Local officials have worked for the last few years to fill the Marysville Uptown district with businesses.
Now, they’re looking to help Uptown property owners improve the buildings themselves.
Officials told the city’s finance committee Monday about a grant program that would help Uptown property owners fund improvements to their buildings.
Finance Director Justin Nahvi said the program is similar to the home-improvement grant program discussed earlier this year, but “on a bigger scale.” The new program would have the city allocating about $100,000 per year to help Uptown business owners repair the facades of their buildings.
“What we’re trying to do is get this jump started this year, especially with the bicentennial next (year),” Nahvi said.
Nahvi said there would be a committee to determine which applications receive funding. That body would include Nahvi, City Planner Chad Flowers, a representative of Team Marysville and possibly a city council member. Projects would also go through the city’s design review board.
The grant would pay for up to half of any project, up to $25,000 per project. The program stipulates the city may consider grants of up to $50,000 for “economically significant” projects. Those projects would include fostering job growth, positive community impact and “innovation.”
Nahvi said the program was written by Flowers based on other, similar programs in nearby cities like Canal Winchester and Delaware.
Nahvi acknowledged that officials are asking for the money late in the year, and said he aims to get the money allocated “right away.” He said there is no action needed for the program, since there are already savings in the capital fund for public service that can be used.
“And then we’ll open it back up next year in January if it’s included in the budget,” Nahvi said.
City Manager Terry Emery said the city might form a partnership with the county in the future to help fund the program. That said, he told the committee officials felt it was an important enough program for the city to enact on its own immediately.
“It’s something that if approved by city council that I think would have some pretty strong interest and activity pretty early on,” Emery said.
Marysville City Councilperson Alan Seymour, who had already seen a copy of the program, spoke in favor of it. He said people often talk about how difficult and expensive it is for business owners to repair their Uptown businesses and bring them up to a reasonable standard.
Seymour said the types of projects the program would aim for wouldn’t be “historically consistent repairs.”
“For example, replacing windows with arches in them, it can be done but it doesn’t have to be replaced with wood,” Seymour said. “As a matter of fact, we’d prefer it would be replaced with a vinyl or something that doesn’t need maintenance in 25 years.”
Seymour said the program would show Marysville’s commitment to the Uptown. He said the rest of 2018 would be a “test year.”
“I think it would grow to be a very good thing,” Seymour said. “We’d have a very clean looking Uptown over time.
Committee member Mark Reams said applicants shouldn’t be allowed to apply within two consecutive years. He said he had concerns about owners applying one year, then applying early the year after and potentially holding other projects back.
Nahvi noted some of the buildings in the Uptown require millions of dollars in repairs. While the city can’t provide a check for $500,000, it can help building owners incrementally improve their properties.
Seymour also noted it wouldn’t be first come, first serve, and there would be a deadline for applications, after which the committee would review them all and decide from there. Nahvi added certain structures should get the chance to receive money in consecutive years.
“Some of these properties going toward the post office are in pretty bad shape,” Nahvi said.
Reams also brought up concerns about the inclusion of fire safety and roof improvements in the program. He asked why those were included in this program and not the residential improvement program from earlier in the year.
Officials said the idea of this program is more centered on improving not only the look, but the integrity of Uptown businesses, which would include fire safety and roof repair.
Though the program doesn’t need to be passed by council, the committee recommended a one-reading resolution to give other council members a chance to discuss the program. That resolution will appear at a future city council meeting.