Montpelier Alive Downtown Improvement District

7/30/2019 Montpelier Alive Downtown Improvement District

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DowntownImprovement

DistrictJanuary 2013

Vision: To equitably raise funds to enhance the downtown streetscape and to

market Montpelier as a unique destination for tourism and business.


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What is aDowntown Improvement District?

A Downtown Improvement District, also known as a Special

Assessment District, is a physical area dened by a municipal-

ity, or municipal agency or the purpose o generating undswithin the District or reinvestment or a specic purpose, ben-

ecial to the District.


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Why an Improvement District?

Montpelier is a vibrant community center with a thriving

downtown and unique sense o place. Tis is Montpelier Alives

Vision Statement and the Downtown District will ensure thatour collective vision is realized now and endures or uture gen-

erations. Te District will reinvest 100 percent o its revenue

downtown, to the direct benet o those entities which pay into

the District.

Te District is intended to: Promote Montpelier regionally as a vacation, dining, shopping

and business destination.

Ensure that visitors have an exceptional experience, inuencing

their decision to come and see us again.

Provide a climate which will strengthen our existing businesses

while attracting new business to the city.


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What are the District boundaries?

Te District Boundaries will overlay the current Designated Downtown.


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What is the proposed Districtbudget and what will it costlandlords and businesses?

Te scal 2014 budget is $75,000. Tis budget will be used to

draw more visitors to Montpelier through strategic marketing

and promotion and will enhance the backdrop or visitors and

residents through vibrant streetscape improvementsour goal

is to deliver a realexperiential impact within the character of

Montpelier, and to do it switly.

e additional tax rate on properties in the district will be

4.5 cents per $100 o assessed value.

Sample Tax ImpacTS

Onion River Sports block will pay $530 per year. ere are six

businesses within this building that may contribute to this ee.

Rivendell Books block will pay $232 per year. Tere are eight

businesses within this building that may contribute to this ee.


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How will the unds be generatedand collected?

Funds will be generated as a property tax based on Grand List

value.

Funds will be collected just like property taxes are currently col-

lected, billed quarterly. Landlords may elect to absorb the assess-

ment, or they may choose to pass it along to their tenants (lease

agreements may inuence tenant participation).


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Comparison o VermontAssessment Districts


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Whats it like in other Vermontcities with an assessment district?

Rutlands Downtown Program is similar to the one being con-

sidered in Montpelier. e money raised for the Partnership

pays or sprucing up our downtown, all the holiday lights, the

owers and greenery, way-nding street signs, etc. It pays for

all the marketing, advertising and promotion o our downtown.

Without the Partnership, none of this would happen. From the

beginning, most property owners saw the Partnership as an in-

vestment in their properties, and the vast majority o businesses

and building owners approve its renewal every three years. TePartnership is crucial to the prosperity of Rutland, and Im very

happy to participate.

Bonnie Hawley, Hawleys Florist, Rutland, Vermont


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Who will administer theDistrict unds?

Te City o Montpelier will collect the assessment along with

regular property taxes.

Te unds will be administered by an Improvement District

Committee under the structure o Montpelier Alive. Te com-

mittee will be composed primarily o landlords and business

owners within the Districtprimary District beneciaries.


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What benefts will be provided inPhase One (frst fscal year)?

STreeTScape

Parklet Seed Money $5,000

New Banners on State Street $5,000

New Planters/Plantings $12,000

Additional Benches $8,000

New Waste/Recycling Barrels $5,000

markeTIng monTpelIer

Regional Magazines $10,000Vermont Radio Promotion $5,000

Graphic Design, Creative Services $5,000

Business/Tourism Website Dev. $8,000

Printing (Brochures, Posters etc.) $5,000

Montreal Regional Promotion $7,000


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Phase One streetscapeenhancement detail

If approved, Phase One of our work will include a great new

parklet or additional outdoor seating, multiple new planters

along State Street, new colorul seasonal banners on our light

posts, replacement o all remaining plastic waste containers and

the introduction o additional high-quality steel recycling recep-

tacles on State Street, as well as improved waste collection on

weekends and holidays.


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Marketing-spend detail

regIonal magazIneS (event, tourism and co-op advertising)

Exit 89, Vermont Life, Yankeemagazine, BTV, Seven Days,

Vermont Weddings, Vermont Vows

radIo promoTIon (event and co-op advertising)

Nassau Broadcasting, WCVT, WDEV, e Point, WVPR,

WGDR

BuSIneSS and TourISm WeBSITeTe site will list events and activities as well as stores, restau-

rants, bars, cofee shops, lodging and more. A map o the area

and suggested itineraries will also be available on the site.

monTreal regIonal promoTIon

Print, radio and trade-event promotion to invite Canadians toMontpelier or shopping and vacation.


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Proposed ballot language

Shall the City levy a special assessment in the amount o $.045

per hundred dollars o listed value on the properties within

Montpeliers Designated Downtown District to generate thesum of approximately $75,000 to be administered by Montpelier

Alive to market and promote Montpelier and to make ongoing

streetscape improvements? (item requested by Montpelier Alive).


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Designers visionInSTallaTIon of parkleT neW SeaSonal BannerS

HangIng floWer BaSkeTS neW WayfarIng SIgnageneW WaSTe and recyclIng recepTacleS

rendering by Steve Frey


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andreW BreWerMontpelier Alive Board of Directors

[email protected] JarvIS

Montpelier Alive Board of [email protected]

Jon anderSonMontpelier Alive Board of Directors

[email protected]

greg guyeTTe

Montpelier Alive Board of [email protected]

pHayvanH luekHamHanMontpelier Alive Executive Director

[email protected]

Documents

Montpelier Alive Downtown Improvement District