Property Owner Steering Committee Meets - August 25

All property owners in the new PBID are invited to attend the second PBID Steering Committee meeting on Wednesday, August 25 from 8:00 am to 9:30 am at the Downtown Club, 2120 Kern Street. Parking is available on the street, as well as the parking garage on Kern Street and L Streets.

The PBID Steering Committee is working to create the legal framework the the property owner district that begins on January 1, working in conjunction with the Downtown Association of Fresno Executive Committee.

Work includes determining the PBID board makeup, preparing the election process, holding the board election and updating the bylaws, all in preparation for the January 1, 2011 launch of the Downtown Fresno PBID. On that date, the Downtown Association of Fresno becomes the PBID owners association with a board comprised primarily of property owners. With that next major step complete, the arduous task of creating the programs approved by the property owners and contained in the management plan will begin.

It is an exciting time in Downtown Fresno.

PBID Passed!

On June 24, the property owners of Downtown Fresno saw concrete support from the City of Fresno informing their Downtown Fresno PBID, a public-private partnership that will lead Downtown Fresno revitalization. This is an initiative that has been recommended and in the works for years. Similar partnerships have successfully improved Downtowns across the state (more than 80 in California) and around the country (more than 1200).

While it’s safe to say that there’s no silver bullet to revitalizing Downtown Fresno, the grass roots effort that has culminated in the final formation of the PBID is about as close as it gets. This stepping stone to a vibrant Downtown Fresno brings everyone on board in a public-private partnership, creates a strong advocacy position for the private sector, and improves upon existing efforts for marketing, business recruitment/retention, cleanliness and safety, parking, special events and the activation of Fulton Mall.

Since the PBID petition launch last October, property owners have signed petitions and provided additional input for the details of the district that were not already created from many previous property owners meetings over the last two years. The final step was  submitting ballots, the public hearing, ballot counting and historic City Council decision in support of Downtown Fresno property owners.

COVERAGE (Please note that the PBID assessment is not a tax.)

KSEE 24

Fresno Bee Opinion

Fresno Bee Article

Steps in the PBID formation process

Although a PBID has been suggested for Fresno for over 10 years, the private sector property owners started gathering momentum behind the idea in 2008 when they brought an International Downtown Association Advisory Panel to town. They hired a formation consultant and began earnest work on the district in December, 2008. Property owners held meetings and conducted surveys throughout 2009, culminating in the PBID petition launch in October, 2009.

In order to legally form the district, the governing body (City of Fresno) must support the private property owners’ decisions. When Mayor Swearengin took office in January, 2009 and formed the Downtown and Community Revitalization Department, there was strong staff support for the idea. The City Council showed their support in March, 2009, by approving a loan to the private property owners to pay a portion of the formation consultant fees. They were very clear that when the property owner petitions were brought back to them, there must be a majority of private sector support, based on assessments.

On April 22, 2010, the Fresno City Council and Redevelopment Agency met to review the private sector progress. Over half of all private sector property owners, based on assessment, signed their petitions in support of the district. The City and Redevelopment then approved signing their petitions in support of the private sector property owners’ decision. On May 6, the City Council ordered that ballots be sent to all property owners to determine their support for the district.

On June 24, a public hearing was held. Those who spoke all supported the PBID. The ballots were counted by the City Clerk with a 2-1 ratio of support, based on assessments. The City of Fresno and the County of Fresno, as the largest property owners, remained neutral in this balloting process in order to allow the private sector properties to make the decision.

The Fresno City Council then approved a resolution of formation to enact the district.

Downtown Fresno property owners are now filling in the details of their PBID that were not already determined in the management plan and budget they approved, in preparation for the January 1, 2011 launch of the Downtown Fresno PBID. Any interested property owners should contact our office at 490-9966.