■ Majority of Benicia merchants approved Business Improvement District via petition

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

The prospect of a Business Improvement District in Benicia is one step closer to reality, the city Economic Development Board heard last week.

City Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani told board members the BID had achieved more than 50-percent approval on petitions circulated among First Street merchants.

A BID is a way for business owners to levy assessments on themselves and use the funds for projects or services that benefit those in the district.

“It’s quite exciting to think that our merchants have banded together, and we have over 100 petitions signed by businesses on First Street saying that they want to create a Business Improvement District,” Giuliani said.

He said the next step is for staff to present a resolution of intent to the City Council on Oct. 2. That begins a 45-day notice period during which notices will be mailed to all businesses in the BID area.

Those businesses “will have 45 days to submit a written protest to the city of Benicia,” Giuliani said. If 50 percent plus one of the affected businesses protest the BID, it will not go through, he said.

In other words, the only way the BID won’t happen is if “a sizable number of those who sent in their petitions change their position, or the majority of the City Council decides that this is not good for Benicia and they vote it down,” Giuliani said.

However, an interesting legal question arose because three Council members own downtown businesses and would possibly have to recuse themselves: Vice Mayor Tom Campbell and Council members Alan Schwartzman and Christina Strawbridge.

The Council will have a public hearing on the matter Oct. 16, and a final hearing Nov. 20. “At those opportunities, members of the public and businesses will have the opportunity to address the City Council and share with them their thoughts and opinions,” Giuliani said. “The City Council will make a decision of whether or not to form a resolution to adopt the BID.”

“I cannot applaud the merchants on First Street enough for their work and their effort to get this done,” Giuliani added.

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