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Guidelines set for public development subsidies <br />by Kristine Goodrich <br />T <br /> <br /> It will remove blight and/ <br />he City has a new set of <br />or encourage high-quality <br />square foot for industrial property, <br />guidelines for giving tax <br />redevelopment, or is a new <br />development on a site that could not <br />$125 per square foot for commercial <br />other forms of subsidies to businesses. <br />be developed without assistance. <br />space, or $100,000 per unit for rental <br />properties. <br />of criteria, with a grading system,  <br />for the developer without assistance. <br />Limitations and prohibitions <br />as a guide for considering subsidy <br /> <br />It is consistent with City land <br />applications from private developers. <br />use documents, including the <br />limitations and prohibitions, <br />Comprehensive Plan and Zoning <br />including: <br />exceptions to the guidelines if deemed <br />Ordinances. <br />appropriate. <br /> <br /> (TIF) and abatement will not <br />be provided for new apartment <br />O t <br />Subsidies refers to loans, grants, land <br />buildings. <br />donations, fee waivers, abatement <br /> <br />of property taxes, tax increment <br /> <br />advantage over similar projects in <br />ratio is at least 3-to-1. <br />provided by the City to facilitate a new <br />the area. <br /> <br /> <br />amount of property taxes paid. <br />will be considered only if they provide <br />development would harm the <br /> <br />environment. <br />employer. <br />a whole. In addition to the new City <br /> <br /> TIF and abatement will be provided <br />guidelines, business subsidies also  <br /> It redevelops a blighted or <br />on a pay-as-you-go basis. <br />challenged site. <br /> <br /> TIF must come from inside the <br />City will hire a consultant to give an <br /> <br />applicable district to eliminate an <br />independent review of each subsidy <br />existing apartment, commercial, <br />impact on existing taxpayers. <br />follow-ups to ensure the development <br /> <br /> <br /> It brings high-end or specialty retail <br />promised. <br />to minimize the amount of public <br /> <br /> It includes a restaurant. <br />subsidy needed. <br /> <br /> It includes a high-technology, <br /> <br /> <br />“Speculative” developments will not <br />medical technology, or research and <br />be considered; the developer must <br />development business. <br />provide market demand data or <br />redevelopment, including: <br /> It provides opportunities for small <br />tenant commitments. <br />businesses. <br /> <br /> It is likely to stimulate additional <br />development. <br />T <br />he City’s new website was <br /> 6,577 website visitors (returning <br />launched six months ago, and understandable information they <br />users = 3,500 and new users = <br />according to Google Analytics it are looking for and not leaving the <br />3,077) <br />has been received well by Internet site as quickly. <br /> Pages viewed per visit = 2.9. Users <br />new website were: better navigation, primarily using Internet Explorer <br />for through the better navigation <br />more graphics and photos, less <br />and smarter searches. <br />scrolling, and a smarter search. Chrome, 996 are using Safari, and <br />Statistics from April 15 - May 15: <br />pages for less than a minute, <br />a handful of other providers used <br />the average visit duration on <br />by the small percentage of the <br />See the site for yourself at: <br />cityofardenhills.org is two minutes, <br />remaining 93 viewers. <br />www.cityofardenhills.org <br /> Of the 6,577 visitors, only 438 <br />continued on next page <br />4 <br />