Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority Meeting - July 14, 2026
Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority Meeting - July 14, 2026
The Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority (LURA) met on July 14, 2026, to consider transfers of easements, funding for the historic Coca-Cola mural, and an extension for a development project. The board approved two resolutions and a cooperative agreement, and received updates on downtown projects.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of March 10, 2016, meeting minutes: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the March 10, 2016, meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Doug (first speaker): Expressed strong support for the $50,000 commitment to restore the Coca-Cola sign, noting that restoration bids have decreased from $100,000–$110,000 to $35,000–$85,000. He advocated for a conservation easement and landmarking, and emphasized that property owner Rick Ross would take ownership and maintain the sign only after restoration.
- Vicky (Simpson Street): Echoed support for the easement transfer and cooperative agreement. She detailed LURA's historical failure to maintain the sign, citing emails and a conservator's maintenance plan that was not followed. She argued that $50,000 amortized over 10 years ($5,000/year) is reasonable given LURA's prior maintenance obligations.
Discussion Items
- Resolution 2026-01 – First Amendment to Economic Development Agreement with 210 North Public LLC: The board considered extending the project completion date from September 1, 2026, to April 1, 2028, and the restaurant lease commencement date to April 1, 2028. Developer Graham explained delays due to losing a restaurant operator and a redesign from a single counter-service and ice cream concept to a three-stall mini food hall with bar, arcade, and outdoor space. The exterior remains unchanged. He noted permits are under review and construction is expected to start in fall 2026, with completion in 14 months. The board expressed cautious optimism and approved the motion unanimously.
- Resolution 2026-02 – Assignment of Easement Agreement for Historic Coca-Cola Mural: Staff presented extensive history of the mural, its discovery in 2015, restoration in 2016, and subsequent deterioration. Options for long-term preservation were discussed. The resolution authorized transferring the easement from LURA to the City of Lafayette, which owns the sign. The motion passed unanimously.
- Cooperative Agreement for $50,000 Funding: The board approved a one-time transfer of $50,000 to the city for activities related to the mural's preservation, including restoration, relocation, replication, or site restoration. The funds are to be used at the city council's discretion. During discussion, multiple commissioners expressed no strong preference for how the funds should be used, though some favored long-term solutions (e.g., indoor display) and honoring the association with Pat Wright, Lafayette's first female city councilor. Staff will note these considerations in their report to council.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution 2026-01: Approved unanimously (4-0, with one commissioner arriving late). Extends EDA deadlines to April 1, 2028.
- Resolution 2026-02: Approved unanimously. Assigns the easement for the Coca-Cola mural to the City of Lafayette.
- Cooperative Agreement: Approved unanimously. Provides $50,000 to the city for mural preservation, with no specific direction from LURA on use.
- Updates: Staff reported that pocket park construction has started, with completion expected in fall 2026. The 700-800 block streetscape project is within budget and moving toward right-of-way acquisition. A final LURA meeting is anticipated in September 2026 to wrap up remaining easements and property transfers.
Meeting Transcript
Bridget will you, Director Keating, will you please call the role? Uh Commissioner Arrington, he's gonna be coming late. Okay. Uh Commissioner Martin here, Mr. Redondo. Here, Commissioner Rogers. Here, Commissioner Williams. Vice Chair Cutler, here, Chair Muller. Okay. Um, first item of business is public input. And I'll look to our public for their input. May I sit over here? You can speak right there. Yeah. This is all right. Yeah. Uh and there's no clock, I see, so that's good. Uh if you're here to talk about the Coca-Cola sign, Bridget's done a great job. I appreciate her ushering this through two years worth of review by the boards. Uh this is the second round here. Um I just wanna um emphasize that I I wholeheartedly support the the commitment of fifty thousand dollars to the restoration. The the bids from what I understand are in the last time I reviewed them or thirty-five to eighty-five, so canning has come down considerably. They were at a hundred and hundred and ten, they've come down to eighty-five. That that may not be the solution, there may be a cheaper solution in some of the other bids, but we're set up where we can kind of cross the finish line and get this over the hurdle. Um and preserve the sign, restore it, pass it along to someone who wants to take care of it in Rick Ross. He said he would take possession of it, the ownership of it, and maintain it, but it had to be restored before he did that. So let's let's do that. If the restoration works out where it's cheaper, let's use the balance that's being committed. We can still get some money from the city, we'll still be advocating for that to escrow to let him preserve it, let him spend two thousand dollars a year or every two years to inspect it and and preserve it after it's been restored. And I I just I and a conservation easement is a great solution. We've talked about that of saying, you know, you you must take care of it. We're gonna be watching you. And uh landmarking would do the same thing. Um there are some hurdles to that, but I I live in a house that is both landmarked and has a conservation easement. I can tell you that it's um it's what's in the best interest of the house. I've always maintained that. But we have a lot of maybes. Like, well, maybe we can move it, maybe we can store it, maybe you can go in the new city hall. And I I just we we have a solution that's affordable that will guarantee its preservation. Um even after Rick, if we can get a conservation in even after Rick owns the building, because he could sell it tomorrow. But uh everything's everything's kind of in place. We just need to get over that at her little the commitment of the uh uh of of the money to to help uh restore it. So I I appreciate your time and your effort. Hi, and thank you in three or three with Simpson Street. And um, I I want to echo what Doug said. I support um both the uh resolution for to transfer the easement and also the um cooperative agreement with Laura and the city for the fifty thousand dollars. Um Doug and I back in January, Doug and I filed a landmarking application for the sign, and um was turned by down by the city attorney for reasons we don't like, but anyway, um there is some information. Uh Doug did amazing research into the sign, and as you will see in Bridget's presentation, which I've had the pleasure of watching several times now. And as you will see in Bridget's presentation, which I've had the pleasure of watching several times now, there's you're going to learn a lot about the history, including Pat Wright, Lafayette's first female city councilwoman. But I wanted to talk about a couple things in the in the our landmarking application that have specifically pertaining to Laura's relationship with the sign.
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