The Centralia City Council authorized a Business District eligibility study for the Fairview Park Plaza commercial corridor at Monday night’s city council meeting. The city will pay $17,000 to the South Central Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission to perform the study and determine the eligibility and financial viability of the plaza for a Business District. If the district is created, the city would be able to impose a Business District Retailers’ Occupation and Service Occupation Tax, a type of sales tax, of up to 1% within the district. Revenues from this tax would go to a fund to be used exclusively for development and infrastructure projects within the district.
Centralia Economic Development Director Rob Jackson said that the Fairview Park Plaza is being considered for a Business District because it is not currently located within a Tax Increment Financing District. The Business District would be intended to promote economic growth in the area.
In other items at Monday night’s meeting, the council approved a $160,000 TIF #3 reimbursement payment to Re:purpose Development supporting the company’s commercial development project in downtown Centralia. Council member Tommy Henegar was the lone “no” vote, saying he supported the project but did not approve of this disbursement of funding.
The council passed a resolution authorizing application for an ITEP grant for the Centralia IL-161 and Pleasant Ave Neighborhood Pedestrian Project. The project includes replacement and extension of new ADA-compliant sidewalk along portions of Gragg Street, Cormick Street, Rexford Street, IL-161, Lincoln Boulevard, Franklin Street, Jackson Avenue, and Pleasant Avenue. A public hearing on the project will be held on August 24 prior to the next council meeting as the grant process moves forward with the assistance of Milano and Grunloh Engineers.
The council also passed ordinances for a no parking zone on the south side of Third Street and a school speed zone on South Pine Street, both near the Bridges Learning Center.
