z Once a “critical mass” of investment has been made into a project, focus can shift towards the maintenance and operational expenses associated with high-quality public realm amenities and experiences. To accomplish this a Public Improvement District (PID) may be created, which would require approval by most property owners, within the legally constituted district. Members of the PID pay a special tax that in turn gets reinvested to maintain amenities, public areas, and ongoing operational costs of the district. In conjunction with a TIF, the PID would extend monies needed to provide quality of area services (think clean, safe, beautiful) while allowing the TIF to fund other major projects. z A land swap can be utilized between parties in exchange for making infrastructure improvements like new roads, bridges, or public spaces. z Developing streets as places may seem like a simple concept, but incorporating the public and pedestrian realm considerations in street design can make a significant difference for the user experience, sometimes even making or breaking projects. z Community Planning and Involvement is a process that can save headaches upfront by involving the end users of the development throughout the process to align desired goals. Insight into the community from those who experience it firsthand and understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is invaluable to project developers. Similarly, this process can help identify priorities, preferences, and create a sense of ownership while generating buzz about the project. Key stakeholders for helping to facilitate this community planning process along the Berry Street Corridor include Southeast Fort Worth Inc. and Renaissance Heights Foundation as well as local Neighborhood Associations. z The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) administers the National Recreation Trails Fund in Texas. According to TPWD, “This federally funded program receives its funding from a portion of federal gas taxes paid on fuel used in non-highway recreational vehicles. The reimbursable grants can be up to 80% of project cost with a maximum of $300,000 for non-motorized trail grants.” z An additional option for open space acquisition in Fort Worth is the Community Park Dedication Policy. The policy seeks to maintain adequate park and recreational areas as residential (re)development brings additional residents to an area. The city has a variety of materials available for developers online including a fee sheet, facility standard manual, and various checklists to streamline interactions. z The City currently manages a Tree Fund which utilizes penalty fees associated with tree removal as part of development. City Council authorized utilization of these funds on “land or conservation easement acquisition to preserve native tree stands, especially where native trees are not feasible for replanting with an acceptable survival rate.” z The Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) Program makes tax abatements and fee waivers available for qualified projects. Fee waivers are allowed for areas that overlap with the TIF boundary. z Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreements can be used on project specific incentives and is a powerful tool that can be utilized for a variety of development and redevelopment projects. A 380 agreement can include several provisions - a majority of which are performance based and refund a portion of the additional sales tax and property tax created. A 380 agreement would be ideal for individual catalyst projects.
172 | East Berry Corridor Study
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