02-07-11 Special Called Regular Meeting and Workshop Meeting of the La Porte Development Corporation Board of Directors

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REQUEST FOR LA PORTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AGENDA ITEM Appropriation Agenda Date Requested: 3/7/11 Source of Funds: Requested By: Stacey Osborne Account Number: 15 -9892- 993 -1100 Department: CMO Amount Budgeted: $200,000 Report: Resolution: Ordinance: Amount Requested: $200,000 Exhibits: Enhancement Grant Application Budgeted Item: IVES NO Exhibits: Enhancement Grant Evaluation Exhibits: Main Street District Map Exhibits: Public Hearing Notice SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION This evening's Public Hearing is to receive public input on the proposed expenditures of La Porte Development Corporation (EDC) funds in the amount of $200,000 for an enhancement grant program in the Main Street District. This is a summary of the proposed project and an explanation of the proposed expenditures. The backup for this agenda item also includes the proposed Enhancement Grant Application, the proposed Evaluation Form, and a map of the Main Street District showing where projects will be eligible. Upon receipt of public input on this project, the Board will vote on whether to approve this expenditure as a project of the (EDC). If approved, the project cannot be undertaken until the 60 day period following the publication date of the notice of public hearing. If during this 60 day period at least 10 percent of the registered voters file a petition requesting a public election on the proposed project, the project must be put on hold and submitted to the voters for approval. Project Summary: HISTORY Many years ago the City was a part of the Texas Main Street Program. A major focus of that program is to revitalize historic Main Street districts, and one tool for helping to do this is an enhancement grant program that provides funds for business owner in a specific district to upgrade and beautify their building facades. The City, under the auspices of the Main Street Program that was then in existence, created an Enhancement Grant Program that was to be implemented with a set of Design Guidelines. Those Guidelines were rejected by the community and never put into place. Council voted to discontinue the City's participation the Main Street Program in December, 2010, but the Enhancement Grant Program continued to be offered to business owners in the Main Street Overlay District who met the requirements of the program. PROGRAM DETAILS The grant program essentially provides reimbursement grant funds of up to $25,000 to enhance existing building designs in the Main Street District (see attached map). Owners and tenants may be eligible for a reimbursement grant of monies used to enhance and/or beautify their new or existing businesses. The funds for the grants were provided by the EDC, and while the program has been offered to Main Street Business owners for the past three years, we did not have any applicants for the program until October, 31, 2010. On that date, Sandra Baldwin of A Statement in Glass submitted the first application for grant. While reviewing the grant