AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Receive a Staff presentation regarding implementation of the City of San Marcos Business Improvement and Growth (BIG) Program, and provide direction to Staff.
Body
Meeting date: March 15, 2016
Department: City Manager
Funds Required: $100,000
Account Number: 10000128060100
Funds Available: $194,500
Account Name: Business Improvement & Growth Program
CITY COUNCIL GOAL: Economic Vitality and Responsible Finances
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ELEMENT(s):
Economic Development Goal 4: An enhanced and diverse local economic environment that is prosperous, efficient and provides improved opportunities to residents.
Economic Development Goal 5: Fiscally responsible incentives for economic development
BACKGROUND:
The City of San Marcos has established the Business Improvement & Growth (BIG) Program to provide technical and financial assistance to property owners or business tenants seeking to renovate or restore exterior façades, signage, lighting and life-safety systems for commercial buildings. The BIG program is designed to impact properties in need of revitalization, resulting in improved exterior visibility and presentation of a property, as well as enhanced occupant safety. The BIG program is not designed to subsidize corrections to building code violations that prolong the life of a commercial property. Any BIG project should strive toward increases in sales and/or revenue for the occupant or property owner.
BIG will provide a fifty percent (50%) matching grant of up to $20,000 to fund well-designed improvements that coordinate aesthetic features of the storefront while creating a safe and accessible entrance for the public. This may include the restoration of architectural details, improved windows and doors, and appropriate signage and lighting. An additional fifty percent (50%) matching grant up to $5,000 may be available for construction of monument-type signage or the removal and replacement of non-conforming signs.
Applicants must be commercial property owners or commercial tenants located in San Marcos within the Downtown SmartCode zoning district or along designated corridors (see BIG Program Eligible Area Map). Preference will be given to independent businesses not required by contractual arrangement to maintain standardized décor, architecture, signs or similar features. Tenants must have written approval from property owners to participate in the program. Any nonconforming signage on property must be permanently removed as part of the improvement. Property owners must be current on all municipal taxes prior to participation in the program. Applicants must comply with all State and local laws and regulations pertaining to licensing, permits, building code and zoning requirements. Improvements made prior to written approval by the City’s BIG Review Committee will not be funded.
Improvements funded by the program must be compatible with the character and architecture of the individual property, and must meet current City standards with regard to occupant safety. Historical or architecturally significant features shall be restored and maintained. Improvements to properties without such features should be seen as an opportunity to substantially enhance the appearance of the properties and adjacent streetscapes.
Properties should be oriented to the pedestrian and provide visual interest both day and night. Effort should be made to promote accessibility and to create a property identity unique to San Marcos or the respective neighborhood. The following improvements are encouraged:
1. Restoration of exterior details in historically contributing or significant buildings;
2. New storefront construction, appropriately scaled within an existing building;
3. Awnings or canopies in character with the building and streetscape;
4. Lighting that is visually appealing and appropriately illuminates signage, storefront window displays, and recessed areas of a building façade;
5. Window replacement visible from the street and appropriately scaled to the building;
6. Signage;
7. Sidewalk and landscape improvements;
8. Removal of architectural barriers to public accessibility; and
9. Installation of fire sprinklers or other life-safety systems in historically or architecturally significant buildings.
Funding offered is a matching grant in which the BIG Program reimburses the applicant fifty percent (50%) of project construction costs, up to a $20,000 maximum match, for property improvements and an additional fifty percent (50%) match, up to $5,000, for sign improvements. Architectural design fees may not be included in the total cost of eligible improvements.
The applicant’s match may be in the form of other financial aid (grant or loan) received from other agencies and/or banks, but may not be “in-kind.” The BIG Program will only reimburse applicants after the applicant has paid his/her architect, contractor and vendor(s) in full after the project is determined to have been completed in accordance with the contract between the City and applicant.