City approves downtown tree lights

A group of downtown property owners hope enhanced street lighting will make the heart of the city a more attractive destination during a challenging time for commerce.

On Monday, the City Commission approved the Downtown Improvement District’s request to spend $186,731 to install and maintain tree lighting on Main Street, Lemon Avenue, State Street, Palm Avenue and in Five Points Park. The DID is paying for the project, funded by a tax on commercial property owners within the district’s boundaries.

The DID board has been pursuing the lighting initiative since 2019, optimistic such a project could help bolster downtown’s standing as a destination.

“Anything to help businesses in the area is something the members really want to see,” said Stevie Freeman Montes, the city’s interim economic development general manager.

Although the City Commission endorsed the concept at a meeting in March, some commissioners questioned whether the DID should reconsider its plans. Commissioners Hagen Brody and Shelli Freeland Eddie both asked the DID if the money budgeted for lights could be more effectively used to help businesses the COVID-19 pandemic has affected.

“I just feel that a better use of the funds right now would be to figure out ways to underwrite businesses’ ability to pay their employees, get the rent paid, help alleviate parking and do whatever it can fiscally to get folks in the corridor in a safe way,” Freeland Eddie said.

DID Operations Manager John Moran said the board discussed using money on other initiatives, including supporting the city’s emergency business grant program. The board, composed of property owners within the district, concluded the lighting project should remain a priority.

“They want to focus on the improving of the downtown core for business,” Moran said. “They thought this was a better use of the DID taxpayer money.”

The commission voted 4-1 to approve the spending request, with a majority of the board stating it would defer to the downtown group’s decision on how to spend its tax revenue. Commissioners Liz Alpert and Jen Ahearn-Koch said they were optimistic the lighting would provide the economic benefits the DID board hoped for.

“I’m not going to second judge their judgment about what’s going to be most beneficial to them,” Alpert said.

Brody cast the dissenting vote.

“We could easily send this back to them with force and say this is not a priority right now,” Brody said. “The priority is keeping the businesses and your members in business.”

At a June DID meeting, Moran said he hoped the lights could be installed in July.