TREMONTON CITY CORPORATION
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
OCTOBER 2, 2018

Board Members Present:
Roger Fridal, Chairman
Diana Doutre, Board Member
Lyle Holmgren, Board Member
Jeff Reese, Board Member
Bret Rohde, Board Member
Lyle Vance, Board Member
Shawn Warnke, Executive Director
Linsey Nessen, Executive Secretary

Chairman Fridal called the Tremonton Redevelopment Agency Meeting to order at 8:13 p.m. The meeting was held in the City Council Meeting Room at 102 South Tremont Street, Tremonton, Utah. Those in attendance were Chairman Fridal, Board Members Doutre, Holmgren, Reese, Rohde, and Vance, Executive Director Warnke, and Executive Secretary Nessen. Public Works Director Paul Fulgham and Police Chief Kurt Fertig were also in attendance.

1. Approval of agenda:

Motion by Board Member Doutre to approve the October 2, 2018 agenda. Motion seconded by Board Member Rohde. Vote: Board Member Doutre – aye, Board Member Holmgren – aye, Board Member Reese – aye, Board Member Rohde – aye, Board Member Vance – aye. Motion approved.

2. Approval of minutes – June 19, 2018

Motion by Board Member Reese to approve the minutes of June 19, 2018. Motion seconded by Board Member Holmgren. Vote: Board Member Doutre – aye, Board Member Holmgren – aye, Board Member Reese – aye, Board Member Rohde – aye, Board Member Vance – aye. Motion approved.

3. New Business

a. Discussion and consideration of starting the façade grant within the Tremont Center Community Development Area

Executive Director Warnke summarized what they had discussed in the past. He said this was one of our anticipated programs as part of our CDA in the Tremont Center. There is no revenue because what we have received so far is committed to reimbursing the developer to a certain point. We have moved money from the General Fund into the RDA and noted those transfers. The idea is that those transfers are a loan that would be paid back if there is eventual revenue to reimburse the City, but without interest. The RDA appropriated $30,000 that the City transferred over this fiscal year to start a grant and sign program. I have put together a draft application for your review. I am not sure what the response will be. We could have local businesses submit information for the RDA Board to use in selecting the ones to focus on—unless there are only a couple submittals. I believe a successful façade grant program involves a design professional and I have talked to Brigham City, who has used Matt Andersen for nearly two decades. He has good reviews, not only as an architect, but also as a person who can work with property owners to help them see a bigger view and the reasons for certain improvements. Sometimes property owners come in with ideas that are not compatible with their building style. He will help by doing a consultation with the property owner and then come up with a sketch and budget.

Chairman Fridal asked what the City would match. Executive Director Warnke said that is something the RDA Board would decide. It is pretty common to do 50/50 up to $10,000. Brigham City has had a lot success over the years and typically property owners spend more—going above and beyond the match requirements. If there is no participation we might want to change the percentage versus the matching funds, but that could be a starting point. We could come back during the next meeting with a final application and try out Matt Andersen to see how he does. We could advertise and see what response we get. He also talked about the boundaries for the RDA funds (the west property line of the Tremont Center down to Legacy Square on Main Street), along with some potential projects. I do not know if we want to open it up to signs or focus specifically on storefronts. We can make a decision once we see some of the applications.

Chairman Fridal said it looks really good. Board Member Reese suggested we start here. Board Member Rohde said we are putting the cart way before the horse because we do not know what we want our downtown to look like and we have not set a standard yet. Board Member Reese said these would take the buildings back to their original condition. Board Member Rohde agreed, but we need to have a standard. I would like to see that defined before we let people start taking grants. Things need to be defined first then let us put façades on these buildings. I am all for this, but I would like to see a standard. Board Member Reese asked how we do that. Board Member Rohde said that is part of our SDAT and development of downtown. Board Member Reese said we have done the SDAT and development for five years now and have not done a thing. Board Member Rohde said we need to get it finalized somehow. We need to get moving, but we have to have a standard. Executive Director Warnke said there are some common design elements that might appear throughout the district that give it a cohesive look. The architect is going to guide the design of specific buildings to restore them to their historical form, so in some ways that will drive the design, but there are certain elements to consider. We could determine specific elements to incorporate, but we could do a pilot program to see how it goes. Signage and lighting play into it, as well as glazing on buildings. Board Member Rohde said it would be nice to have a few modern things, like retractable awnings to provide shade and asked if we take out the trees and add nice light poles and hanging plants. Executive Director Warnke said that is why we cannot break free from our consultant. Some of the streetscape elements are going to be taken care of or proposed in these design guidelines from the streetscape, but not into the building specific standards.

Executive Director Warnke asked if the Board wants design guidelines that are enforced from a zoning perspective or more of an incentive with the façade grants. Board Member Rohde said the incentive may work. As people start doing it, others will get on board. Board Member Reese said all of us want to fix Main Street. We could change the lighting with LED and if we decide to do hanging baskets, we need to put in the water at the same time. Board Member Rohde said it would be nice to have longer business hours in those stores so people can walk that area and make it a part of their social hour. Chairman Fridal asked what we are we trying to do. Restoring the historical value of the buildings is a cool thing, but what buildings are we going to pick because they are all different. Do we want them to look old? If we want something nice that draws people downtown, we want to have something attractive—not necessarily modern, but something that looks good, not what Tremonton was 50 to 70 years ago.

Executive Director Warnke recommended we proceed and do a pilot program. We try a couple grants, but Board Member Rohde’s points are valid. We do need to get to a point where we have design guidelines and legislate them for a specific area of town. If we do a couple facade grants, then we could learn from the process and feel like we are going in the right direction. It is key to have a design professional to guide the process. Some of the design guidelines could be born out of this process. Board Member Holmgren said let us get started with something.

4. CLOSED SESSIONS: No closed session was held at this time.

a. Strategy session to discuss the purchase of real property when public discussion of the transaction would disclose the appraisal or estimated value of the property under consideration or prevent the public body from completing the transaction on the best possible terms; and/or

5. Adjournment

Motion by Board Member Vance to adjourn the meeting. Motion seconded by Board Member Holmgren. Vote: Board Member Doutre – aye, Board Member Holmgren – aye, Board Member Reese – aye, Board Member Rohde – aye, Board Member Vance – aye. Motion approved.

The meeting adjourned at 8:33 p.m.

The undersigned duly acting and appointed Executive Secretary for Tremonton City Corporation Redevelopment Agency hereby certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes for the RDA Meeting held on the above referenced date. Minutes were prepared by Jessica Tanner.

Dated this 4th day of December, 2018.

____________________________
Linsey Nessen, Executive Secretary