City of Grand Rapids issued the following announcement on May 20.
The Grand Rapids City Commission held its bimonthly meetings online Tuesday per Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Stay Home, Stay Safe executive order. The commission heard an update on the City’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, proposed fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget and housing supply and affordability in Grand Rapids. It took action on economic resiliency investments, service provision fees, a downtown special assessment and park and street improvements. It also held two public hearings. Here’s a recap:
COVID-19 update
City staff provided an update on the City’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. This included:
- Continued collaboration with and support of the Kent County Health Department
- Developing re-entry plans for City departments once the Stay Home, Stay Safe order is lifted
- Proposed ideas and processes for outdoor space activation, which includes using existing special events and temporary use policies to create multi-business “social zones” and establishing a COVID-19 recovery special event from June 3 through Oct. 31. This would be modeled after the biannual ArtPrize resolution that designates a large area as an extended duration special event. It also would authorize the city manager or a designee to approve specific activities and locations by permit, including locations where alcoholic beverages may be consumed. The City Commission is expected to consider these proposals at a later meeting.
Economic resiliency investments
The commission approved a series of new investments as part of the City’s economic recovery and resiliency efforts. The transportation and infrastructure investments will further assist businesses, residents and employees in their economic recovery efforts. They include:
- Offering restaurants and small businesses $100 in Motu parking validations for customer parking – up to $25,000
- Providing a 50 percent reduction in monthly parking costs for April and a 25 percent reduction in May and June for all monthly parkers – $569,000
- Offering a deferral of monthly rent payments to FY2021, which begins July 1, for Mobile GR and Parking Services business tenants
- Suspended metered parking enforcement downtown and in neighborhood business districts and suspended residential parking permit enforcement. Enforcement on safety violations such as “no parking” and blocking crosswalks remains in effect, with specific attention paid to medical facilities and areas that are providing food pickup services.
- Implemented a temporary free parking zone program for downtown and neighborhood businesses to help them with their drop-off and takeout services. As part of the program – which is by request only – the department provides at least two parking spaces in front of a business. The program has assisted 17 businesses, with $10,000 in absorbed costs for Mobile GR.
- Renewed all spring residential parking permit renewals for six months at no charge. This has helped 120 permit holders and resulted in $1,800 in absorbed costs for Mobile GR.
- Postponed all April and May monthly parking invoices and auto payments
- Suspended collection efforts for late or unpaid monthly parking payments
FY2021 budget update
The commission heard an update on the FY2021 preliminary fiscal plan, which City Manager Mark Washington introduced on April 27. Since then, an additional $8,380,684 has been trimmed from the spending plan. This brings the proposed fiscal plan for City Commission consideration to $531,253,953.
Additional revenue reductions totaling $8,818,472 also were made. These reductions span the general fund and the capital reserve, sidewalk repair, vital streets, major streets, local streets and parking operations funds.
The presentation also included updates on questions the commission had during its two recent budget workshops. This included the Parks and Recreation Department’s forestry sustainability and land acquisition plans, park ambassador and volunteer programs and parks maintenance operations. It also included the Community Development’s housing resiliency approach and residential rental property lead paint inspection pilot program, the 61st District Court and Grand Rapids Public Library budgets, inclusive investments to assist undocumented residents as part of the City’s COVID-19 recovery efforts and bolstering the City’s local purchasing policy.
Read the full budget presentation HERE.
Housing update
The commission also heard an update on housing supply and affordability in Grand Rapids as part of the City’s contract with Housing Next. Housing Next CEO Ryan Kilpatrick told the commission:
- The public property inventory is due May 29
- The housing needs assessment final report is due in June
- The following are proposed: equitable development strategies, development support policies, zoning revisions and housing fund recommendations
- Inadequate housing supply for a growing population
- Disparities in access to housing and homeownership between white households and households of color
- Dramatic price increases at the neighborhood level
- Support growth to provide for existing population and estimated annual population increase
- Equitable outcomes and access to opportunity
- Economically, socially and environmentally resilient and connected neighborhoods
Read the full housing update HERE.
Service provision fees
The commission approved service provision fees for FY2021. Each year, the City’s Fiscal Services Department creates a summary of fee names, service descriptions, rates and cost recovery shares. This new fee schedule includes FY2021 fees for all departments except the water supply and sanitary sewer systems, which are based on separate annual user fee rate studies. The list of fees is available HERE. The service provision fees go into effect July 1.
Downtown special assessment
The commission approved a one-year special assessment to continue to support services downtown. The special assessment begins July 1. Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. administers the maintenance, beautification, marketing and communications services throughout the downtown area. Read more about the Downtown Improvement District special assessment HERE.
Ken-O-Sha Park improvements
The commission approved a $538,000 construction agreement for improvements at Ken-O-Sha Park, 1353 Van Auken St. SE. This project includes the demolition of a restroom building and splash pad, installation of concrete walkways and boardwalks, an elevated observation deck and nature play components as well as new landscaping and site amenities.
The project also includes the planting of 5,500 square feet of additional native vegetation and daylighting roughly 400 linear feet of existing stormwater piping and converting the daylighting area into an outdoor classroom and nature play space. Daylighting is the process of opening up underground pipes, allowing water to flow more like a stream and mimicking natural conditions.
The 2013 voter-approved parks millage will fund the repairs and improvements. A $124,000 grant from the National Recreation and Parks Association Great Urban Parks Campaign helped to fund the community outreach, design and construction of the project. For more information, CLICK HERE.
Hastings Street and Sinclair Avenue improvements
The commission approved a contract agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation for the reconstruction of Hastings Street NE from Prospect to College avenue and Sinclair Avenue NE from Hastings Street to 275 feet north of Hastings. The project consists of full street reconstruction, including water main, sanitary and storm sewers, street lighting, three infiltration catch basins, a roundabout at Hastings-Sinclair, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps and pavement markings. The City’s water, sewer and vital streets funds will cover the $1,010,500 local share of this project. Read more about the project HERE.
Public hearings
The commission held public hearings on the FY2021 preliminary fiscal plan and proposed property tax millage rate to support the FY2021 budget. If the commission approves the fiscal plan as proposed, property taxes for the average residential property in the city would be $512.09. The previous year’s average property taxes were $482.89.
The commission will vote on the proposed budget during a special meeting set for 9 a.m. Thursday, May 21. Details of the online meeting are HERE. Community members may provide comment by calling 311 or 616.456.3000. Spanish interpretation is available. The meeting is shown live in English on Comcast Channel 26, Facebook and YouTube and in Spanish HERE.
The commission also held a public hearing on Uptown Business Improvement District special assessment roll #8746. The total charges on the roll at the time it was opened to the public was $105,488.75. Five appeals have been filed. Adjustments will be made before confirmation of the roll to reflect any appeals granted.
National Public Works Week
Mayor Rosalynn Bliss opened Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting with a proclamation declaring May 17-23 National Public Works Week in Grand Rapids.
“Public works infrastructure, facilities and services are of vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and the public health, safety and well-being of residents and visitors,” Bliss said. “These facilities and services could not be provided without the dedicated efforts of our public works professionals who have responsibilities within facilities, fleet maintenance, forestry, engineering, parks, recycling, refuse collection, street maintenance, traffic safety, drinking water and wastewater around the clock to ensure the health, safety and quality of life in our community.”
For a complete look at Tuesday’s City Commission meeting agendas, CLICK HERE.
Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Grand Rapids
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