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Payette ponders urban renewal blueprint



Jessica Hilton | Argus Observer The street has worn away on sections of South Sixth Street, but the area could see improvements through the new urban renewal district created by the city of Payette. The URD will focus on the Seneca Foods expansion, but will also include South Sixth Street up to the community pool.
Julie Engel Argus Observer

Payette

Payette has identified a 5-acre parcel of land along South Sixth Street to improve through an urban renewal district.

The piece of land stretches from the Seneca Foods property along South Sixth Street to the community pool.

The urban renewal agency - which includes both City Council and community members - first identified a large area of the city to improve through the urban renewal district, but cut that area back to make the project more manageable.

An urban renewal district is an area identified by a city and the Urban Renewal Agency that could benefit from improvements.

The urban renewal agency is a separate entity from the city and can take out loans to help pay for the improvements. Any increase in taxes from rising property values go back to the urban renewal district to help pay off the loan.

The Payette City Council, members from Sage Community Services and the Urban Renewal Agency met at a special workshop session Monday night to work out any questions the council still had about the pending project.

Sage Community Services has been instructing the city on the specifics of an urban renewal district, and legal representative Ryan Armbruster said the main focus of the district is to help Seneca move forward with its expansion project.

Payette Mayor Doug Henderson said he thinks the plan will be a successful venture, and will help city officials understand how the process works so in the future they can identify other areas in town that could benefit from an urban renewal district.

The Urban Renewal Agency will need to borrow $500,000 to complete the improvement projects. Armbruster said the agency has a couple options - borrow money from a lender or borrow it from the city. Henderson said the city could budget for the loan in the next budget cycle, which would save the Urban Renewal Agency any unnecessary charges.

Payette City Councilman Jeff Williams said it would be advantageous to invest in the urban renewal district because the city would see a higher return.

Currently the city invests with the state treasury at about 3 percent, and the urban renewal district investment in a debt service would be around 5.5 percent.

“We do have quite a bit of funds, and it's a good use for it,” Williams said.

The next area that could be identified in a urban renewal district is the downtown area along Main Street. The urban renewal agency and city officials will review the Seneca project and determine if the urban renewal district is the best bet for downtown revitalization.

Armbruster said if the city did decide to go with a urban renewal district for Main Street, it would have to go through the same process it has with the 5-acre Sixth Street project currently on tap.

The City Council will hold a public hearing on the urban renewal district at 6 p.m. May 22, with a special City Council meeting to follow. Henderson said he welcomes all who have questions about the district to attend the session.




Comment Blog - Note: All Comments Subject To Approval

Cody W. Ables wrote on May 16, 2008 11:04 PM:

" May 16, 2008

Here is something that we should all read. This is a letter from an angry woman in New Jersey regarding the War in Iraq and all of the war’s negative publicity. Pay attention.

'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001?

Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania?

Did nearly three-thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was 'desecrated' when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet?...Well, I don't. I don't care at all.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia .

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured: I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank: I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed 'special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care.

Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior!

If you don't agree, then by all means quit reading. Should you choose to do so, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country! And may I add:

'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem' -- Ronald Reagan

I have another quote that I would like to add

'If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.' Also by.. Ronald Reagan

One last thought for the day:

In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England 's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America , he said: 'A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in.. And how many want out.'

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I.
Important for us all!!!!
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM. AMEN!’


I hope you take this woman’s viewpoint into consideration. It closely parallels my own. As I begin my journey in becoming a soldier of the greatest country in the world, hearing this woman’s words sets my heart at ease. It is warming to know that there are people in this great country who still care about those men and women who have no choice.


Cody W. Ables
U.S. Air Force Academy 2012
"


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