City Postpones Vote on Loop Community Improvement District

The western and eastern portions of the Loop were developed, planned and regulated independently, and are currently served by two separate special business districts. Though these districts work in coordination with each other, several jurisdictional and regulatory challenges exist with respect to developing a consistent programming, operations, policy and management system to ensure a sustainable, thriving area.  

If a CID is created, the business districts would be disbanded.

Councilwoman Paulette Carr questioned the benefit of a CID to the City of University City.

"It's clear what the benefits are to the property owners in the Loop," she said.

Community Development Director Andrea Riganti told the council a community improvement district, under state law, has the ability to raise funds. Quoting Riganti: 

"Funds from the two CIDs cannot be co-mingled or pooled, that is why two separate but identical CIDs are being proposed. However, the funds from each CID can be used for the same purpose as permitted by state statute, which will hopefully result in a unified, coordinated district. These purposes will be outlined in a five-year plan, which is a requirement of the CID formation (petition) process. The five-year plan articulates the purpose of the proposed CID, the services it will provide, and the improvements it will make.  It is envisioned that the two CIDs will have coordinated five year plans." 

"The city would benefit from any improvements to the district," Riganti said. "The CID permits funding that isn't currently permitted by the special business district legislation, including property purchase, beautification and the hiring of security guards."

She noted the funding raised by the community district could supplant other sources of funding going to the area now. She also said the city could have a seat on a Community Improvement District board, where it does not sit on the board of the Loop Special Business District. 

Council members postponed a vote on whether to hire Armstrong Teasdale to look into the creation of the district and instead asked that city staff come back to them with more information on how a CID would benefit the entire city and not just the Delmar Loop.