Business Retention and Development Committee Minutes 2008 07 07

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City Council Business Retention & Development Committee Meeting Minutes July 7, 2008 Page 2 of 4 Discussion/Direction -Comprehensive Plan Update, Economic Development Language Hogan presented her suggested changes to the Comp Plan language. She noted that her intent was to make the language more active and less passive than what is in the existing Comp Plan. Michael Menaker, 1127 West Choke Cherry Drive, asked if there should be encouragement in the Comp Plan for neon signs as they are often noted as an asset in downtown. Paul Wood stated that that is a specific design standard that should be addressed in the PUD process, not the Comp Plan. Yarnell asked if any members had any changes to the suggested language. No one did. Members approved the recommended language. Discussion/Direction - 2009 Budget Hogan stated that the work of the committee over the past 18 months has been setting the stage for future economic development programs. But she added that staff and committee time is limited so that the 2009 budget needs to be realistic in its approach to demands on time. Hogan asked the following: • Should the City continue to fund Shop Louisville? • Should the City change how recommendations are made for funding the Chamber and the DBA? Should there be deliverables identified in return for the funding? • Should the City dedicate funding to identifying targeted industries that we would like to see grow in Louisville? • Are there other programs that BRaD would like to address in 2009? Yarnell stated her support for funding research on how we can encourage targeted industries. Menaker stated that the City should continue to fund Shop Louisville. If we don't continue the program we have wasted the work and money put into the program for the past two years. Jay Keany, 722 Front Street, stated his opinion that the City has not done enough to advertise the program in the ways that would not cost additional money. For example, printing the Shop Louisville web site address on the utility billing envelopes. Malcolm Fleming reminded the members that it was clear in 2008 that the City would fund it for one year and that if the business community could not or would not step up and take over the program in 2009 then the City would discontinue funding. Keany noted that the DBA simply doesn't have the funds or staff to take over the project. He added that even if they did, they would only want to fund it proportionally. Covering only that portion of the businesses represented in the downtown.