The business association for the Old City Quarter in Nanaimo has won initial approval from city hall to extend its life by five years and expand its boundaries and membership.
About 20 nearby businesses have said they would like to join the marketing association, said president Matthew Rosenthal. If the association’s boundaries are expanded, that will bring total membership to 87.
The Old City Quarter, with its many older buildings and brightly painted facades, is filled with restaurants, barbershops, boutiques, home-decor outlets, and creative businesses, as well as homes and professional services. “We’ve had a flurry of new, exciting businesses move into the area,” Rosenthal said.
Every five years, the association comes to city hall to extend its bylaw allowing it to add a tax on commercial properties within its boundaries to carry out its mandate. It is seeking permission to levy $50,000 annually.
The city collects taxes on behalf of the organization, which markets and promotes the area and stages events — such as a drive-in movie at Halloween, summer jazz concerts and seasonal celebrations. It also partners with other groups and is expecting a soapbox derby as well as an expanded Fringe Festival this year. Rosenthal is meeting Monday with a representative from the neighbouring Downtown Nanaimo business area to co-ordinate their efforts.
It’s up to the owners of the additional businesses to vote on joining the association. The City of Nanaimo will be asking if they agree to extra taxes that would go to the association. The basic fee is $270 per site plus a percentage based on the property value up to a maximum of $6,497 per year.
Council voted in favour of the bylaw, taking it to third reading this week. It also agreed to a process called a “petition against” requiring owners of at least 50 per cent of the parcels in the area, representing at least 50 per cent of the assessed land and improvements, to sign a petition to oppose the tax.
The application will return to council after results are in.
The “petition against” process is the most commonly used provision under B.C.’s Community Charter to establish business improvement areas, staff told council.
