The Fort Worth City Council, at its Sept. 19 meeting, approved a five-year service plan that – while it is hard to please everyone in most situations – seemed like a nice compromise to many.
“My goal and my decision making is what’s best for everybody,” District 3 Councilman Brian Byrd said. “The east wants everybody and the west doesn’t want to keep the PID as is.”
Byrd added that the city is working with the Texas Department of Transportation to bring restoration to Camp Bowie West. Meanwhile, the current PID will continue on the eastern side, he said.
The council, following a public hearing, voted to amend the budget for Public Improvement District 8, also known as the Camp Bowie PID from almost $605,000 to just over $500,000.
The figures have been adjusted to take the west side of Camp Bowie (anything west of Irene Street) out of the tax assessment for the 2018 fiscal year, said Assistant City Manager Susan Alanis.
“I do think it’s a good compromise,” Alanis said. “There are some concerns among some on the western side that the PID didn’t benefit them.”
Alanis said the current PID expires in December 2018. In the meantime, an estimated $180,000 of fund balance anticipated at end of fiscal year 2017 will be spent equitably in both zones, with 23.3 percent assigned to the non-assessed Westside based on proportion of property values.
As a result, approximately $42,000 is to be used in in the west side to continue to maintain enhanced landscaping at Loop 820 and/or security in fiscal year 2018 while a longer-term solution is identified.
The general nature of the proposed improvements in the Camp Bowie PID include:
*A coordinated marketing and promotional program to increase customer traffic.
*A coordinated communication program to assure that businesses in the area benefit from shared information.
*Ongoing cooperation with local governments, neighborhood groups, foundations, universities and others to assist with obtaining grants and other special funding.
*Special cooperative programs with area neighborhoods, schools, museums and other institutions to enhance the economic vitality and livability of the corridor.
*A landscaping, construction and maintenance program.
*Various capital improvements.
*A management program for the PID.
Alanis said she believes the eastern side of Camp Bowie, led by the neighborhood group Camp Bowie, Inc., will submit a petition to redraw the boundaries before the current PID expires.