Chambana Sun

Champaign City Council met Sept. 12.

Here is the minutes provided by the Council:

COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Alicia Beck, Angie Brix, Tom Bruno, Clarissa Fourman, Matthew Gladney, William Kyles, Vanna Pianfetti, Greg Stock, Mayor Feinen,

COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None

STAFF PRESENT: Dorothy Ann David, City Manager; Fred Stavins, City Attorney; Tina Ansong, Associate Planner; Matthew Roeschley, Deputy City Manager; Kathryn Cataldo, Assistant City Attorney

OTHERS PRESENT: Don Elmore, Executive Director, Small Business Development Center

TIME STARTED: 7:00 p.m.

MINUTE APPROVAL: None

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

SMALL BUSINESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM UPDATE [SS 2017-034]

City Manager David briefly noted the Small Business Incentive Program (SBIP) was done in partnership with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and is funded with sales tax revenues. Staff will provide an update of the SBIP program, its success and lessons learned, and how to move forward.

Staff Presentation: Planner Ansong’s presentation included the following topics:

• Background of the SBIP (plus trends and statistics)

• Round Table Meetings (including stakeholders)

• Current Program Structure (Education - $1,000, Finance, Marketing, Legal – Total - $7,500)

• Levels of Funding (Standard - 50%, Financial Need – 75%, Targeted Neighborhood – 75%, Maximum - $8,500 Any One Applicant)

• Targeted Neighborhoods

• Need Based Assistance (1-8 People with Median Family Income (MFI) and 50% MFI)

• Eligible Applicants

• Eligible Providers

• Program Performance

• Complete List of Enrolled Businesses

• Program Demographics

• Service Providers (Marketing, Finance, Legal)

• Program Spending

• Program Impacts & Assessment

• Opportunities for Improvement

➢ Access to Capital

➢ Lack of Measurable Outcomes:

o Example Business Plan Funding Proposal

➢ No Standards for Marketing Professionals

➢ No Standards for Education Providers

➢ Limited Availability of Service Providers

➢ Lack of Clear Criteria for Denying Reimbursements

➢ Perception of Limited Counseling Options

Director Elmore’s presentation included the following topics:

• Small Business Development Center (SBDC)– Program Partner

• SBDC’s Role

(Note: Information on how to obtain staff’s written report on this subject is provided below.)

Action Recommended: The Administration requested Council direct staff to update the Small Business Incentive Program and future City Council meeting.

Council Members’ Technical Questions: Council Members’ technical questions included the following topics: provides or partners registration, and ability to add later; Justine Petersen capital funding potential solution; partner problems, set or confirm an hourly rate; survey response and tying funding to survey completion; registration and requiring matrix completion; what happened with counseling agencies; working with other agencies; providing a list of approved counselors and service providers at intake; and number of businesses to survey, or that can be accommodated, based on remaining funding.

(Note: Information on how to view video and audio recordings of the full Council Meeting is provided below.)

Public Input: The following member of the audience spoke regarding the SBIC and SBDC:

Lori Moon, 505 W. University Ave., Suite Rebecca Patterson, Champaign

Council General Discussion: Council Members discussion included the following topics: appreciate the update and having data; expanding the definition of education; importance of an on-line component; use of Justine Petersen regarding capital expenses; continuing to work together as a community; importance of conducting and requiring surveys; need for work site visits and monitoring; importance of demographic information; providing list of counselors; concern with staff time invested and consider an outside agency for the program; helping those that need access, and having a program that works for all; appreciate staff efforts and their honesty regarding need for changes; need to address additional funding in the future; importance of providers being within the City; and successes with existing businesses that have gone through the program.

Poll: Mayor Feinen polled Alternative 1 directing staff to update the Small Business Incentive Program after addressing any Council comments and bring the final program policy back to City Council for approval, within current budget. The result of the poll was 9 ayes and 0 nays.

Mayor Feinen called for a five-minute break at 8:17 p.m. prior to the next agenda item. Council Members reconvened at 8:24 p.m.

LIQUOR CODE REVISIONS [SS 2017-035]

Mayor Feinen noted potential changes to the liquor code has been discussed over the past couple of years, based on active administration of the code and the fact that the code has not been updated for more than a decade. Some code clean-up is needed with many added sections and new sections suggested.

Staff Presentation: Deputy City Manager Roeschley’s presentation including the following topics:

• License Categories –

➢ Grocery Café Rider

➢ Stadium/Arena License

➢ Farmer’s Market License

➢ Temporary License for Public Events on Private Property

• “CAP” on Class A/AP

➢ Current Citywide cap is 60; 63 issued

➢ Campus district cap is 10: 13 issued

➢ Expand or eliminate Citywide cap

➢ Opportunity for prospective or current licensees

➢ Personal privilege, not property

➢ No proposal to expand or eliminate campus area cap

• Restaurant Regulations

➢ Liquor sales in establishments licensed as restaurants must not exceed 40% of total food & liquor sales

➢ Intent is to ensure liquor sales incidental to service of meals, food

➢ Can be difficult to maintain

➢ Propose to regulate operations instead of sales Liquor sales must be during hours when meals are served unless licensed Restaurant & Tavern; license would permit additional hours for liquor service in bar area

