to the walkability factor. • We must be careful not to dilute a specific type of businesses in one geographic area, i.e. too many of one type of business end up eating each other business and can’t be sustained. • One factor the District is faced with is the high rent a retail business has to pay. It can make it difficult for them to succeed and stay in business. • All the business districts in Webster are very different with a different focus, different geography. We have come a long way in working together, but each has their own style and focus. Even though each district may have similar goals, their customer make-up is also different to a certain extent. • Parking, parking, parking impacts the success of anything that is attempted. CITY UPDATE • A Brentwood landscape company is relocating the former Ryan’s Steakhouse location on Watson with an additional building and landscaping; they sell and repair lawn/landscaping equipment. They hope to be moved by year end. • New dermatology group is on Watson in the former Block Buster Video location is open. • Civil Alchemy has purchased the ROAR building in Old Orchard. • The Novel Neighbor in Old Orchard is expanding into the space next to them; the space will be used for special events. • A resale shop will be going in next to Zoey’s Attic. • Webster Garden Café is getting a new owner. • The new clock repair business on Big Bend is open. • Airbnb business licensing component is set for final reading. • Residential amendments have been approved. • Public hearing on the former YMCA property will be held on August 7th. • The Planning and Development Department is now fully staffed. • The new interdisciplinary building at Webster University will be open for the new school year; ribbon cutting ceremony is set for October 19th. ADJOURNED Meeting adjourned at 9:35 AM. NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at 8:00 AM – City Hall.