At the June 1st Urban Renewal meeting city councilor &  URA chairman Loren Wiese, city councilor Bruce Parker,  and Mayor Steve Britton, sub committee members of the  Coquille Urban Renewal Board (URA) recommended to the  Board (URA) that they award a contract to Leland  Consulting Group to give an analysis of urban renewal plan  options. The URA board approved hiring the Leland  Consulting Group for $31,015 with $6,500 going specifically  for site planning of the GP mill site.

A public meeting between The URA and  Leland Consulting Group is set for June  30th at 4:30 pm. According to City Manager Terrence  O'Conner, the main function of the consulting group is to  examine the financial underpinnings of the district. The  consulting group will address such questions as, Do we  need to change the district boundaries? And, do we need to  revise the financial estimates on revenue and expenditures?  Anyone interested in the plans and goals of Coquille's  urban renewal agency is urged to attend these meetings.  Chairman Loren Wiese assured the Sentinel that the public's  input would be given serious consideration.

At the URA's budget meeting on June 17th concerning  the 2009-2010 Urban Renewal budget tentative goals for  URA were published.  Provide funding for the city's riverwalk project $50,000.  Provide funding for the city's pool project $75,000.  Provide funding for the completion of road and improvements  to the GP mill site $150,000.  Other URA projects $22,678.  What is Urban Renewal?  Urban renewal is a way for municipalities  to avoid the negative consequences of urban  blight by renewing and revitalize neighborhoods  within the Urban Renewal district.  This is done by using Tax Incremental Funds (TIF).

TIF's  work in this way: Tax revenue that is generated by the  incremental increase in property value in the renewal area  can be used to fund improvements in the area being  renewed. Simply put, by renewing or improving neighborhoods  within the renewal district, property values go up,  thus generating tax revenue that is then used to renew other  areas in the urban renewal district. Past urban renewal projects  have included adding new awnings, new benches,  new sidewalk trash receptacles for pedestrians, and a color  coordinated exterior paint job. All of this is meant to  enhance the appearance of our downtown district to make it  more attractive to business people, developers, and consumers.

For instance, the Nosler Building on the corner of  Adams and 1st streets that houses the Eden Valley Health  Food store and apartments has benefited from urban renewal  projects by receiving a fresh coat of paint, new awnings  and new metal benches on the sidewalks.