The City has completed BAPs with a variety of businesses since the program's inception. They have included agreements with restaurants, retail developers, maufacturing, and high tech businesses.
Glacier Homemade Ice Cream completed a BAP with the City in December of 2009. John Stetson of Glacier was quoted in the Louisville Times as saying "The incentive package definitely swayed me to Louisville."
Why assistance may be provided to a project:
The City of Louisville recognizes the value of providing business assistance to aid companies in locating to the City, and to encourage substantial expansion of existing businesses, in keeping with the overall economic development objectives.
The City believes assistance to be important in remaining competitive in attracting quality business and development to the City; and, it can be used as a tool in recruiting and retaining businesses to the City.
The City uses basic criteria to determine whether a project meets the goals and objectives of Louisville, thus merits business assistance.
The City may use business assistance to reward a project for quality development (ie architectural upgrades, infrastructure, façade improvements, etc).
The City may use business assistance to equalize a site for a project (ie demolition of an existing building to redevelop and reconstruct something new).
Types of Business Assistance
Business Assistance is generally provided in the form of building permit fee rebates, construction use tax rebates, and sales tax rebates (if applicable).
All rebates will be based upon new dollars generated by the project at move-in and/or over the first 5 years of operation. The rebates must be earned by carrying out the project.
Any sales tax business assistance is calculated on the City’s 3.5% less the City’s open space tax of .375% and the historic preservation tax of .125%, unless the City considers a lesser amount to be appropriate.
Based upon the new dollars generated by the project, the City may rebate a percentage of those dollars back to the owner or developer (but not both).
Business Assistance may also be provided by an expedited review process though the development the City of Louisville.
Business Assistance is available only upon formal City Council approval and there must be an assistance agreement in place.
When Business Assistance is not provided to the project
When the project does not meet the goals of objects, or the overall criteria for the City
When the project does not generate new dollars to the City
When the project does not meet the City approval process
When the project goes public and announces in the community, and has not requested assistance prior to the announcement
When Council chooses not to approve business assistance
For more information, please contact City Manager Malcolm Fleming at 303.335.4532 or Economic Development Director Bonnie Star at 303.335.4531. |
