POTTSTOWN — An inadequate number of property owners in the proposed new Business Improvement District downtown sent written objections to its creation, putting the decision about whether to implement it into the borough council’s hands.
The proposed Business Improvement District, or BID, stretches from Manatawny Street to Warren Street along High Street. On King Street, it runs from Manatawny Street to North Charlotte Street. On Hanover Street, it includes the blocks from King to Industrial Highway.
All in all, it includes 298 properties that would be assessed with a new tax if the BID is enacted by the borough council.
At least 40 percent of property owners in the proposed new 17-block business district had to file written objections to the new district with Borough Manager Justin Keller from March 10 to April 24.
Wednesday night, Keller said the borough had received 52 eligible letters of objection, making up only 17.6 percent of the property owners.
“That was not enough to veto the district,” said Assistant Borough Solicitor Matt Hovey. “The members of the proposed Business Improvement District did not veto its establishment.”
In March, a dozen speakers attended a council meeting to speak about the proposed Business Improvement District, or BID, and 11 of them spoke against it. However, according to Hovey, vocal opposition does not count toward reaching the 40 percent of no votes to veto the idea.
As a result, the decision now rests with the borough council, and at least one council member, Lisa Vanni, is not happy with that situation.
“The BID is a good thing, but there was no buy-in. I’ve walked these streets, I’ve talked to business owners and not one was for this, not one,” Vanni told the council Wednesday.
“Bring me one small business owner who is in favor of this. Instead, developers and people with a lot of money were paraded through here. That doesn’t sell me,” she said.
“I was looking for a reason to support this, but when questions were asked by small business owners, it felt like they were dismissed and the answers were exasperating. It feels like they’re being told what to do and we know better, and we do not know better,” said Vanni. “It’s a disservice to shove it down people’s throats and to put the borough in the position of putting liens on businesses, on properties (for non-payment of the assessment) and then we’re going to have that fight. That doesn’t seem like a really smart way to go about it.”
Concluded Vanni, “it needs to go back and it needs to start over again and it needs to be marketed better. I want to see small business owners come in and support it. I don’t want to make this decision and I shouldn’t have to.”
Councilman Andrew Monastra agreed that the effort to establish the BID was “marketed very poorly,” but he supports it nonetheless.
“Business Improvement Districts were created to compete with malls, which offered a safe place to shop. It’s a good thing in itself,” he said.
Property owners “had the opportunity to complain and we saw the result. They had the power to stop this and the vast majority either like it or failed to respond,” Monastra said.
“I am concerned this good thing was marketed very poorly, there are so many complaining about this — far short of the required amount, but they are complaining about this,” Monastra said. “I guarantee a better job will be done managing the downtown and making sure the BID does what it’s supposed to do than they did selling the concept of the BID. If people are going to pay more, they’re going to get more. It’s not going to be PDIDA (the Pottstown Downtown District Improvement Authority) all over again,” Monastra said.
No other members of council spoke on the issue.
Hovey said the council will have the opportunity Monday to vote to advertise a new BID ordinance and management agreement.
“We’ll list it for Monday and see how it goes,” said council President Dan Weand.
Source: Berkshire mont
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