Adopted by Helena City Commission on December 7, 2020 per Ordinance No. 3285 Picture 1 - Capital Hill Mall from helenahistory.org, courtesy of John and Rosie Crocker Prepared by Better City CAPITAL HILL MALL URBAN RENEWAL PLAN 1100 Country Hills Dr. Suite 100 Ogden, UT 84403 City of Helena, MT February 9, 2021 CONTENTS Unsanitary or Unsafe Conditions .................................... 17 Figures, Tables, Pictures, and Maps ........................................ iii Other Considerations and Potential Risks ........................... 17 Acknowledgements .................................................................. iv Underutilized Properties .................................................. 17 Executive Summary .................................................................. 1 Employment Concentrations ........................................... 19 Background and Statement of Purpose ..................................... 2 SFD Rental Housing & Multi-family .............................. 19 Overview ............................................................................... 2 Grocer Consolidations ..................................................... 19 Statement of Purpose ............................................................. 2 Pedestrian and Bike Connectivity.................................... 19 Location and Attributes ......................................................... 2 Streetscape ....................................................................... 20 Plan Creation ......................................................................... 4 Commercial Market Pressures and COVID-19 ............... 20 Description of the Capital Hill Mall URD ................................ 7 Assemblage ...................................................................... 21 History ................................................................................... 7 Opportunities ....................................................................... 21 Capital Hill Mall ................................................................ 7 Redevelopment / Revitalization / Re-Tenanting ............. 21 Retail ..................................................................................... 7 Heritage Museum ............................................................ 22 Office ..................................................................................... 8 Streetscape Improvements ............................................... 23 Residential ............................................................................. 8 Connectivity..................................................................... 23 Hotels .................................................................................... 9 Capital Hill Mall URD Plan: Vision and Goals ..................... 24 Existing Building Types and Zoning .................................. 10 2019 Helena Growth Policy ................................................ 24 Issues in the Capital Hill Mall Urban Renewal District ......... 15 Future Land Use Map ...................................................... 24 Blight Study Considerations................................................ 15 Neighborhood Centers ..................................................... 25 Property Valuations ......................................................... 15 Infill, Rehabilitation & Redevelopment .......................... 28 Age Obsolescence............................................................ 15 Goals ................................................................................ 28 Defective or Inadequate Street Layout ............................ 16 Objectives ........................................................................ 28 Faulty Lot Layout in Relation to Size, Adequacy, Capital Hill Mall Urban Renewal District Goals and Accessibility, or Usefulness / Defective Arrangement of Objectives ............................................................................ 31 Buildings or Improvements ............................................. 16 Goal #1: Improve Streetscape and Connectivity ............ 31 i Goal #2: Improve Infrastructure for Redevelopment ..... 31 Creating the Plan ................................................................. 48 Goal #3: Neighborhood Center Area .............................. 32 Conformance with Approval Criteria .................................. 48 Goal #4: Redevelop, Rehabilitate, and Re-Tenant Housing for Displaced Persons........................................ 49 Underutilized and Underperforming Properties .............. 32 Conformance to the Comprehensive Plan ....................... 49 Goal #5: Housing ............................................................. 33 Maximum Opportunity for Rehabilitation or Capital Hill Mall URD Plan Implementation ......................... 34 Redevelopment of the Urban Renewal Area by Private Tax Increment Financing .................................................... 34 Enterprise ......................................................................... 49 Property Tax Collections ................................................. 34 Sound and Adequate Financial Program Exists .............. 49 Baseline Property Taxes .................................................. 34 Appendix A - Key Stakeholder Interviews ............................. 50 Tax Increment .................................................................. 35 Appendix B – Public Comment .............................................. 51 Other Funding Sources ........................................................ 38 Appendix C - Governing Statutes ........................................... 52 Tax Credits ...................................................................... 38 7-15-4206. Definitions. ....................................................... 52 Infrastructure Funding ..................................................... 39 7-15-4212. Preparation of Urban Renewal Plan. ............... 54 Other Funding .................................................................. 40 7-15-4213. Review Of Urban Renewal Plan By Planning Commission ......................................................................... 54 Timeline and Implementation ................................................. 42 7-15-4214. Hearing On Urban Renewal Plan Required ..... 54 State Reporting Requirements ............................................. 42 7-15-4215. Notice Of Hearing On Urban Renewal Plan ... 55 TIF Lifetime ........................................................................ 42 7-15-4217. Criteria for approval of urban renewal project. 55 Administration, Implementation Efforts, and Next Steps ... 43 7-15-4282. Authorization for tax increment financing ....... 55 Administration ................................................................. 43 Appendix D – Administrative Rules ....................................... 57 Implementation Efforts .................................................... 45 42.19.1401 DEFINITIONS ................................................. 57 Leverage Resources ......................................................... 46 42.19.1403 NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE Reduce Development Risk .............................................. 46 CREATION OR AMENDMENT OF AN URBAN Create Momentum ........................................................... 46 RENEWAL DISTRICT (URD) WITH A TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PROVISION................................................. 57 Provision for Displaced Residents ................................... 47 42.19.1407 DETERMINATION OF BASE AND Conformance ........................................................................... 48 INCREMENTAL TAXABLE VALUES OF URBAN ii RENEWAL DISTRICTS (URD) OR TARGETED Table 7 - TIF Timeframe Provided by Montana Department of ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS (TEDD) ..... 59 Revenue................................................................................... 42 42.19.1412 LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS .............................................................. 60 Picture 1 - Capital Hill Mall from helenahistory.org, courtesy of John and Rosie Crocker ............................................................ 0 Appendix D – Blight Study..................................................... 61 Picture 2 - Eastbound at the Intersection of 11th Street and Appendix E – Legal Description and Boundary ..................... 62 Lamborn Street .......................................................................... 4 Picture 3 - Underutilized Property at 607 N Lamborn Street . 19 Picture 4 - Underutilized Property at 1820 Prospect Avenue . 19 FIGURES, TABLES, PICTURES, AND MAPS Picture 5 - Vista Square Apartments ....................................... 21 Picture 6 - Helena City Plaza .................................................. 21 Figure 1 - E-Commerce Sales vs. Y/Y Growth, USA from Bond Picture 7 - 1518 Prospect Avenue ........................................... 21 Internet Trends ........................................................................ 20 Picture 8 - 607 N Lamborn Street ........................................... 22 Figure 2 - Neighborhood Center Diagram from Helena Growth Policy ...................................................................................... 27 Map 1 - Topographical Excerpt from USGS Map .................... 4 Figure 3 - Property Tax Allocations ....................................... 34 Map 2 - Study Area used in the Blight Study ..........................