Many have said over the years that we need to make Woodstock more attractive to visitors both thru town beautification projects and by creating and promoting more events. Volunteers do much to help this process but there is rarely enough time or money. So, how do other do other communities solve this? Often by creating a Business Improvement District which collects a small amount of money from each and every single business within the agreed upon area. Business & property owners within that area then decide how best to use that money to make the area more attractive to visitors.

 

What is a Business Improvement District?
An entity that can be used to beautify and promote Woodstock or do special projects for the community.

How does it work?
A small amount (e.g.less then a dollar a day) is collected from each and every business in the existing commercial district to yield, in this example, $37,000. Collection would be via an add-on to property tax. Bigger business properties would pay a larger share then smaller business properties.

Who administers it?
B.I.D. is administered by a board consisting of Business Owners, Property owners, town officials & residents of the district. (See Legal)

Where would it be?
Very likely would be quite similar to the existing commercial district (more or less) which runs along Route 212 from roughly 375 to the Cinema and extends very roughly 300 feet on either side of Route 212. (See map)

 

Pros
Cons
    A good way to build, over years, a reserve fund for major district wide projects such as artist-made street lighting poles with underground utilities.

   Could become just another contentious bureaucracy that moves at a snails pace.

 

 

 

 

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