➢ Replace Class R-1 & Class R-2 categories with one restaurant category, a separate “restaurant and tavern” category for restaurants that wish to extend liquor sales beyond meal service hours

➢ “Restaurant and tavern” category would create a new license tier between restaurants and taverns

➢ “Restaurant and tavern” license for non-campus area only

• Basset Training Requirement

➢ Include BASSET provisions in Liquor Code

➢ Reduce State’s 120-day grace period for new employees

➢ Address temporary employees, promotional servers

• Downtown Community Event Area

➢ Would permit possession of and consumption from open containers on public way

➢ Limited duration

➢ Would clarify rules for Downtown visitors and patrons

➢ Could be done in conjunction with certain special events

➢ Would not permit open containers purchased outside designated area or package liquor

➢ Designated plastic cups

• Other Proposed Changes

➢ Revise and clarify southern boundary of campus district

➢ Removal of resealed wine bottles

➢ Remove residency requirements

➢ Address late applications for Class T licenses

➢ Clarify proration of fees for license riders

• Next Steps and Alternatives –

➢ Next week discuss video gaming which includes some liquor licensing.

1. Direct staff to prepare and present revisions to the Liquor Code consistent with direction provided by Council.

2. Do not direct staff to prepare and present revisions to the Liquor Code as discussed herein and provide alternate direction to staff.

Assistant Attorney Cataldo’s presentation included the following topics (core components of the liquor code with history, and why changes are being proposed):

• Liquor Code Basics –

➢ (Cap on Class 1/AP licenses; Class R sales food/liquor ratio requirement; License classifications; Campus district – separate standards)

• Why Changes – (Allow new businesses, address administrative changes, and be more responsive to the changing nature of the City)

➢ Reduce barriers to competition

(Note: Information on how to obtain staff’s written report on this subject is provided below.)

Action Recommended: The Administration requested Council direction to prepare and present amendments to the Liquor Code consistent with those discussed in this report, incorporating Council input, for review at a future Study Session.

Council Members’ Technical Questions and General Comments: Council Members’ technical questions included the following topics: clarification of the difference in the current versus proposed stadium and arena license, would it be event by event; Basset training grace period reduction; would the grocery/café license be for designated areas in the store; designated plastic cups for the downtown event area, and possible impact on enforcement; considering the plastic cups as a permanent change; difference in a R-1 and R-2 to a restaurant and restaurant/tavern; communicating the designated area for a community event; was the increase in the cap from 46 to 60 the result of development, population change, or other factors to determine the cap; population difference in 2004 and now; definition of stadium, now or to be defined; farmer’s market include the entire market or by specific vendor; consideration of a late fee for late Class T applications; consideration of signage requirements in place of creating an actual event district; would food trucks be incorporated with these recommendations; can food trucks operate like a pedal bus, and would a case by case basis for food trucks be considered; and if an expanded cap versus no cap is considered, how will the barriers to licenses be addressed.

(Note: Information on how to view video and audio recordings of the full Council Meeting is provided below.)

Public Input: The following members of the audience addressed proposed liquor code changes:

Gordon Tracy, 1325 West Ridge Lane

Eric Green, 714 W. Washington

Council General Discussion: Council Members’ general comments included the following topics: ensuring code revisions are reflective of what is best for future activity and not a specific person or business; non-support of an event-district creation; need to consider enforcement issues, and possible economic impact; need for hours and education in relation to community event, need for boundaries and to be very clear to all participants; need for criteria in determining a license cap; need to be open minded regarding the recommended changes; concern with the trash aspect in relation to plastic cup use and need for additional receptacles; importance of education and communication; concern with alcohol throughout a store and not a designated area; brief history regarding alcohol and drinking age; need to have a compelling reason to regulate; use of food trucks in the proposed plaza, creating barriers to business, consider reducing or simplifying the number of categories, and basset training concerns; expanding licenses based on new business models; branding downtown; compare right-of-way issues to other communities; need for criteria in adjusting caps (population, geographics); and leveling the playing field.

Poll: Mayor Feinen polled Alternative One directing staff to prepare and present revisions to the Liquor Code, largely consistent with the changes discussed in the report, incorporating Council input, for review at a future Study Session. The result of the poll was 9 ayes and 0 nays.

Audience Participation: None

Council and City Manager Comments:

CM Gladney addressed an upcoming forum on September 14, 2017, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at McKinley Presbyterian Church at 5th and John, for CU Fresh Start to focus on gun violence in the community. In addition, he noted this weekend is Pride Fest in downtown Champaign with events all weekend including the Pride Fest parade, Saturday, September 16, at 4:00 p.m.

CM Stock thanked the Neighborhood Services Department for a successful beginning to the Government 101 course which began last night.

City Manager David noted the request of the administration to adjourn to closed session to discuss pending litigation.

Adjournment: CM Stock, seconded by CM Gladney, moved to adjourn to Closed Session to discuss pending litigation, followed by adjournment. A roll-call vote was taken; all voted yes.

The meeting adjourned at 10:03 p.m.

http://documents.ci.champaign.il.us/v/0BxXlsxmGBHseVHZfdUlZVG5talE