The Billings Industrial Revitalization District (BIRD) Board of Directors is presenting this recommendation to the City Council for allocating $40,000 in tax increment finance funds (TIF) from the East Billings Urban Renewal District (EBURD) to provide financial assistance to property owners in the District that wish to install trees and irrigation improvements along the street frontages of their property. The EBURD Planting Program will cover up to 50% of the costs associated with purchasing and planting trees and installing irrigation systems. The BIRD Board also has partnered in the program with the Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Department (PRPL). PRPL is providing $50 per tree up to a maximum of 80 trees to encourage tree planting in this area of the City. This funding proposal is not for a single development project, but this program has the potential to improve the streetscape across the EBURD area as is allowed under MCA 7-15-4288(4).

The BIRD Board of Directors voted to support funding of this application at its meeting on August 14, 2018, under its authority per the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Billings, Big Sky Economic Development, and the BIRD, Inc. approved by the City Council in February 2014.

↵The City Council is the final authority in disbursing TIF funding. This proposed program appears to conform to the City's TIF Policy. The City Council may:

• Approve the recommendation from the BIRD Board for the expenditure of these TIF funds, or;
• Disapprove the recommendation from the BIRD Board for the expenditure of these TIF funds.

The request is for a total of $40,000 to be assigned to the EBURD Planting Program in the EBURD Budget. The BIRD Board will review and approve individual applications for landscaping improvements. Approved applications will be eligible for funding on a reimbursement basis (See BIRD Board Letter and Planting Program Flyer Attached). There is funding in the FY19 EBURD project budget for payment of TIF assistance, however a budget amendment for FY19 will need to follow this action, if approved by the Council, to include this specific expenditure. Staff also recommends this line item be revisited during the FY20 Budget preparations so any balance may be carried over for the new budget year.
 

The Billings Industrial Revitalization District (BIRD) Board of Directors recommends that the City Council approve up to $40,000 from the EBURD tax increment finance district funds for the EBURD Planting Program.