Early last week the City Council of Redwood City unanimously approved an ordinance allowing the creation of a special assessment district for downtown Redwood City businesses. The community benefit improvement district would provide additional funding beyond city allowances for extra security, sidewalk cleaning and promotion.  The approval also allows creation of the boundaries and management structure to be certified by an engineer and back to the council later this year.

This proposed city ordinance calls for the petition for creation to be signed by property owners paying at least 30 percent of proposed assessments, with no one owner accounting for more than two-thirds of that 30 percent. Support for the CBID stems from the increasing population and popularity of downtown Redwood City along with a decreasing redevelopment agency, with the city only providing a baseline minimum of $2.5 million on maintenance and services, according to Economic Development Manager Sean Brooks.

Sequoia Realty Vice President Jeff Badstubner has heard “very positive” responses from owners towards the district plan, and calls it a continuation of the community’s support of the downtown precise plan. “The district is a way to not just maintain downtown, but continue growing it,” he states.