Lafayette Downtown Development Authority Meeting - May 12, 2025

The Lafayette Downtown Development Authority (DDA) held its second meeting on May 12, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The meeting focused on an educational overview of the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority (LURA) and a workshop on DDA character areas, setting the stage for future strategic planning. The board also heard public input on bike parking, approved meeting minutes with a correction, and received staff updates.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A member of the public, identifying as a member of the city's sustainability and resilience advisory board, spoke about insufficient bike parking in downtown Lafayette. He counted six bike racks along Public Road and noted that during recent farmers markets, hundreds of bikes were locked to trees, fences, and lampposts instead of racks. He urged the DDA to prioritize adding more bike racks, possibly converting car parking spots, and mentioned upcoming events like the Peach Festival and Art Night Out. He expressed hope that the DDA would work with businesses to address this.

Discussion Items

• Approval of Minutes (April 14, 2025): A correction was made to refer to Director Rogers as vice chair instead of chair. The minutes were approved with that correction.
• Presentation and Workshop: Overview of LURA and DDA Character Areas: Executive Director Keating presented a detailed history and explanation of the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority (LURA), its use of tax increment financing (TIF), and its accomplishments over the past 25 years. Key points included:
  • Lafayette's population is about 30,000; within a five-minute walk of Old Town, nearly 30% identify as Hispanic or Latino, and 6% of housing is manufactured homes, providing naturally affordable housing.
  • LURA was established in 1999 after Highway 287 was diverted, reclaiming Public Road as the main downtown. A blight study identified conditions like deteriorated structures and lack of pedestrian facilities.
  • TIF explained: A district's property and sales tax base is frozen; incremental revenue from new development stays in the district for reinvestment. LURA's TIF expired in October 2024. The base was set 12 months prior to the DDA's plan of development approval on February 18, 2025.
  • LURA's sales tax increment rose slowly, peaking at $1.1 million in 2023, then dropping in 2024 due to expiration in October. Property tax TIF is more complex and reassessed periodically.
  • LURA projects highlighted: public art (e.g., Hero's Journey, vulture sculpture), holiday lights (rented at $70,000/year), marketing (consulting firm Cone at $100,000/year), public-private parking lot leases (12 agreements), facade improvement grants (50% match, up to $25,000), East Simpson Coffee Company relocation (loan turned grant after five years), Onspa's Jewelry renovation (asbestos removal, new bathroom, electrical), festival plaza creation, 700/800 block streetscape improvements ($1.2 million allocated), and baseline multimodal improvements (conceptual design, millions needed, CDOT involvement).
  • A larger TIF example: Ventry pocket park project total cost $2.4 million, with a $750,000 gap; LURA provided $600,000 as a grant (after 10-year public access term) and $150,000 as a zero-interest loan.
  • DDA funding will come from LURA seed money for five years, covering administrative fees, parking lot maintenance, district programming (holiday lights, marketing), and small business support grants. The DDA can also fundraise, apply for grants, or pursue bonds/mill levies (latter subject to voter approval).
  • The DDA boundary differs from LURA's, excluding the Affinity senior community but extending to include properties like the Center for Musical Arts, WOW Museum, and parts of South Boulder Road. A sub-area plan for South Boulder Road will be developed later.
  • Character areas were defined: Baseline Road transition, Old Town core, Harrison-Simpson, South Public Road, and South Boulder Road transition. Directors were given a homework assignment to assess strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in each area.
• Upcoming Meetings and Staff Updates:
  • June meeting: Workshop with Downtown Colorado Inc. (DCI) and executive directors from other DDAs.
  • July meeting: Workshop with Brad Siegel from Progressive Urban Management Associates (PUMA) to develop a work plan framework.
  • August meeting: Proposed budget and implementation plan for first five years using LURA seed funds.
  • September: DDA operational and able to communicate priorities to the community.
  • Staff updates: Farmers market has had two successful Sundays; bike corral idea being explored. Art Night Out took place on May 9. A new logo for the DDA is being developed by library graphic designer Emmy Hall to distinguish the DDA from the Old Town brand.
• New Business / Directors' Reports: No updates were shared.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes Approved: The April 14, 2025 meeting minutes were approved with a correction changing the title of Director Rogers from chair to vice chair (unanimous voice vote).
• Parking Lease Assignments: LURA's 12 public-private parking lot leases will be assigned to the DDA for ongoing management, including snow removal and maintenance.
• Strategic Planning Schedule Set: The board agreed to the series of workshops leading to a budget and implementation plan by August 2025.
• Logo Creation Initiated: Development of a distinct DDA logo will proceed.
• Bike Parking to Be Addressed: Staff is already exploring bike corral options in coordination with the sustainability director and farmers market organizers.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned unanimously at approximately 7:45 PM.