City hears concerns about SID

By BRENT SHRUM Western News Reporter

The Libby City Council addressed concerns and questions about a proposed streetscape project during a special meeting Monday with downtown property owners.

The council has endorsed a renovation plan commissioned by Libby Revitalization Inc. and is seeking an engineer to define the scope of the project. The total cost has been estimated at more than $7.5 million, with the bulk of the funding to come from a variety of grant programs. The city is considering the creation of a special improvement district, under which property owners would be assessed at a rate based on street frontage, to provide local matching funds.

An assessment of $75 to $100 per foot of street frontage, recommended by the consulting firm that drew up the proposal for LRI, would bring in around $400,000. Property owners would have the option of paying assessment all at once or amortizing the cost over a number of years. Creation of an SID could be stopped by protests from owners of more than 50 percent of the property within the district.

At Monday's meeting, Mayor Tony Berget stressed that the actual price of the project has not been determined and that the city has not committed to creating an SID.

"We've heard a lot of rumors on the street and we want to answer your questions the best we can," he said.

Whatever happens, downtown property owners will have a say, Berget said.

"Anything we do downtown, the property owners have to be a partner," he said.

Berget said he's confident the city would be able to get at least 50 percent of the funding, and possibly 75 or 80 percent, from grant sources.

The streetscape plan envisions a more attractive, pedestrian-friendly environment with features like sidewalk dining opportunities, art displays, hanging flower baskets and improved business and wayfinding signs. The plan also calls for relocating and restoring the railroad depot at the end of Mineral Avenue, building entry monuments, landscaping along the streets and narrowing crosswalks by extending corner curbs out into the street.

The design commissioned by LRI isn't set in stone, said Councilman Doug Roll.

"It probably won't end up being that, because I don't think we're going to get the funding," he said. "I really don't."

Councilman Lee Bothman said the city might not be able to undertake the whole project at once.

"The streetscape as it stands is our goal," he said. "We may need to take bites of it off."

The work could be done in phases, but the LRI plan is the roadmap, said Councilman Stu Crismore.

"We not backing off of what's there," he said.

Representing the LRI board, Tom Wood explained that whatever assessment the city decided on for an SID would not be levied until grants were obtained. He added that the final cost of the project may be determined by available funding.

"Don't let that seven and a half million scare you," he said. "Maybe it's going to be a $3 million project and if we can get two and a half of that from the feds, more power to us."

Responding to a suggestion that the city canvass property owners to gauge support for the project before hiring an engineer, Roll called the situation a "Catch 22."

"If we don't hire an engineering firm, we can't give you any figures," he said. "If we can't give you any figures, we can't do anything."

Based on informal discussions with downtown business people, LRI believes there is enough support to move ahead with the creation of an SID, Wood said.

"We have at least 70 percent, or we wouldn't even be throwing this on the table," he said.

Addressing concerns that the streetscape would become a target for vandals, LRI director Betty Jo Wood said the improvements might actually reduce vandalism.

"The more positive things that are taking place downtown, the more that's going to curb that negative energy," she said.

Crismore said he and his wife were warned about vandalism when they opened their business, Blossom Boutique, in a vacant building near Libby High School.

"We took pride in it and cleaned it up, and the kids are the best customers we have and help protect it," he said.