Mt. Airy BID heads to city council seeking charter renewal

The Mt. Airy Business Improvement District (BID) will be taking the next step forward in its charter renewal process tomorrow. BID will forgo its usual monthly meeting and instead go before City Council’s Rules Committee. The hearing is open to the public and will be held in City Hall, Room 400 on Tuesday, June 12 at 10 a.m.

The purpose of the hearing is for council members to hear public comment from the affected property owners. The public may present testimony in favor or in opposition of BID’s renewal.

BID is seeking a five year renewal term. The association was created in 2007 with a mission to clean, beautify and increase the safety of the Germantown Avenue commercial corridor. For BID’s services, approximately 250 commercial property owners on Germantown Avenue between Washington Lane and Cresheim Valley Drive are levied 18 percent of the real estate tax assessed by the City’s Board of Revision Taxes (BRT).

Some of BID’s accomplishments include 50 Big Belly solar trash receptacles, 140 security lights on commercial properties on Germantown Avenue, daily street cleaning services, graffiti removal, flower plantings and holiday decor.

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Next Steps

After the Rules Committee hearing, a mailing will go out to property owners in August and BID will face a second hearing before the Rules Committee in September.

Once the second hearing has finished, property owners will have 45 days to voice objection to the BID. If 51 percent or more property owners object in writing to the Clerk of City Council, the BID will cease to exist. Approval by the majority of property owners would garner a first reading of the legislation before City Council in November.

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