The City Council created the Downtown Business Improvement District No. 0001 (BID) in 2005 and expanded it in 2007 (Stockman) and 2009 (MET Transfer Center).  The BID Board would like to expand again and to create a "Safety Zone" in the expansion area.  Creating or expanding a BID requires support from owners of 60% of the assessable property.  The City of Billings owns about 7.5% of the assessable property in the expansion area.  The BID Board requests that the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign the BID expansion petition.  If property owners submit a sufficient petition and the Council approves the expansion, the City will pay the maximum assessment of $7,500, starting in FY 2011. 

The City Council may:

• Authorize the Mayor to sign the BID expansion petition; or
• Not authorize the Mayor to sign the BID petition.

The City of Billings owns about 7.5% of the assessable property in the proposed expansion area and would pay the maximum assessment of $7,500 per year.  The large pieces of City property in the area are Dehler Park, South Park and North Park.  There are other, smaller City properties in the area, such as the Park IV parking garage.  The General Fund is the only logical source for paying most of the assessment.  The remaining assessment would be paid by the departments that operate facilities within the expansion area, such as the Parking Fund for the Park IV garage.