(rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

"open for business"

Downtown Red Deer the focal point of new incentive programs

Sep 30, 2019 | 9:01 PM

Red Deer is “open for business” says one city official after council endorsed a number of incentive programs on Monday aimed at driving up interest in living, working and playing in the downtown.

The programs will be implemented and assessed over the next two years. In addition to a strategy to reduce red tape, they include:

1. Downtown Pride – Façade and Storefront Improvement Grant

2. Spurring Investment in Brownfield and Underutilized Sites – Environmental Site Assessment Grant

3. Spurring Investment in Underutilized Sites – Demolition of Vacant and Derelict Properties Grant

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4. Increasing Certainty – Utility Connection Fee Grant

5. Creating Interesting and Engaging Streetscapes – Land Use Clustering

6. Reduce Parking Requirements for Residential Developments in the Downtown

7. Fostering Activity in the Downtown – Residential and Mixed-Use Tax-Offset Program (TOP)

The approved programs will cost taxpayers approximately $350,000 in the 2020 Operating Budget, with reports coming back to council in mid-2020 and when they end in 2022.

“We’re trying to focus within the downtown as we know we have a higher concentration of underutilized sites in the downtown,” Planning Director Tara Lodewyk explained. “In the current economic situation, it is important that The City be a catalyst in having development happen (downtown).”

As for how this will benefit property owners, Lodewyk explained, “There are grants to help you if you have environmental site work that needs to be done, if you want to make improvements to your facade, and if you want to do a large redevelopment, we’re proposing a grant program for the difference in the tax revenue that your redevelopment would generate.”

Many businesses have expressed discontent with the downtown in recent years because of the impacts had by drugs and crime. Asked if these incentives would be all for naught if Red Deer doesn’t see things like a new homeless shelter, more affordable housing, or a reduction in crime, Lodewyk says that’s a different conversation.

“It’s not to be taking away from the attention that (those projects) need … but this is a separate project where we’re wanting to incent and create vitality within the downtown to bring more people down to live here, as well as work and play.”

City Manager Allan Seabrooke spoke to the strategy for reducing red tape.

“The City of Red Deer wants to get out of the way of business, and do what we can to keep our city thriving. We have a responsibility to ensure that tax dollars are used in a responsible and transparent manner, and these strategies are a first step in doing just that,” he said.