The City Council is being asked to adopt an ordinance making amendments to the South  Billings Boulevard Urban Renewal Plan to achieve community goals of providing public safety, recreation, and other community projects and programs in the South Billings Boulevard Urban Renewal District (SBBURD). The Council along with other stakeholders has found projects and programs being contemplated now and in the future which are not included in the Plan that was adopted in 2008. The City would like to be able to fund directly or bond for projects in the SBBURD and amendments to the Plan must be made to accommodate current and future projects and programs. Two major projects being focused on in the near term are expansion of a law enforcement evidence facility and a community recreation center in the SBBURD. The Council adopted the ordinance on first reading to amend the South  Billings Boulevard Urban Renewal Plan at its meeting on July 8. Ordinances require two readings and the Council is scheduled to act on the second reading of the ordinance at this meeting.

City Council may:

• Approve amendments to the SBBURD Plan ; or,
• Not Approve amendments to the SBBURD Plan. Not approving the amendments severely limits the City's ability to move forward with projects identified by the City, SBURA and public.

There is no direct fiscal impact to the City by amending the South Billings Boulevard Urban Renewal Plan. However, making these amendments will make the Plan more flexible to address project and program funding with urban renewal funds in the future, enabling the City to consider using its other resources for projects and programs outside of the SBBURD.

The City Council would like to make amendments to the South Billings Boulevard Urban Renewal Plan to achieve community goals of providing public safety, recreation, and other community projects and programs in the South Billings Boulevard Urban Renewal District (SBBURD). The Council along with other stakeholders has found projects and programs being contemplated now and in the future are not included in the Plan that was adopted in 2008. Two major projects being focused on in the near term are expansion of a law enforcement evidence facility and a community recreation center in the SBBURD.

The process to amend the SBBURD Plan called out in Montana Code for urban renewal districts has several key action steps, and the City added a separate public meeting at the beginning of the process to increase communication with the community. The City has followed these steps, including conducting a public hearing and taking action on the ordinance on first reading on July 8. The steps are as follows:

• May 30, 2019 – Public Information Meeting and Request for Public Input on Projects and Programs to include in Urban Renewal Plan Amendment
• June 4 – South Billings Urban Renewal Association Board Meeting – The Board reviewed the public and staff project and program recommendations for the Urban Renewal Plan Amendment and forwarded a recommendation to City Council on a unanimous vote.
• June 18 – Send out Property Owner Notification of City Council Public Hearing and First Reading of Ordinance to Amend Urban Renewal Plan for July 8 CC Meeting.
• June 25 – Planning Board Meeting Reviews Urban Renewal Plan Amendment and recommends amendment is in conformance with the 2016 City of Billings Growth Policy (See attached conformance letter)
• June 28 and July 5 – Legal Ad in Yellowstone County News for City Council Public Hearing and First Reading Ordinance
• July 8 – City Council Regular Meeting – Public Hearing and Approval of First Reading of Ordinance to Amend Urban Renewal Plan
• July 22 - City Council Regular Meeting – Second Reading of Ordinance to Amend Urban Renewal Plan

The City has coordinated with the SBURA to provide multiple opportunities for community input and comment. The public also was able to comment at the public hearing that was advertised for the July 8 meeting when the Council approved first reading of the ordinance. The opportunities for community involvement in this process have been as follows:

• May 30, 2019 – Property Owner Notification Mailing for this Public Information Meeting and Request for Public Input on Projects and Programs to include in Urban Renewal Plan Amendment
• June 4 – South Billings Urban Renewal Association Board Meeting – The Board reviewed the public and staff project and program recommendations for the Urban Renewal Plan Amendment and forwarded a recommendation to City Council on a unanimous vote.
• June 18 – Property Owner Notification Mailed for City Council Public Hearing and First Reading of Ordinance to Amend Urban Renewal Plan for July 8 CC Meeting
• July 8 – City Council Regular Meeting – Public Hearing and First Reading of Ordinance to Amend Urban Renewal Plan
• July 22 - City Council Regular Meeting – Second Reading of Ordinance to Amend Urban Renewal Plan

As per Montana Code for urban renewal district plan formation and amendment, the Yellowstone County Board of Planning reviewed the SBBURD Plan Amendment at its June 25 meeting and has found the amendment is in conformance with the 2016 City of Billings Growth Policy (See attached conformance letter).