The Benicia City Council voted in favor of the renewal of the Benicia Business Improvement District (BID) at its Tuesday meeting.
Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani began the discussion by explaining why the City Council was voting to renew the BID. The BID was a 2012 agreement between the city of Benicia and First Street business owners to partner with one another and form a Business Improvement District. A five-year term was set for this partnership. The BID consists of all businesses on First Street between Military and the Carquinez Strait in addition to companies at 117 East F St., 120 East G St. and 164 East H St.
The city and downtown merchants have been working on a 10-year term renewal for the BID with a three year review period. It was recommended council adopt the resolution declaring the results of the majority protest and renew the BID.
Norma Parrie, the co-owner of Old Capitol Locksmith, was the first public speaker. She began thanking the City Council and staff for all of the work they do. Parrie then told the story about starting a business with her husband Jim in the city, and during her working in the city chamber she and her colleagues had lights in the city.
One of the major projects initiated through the BID has been lights around trees on First Street. The lights were installed in 2012 to make the downtown more welcoming and attract people to businesses.
The Parries sent the council a letter containing some of the problems and with the cost of the lights and the BID as well as potential solutions. Parrie’s speaking time ran out, and her husband came up to speak.
“I did not support the decision to create the BID five years mostly for what I considered the inequitable assessment of fees,” Jim Parrie said. “As a business located on a side street, I thought it was unfair to be assessed the same amount as a business located on First Street and three times as much as an upstairs business on First Street.”
Several other business owners came up to speak after Parrie, mostly opposing the BID renewal. Some speakers, like artist Susan Street, spoke in support of the renewal.
“The downtown business needs that collective strength that the BID gives them,” Street said. “I feel like neither the Chamber (of Commerce) nor Benicia Main Street meets the needs of the downtown businesses. Their events do bring people downtown, but the primary focus of the chamber and Main Street is not on the First Street shops or services. The BID is needed to help retain businesses, to encourage businesses and to work on some collective advertising that will focus on the businesses in the BID sphere of influence.”
Councilmembers Tom Campbell and Alan Schwartzman did not preside over this agenda item due to a possible conflict of interest with the BID, since Schwartzman runs a business on First Street and Campbell’s dental office is located in close proximity to the district boundaries. Councilmember Mark Hughes said he spoke with several members of the downtown business owners and noticed the BID might be splitting the business community. Hughes hoped that was not true and said he supported the BID with the three-year review clause in the contract term. Vice Mayor Steve Young said he echoed Hughes’ hopes that the BID will not split the downtown business community and supported the BID.
The BID resolution passed 3-0.
The council will next meet Tuesday, Sept. 19.

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