City council OKs Main Street project

Libby City Council unanimously approved the Streetscape project after members of Libby Main Street Program pressed council to decide whether or not the project should move forward.

“I just want to remind you that the public is behind the project,” said Tom Wood, board member for the Libby Main Street Program. “Let’s do it or not; that’s our plea.”

City Council reapproved firm support for the project, as well as an amendment to include Subway, along with other lots, into the special improvement district. Known as a SID, the letter of intent will assess a $25 per foot of street frontage tax to help finance the project. The assessment will come into effect once the revitalization is complete.

Because of the council’s vote, the city will send a letter of intent to property owners along the two-block section of Mineral Avenue informing them of the tax and requesting their approval or disapproval. They have 15 days to protest the letter of intent, and if 50 percent do so, the project will fail, according to Montana State code. That 50 percent is not based on individual property owners, but their lineal footage.

“We want to reaffirm our support for the downtown Streetscape project,” said Doug Roll, city councilman who chaired the meeting. “The council unanimously wants to continue pursuing Streetscape.”

The SID process will likely take a month, but if approved construction can being. Roll expects the first two blocks to take one year.