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City council breathed new life into Downtown Prince George Monday.
The organization had been on life support since city council denied the proposed downtown business improvement area (DBIA) bylaw in 2008. A second version of the bylaw, with redefined boundaries and a lower property tax requisition on downtown property owners, was approved on Monday.
“For me, the DBIA is essential,” said Coun. Shari Green, who also owns a business in the DBIA area. “I think they’ve done some pretty hard work. Because of that hard work, some things are starting to happen downtown.”
Green said there is no doubt action is needed downtown.
The fight against a downtown business improvement area has failed its first, and biggest, test.
Twenty-six per cent of downtown business owners have signed a petition against a proposed downtown business improvement area (DBIA) bylaw.
The bylaw would authorize the city to levy an additional $356,000 in property taxes on downtown businesses to fund the Downtown Prince George organization.
Under the alternative approval process, if 50 per cent or more of property owners representing 50 per cent of assessed value oppose the bylaw city council can not approve it.
Downtown Prince George president Kirk Gable said the results of the anti-petition aren’t unexpected.