Belleville DDA considers shuttle, food trucks, community garden

The Belleville Downtown Development Authority considered new capital improvements that could be considered during the upcoming budget preparations.
At its March 15 meeting, DDA Coordinator Carol Thompson asked for ideas to add to the potential projects list approved last year.
Treasurer Sabrina Richardson Williams wanted to add food trucks and Thompson said she had a folder on that.
Thompson said the planning commission would have to set up an ordinance on food trucks and, “We do want people to continue to support our restaurants.” She acknowledged it is a growing business.
“We have plenty of space,” Williams said, noting food trucks could be used during special occasions and with the car show.
DDA member Jim Higgerson said the city needs more trash receptacles and Thompson said DDA Director Rick Rutherford gave her a catalog with two kinds of receptacles to consider. She noted that one of the city’s receptacles got hit by a car.
DDA member Denise Baker asked about kayak rentals and Thompson said she has found they’d have to have a entrepreneur who could earn a profit. She said there are a limited number on the Huron River now.
Thompson said she went to a workshop in Oakland County on the subject and learned that public/private partnerships are good. She said they could put out a request for proposals. Last time, the DDA was approached by a vendor. She said they should discuss this first before going out for proposals.
Planning Commissioner Kelly Bates stated from the audience that she was interested in a community garden at the vacant lot at Village Park.
Councilman Tom Fielder said the museum wants the front and back combined and has submitted the request to Van Buren Township. He said maybe the DDA could join with them for enhanced use of that area.
A request was made to help the Iron Belle Trail go through town, since VBT has a grant to help the trail get to Belleville City limits from the east. Thompson said that was out of the DDA district.
DDA chairwoman Rosemary Loria said it could be put on the list for discussion.
Williams said the city needs a grocery store. She asked if they could get an Aldi’s satellite.
Thompson said there has been talk of a trolley/shuttle to VBT and back and they could look at an electric shuttle. She said it could be a partnership with businesses and they could talk to the VBT DDA about this. She said it could go from Columbia Court up to the shopping in VBT.
She said she has a folder with pictures of shuttles available at costs from $25,000 to $75,000. They would need a partner to provide it out of the DDA district, she said.
Councilman Fielder said he rides the trolley during Strawberry Festival to tell riders about the festival and there is standing room only on the trolley now. He said the ridership over the last three years has gone up exponentially.
Parks and Recreation Committee member Jeff Vernon said they have often said they want a walkable community and, “How does that work with riding a trolley?”
“They can come and stay for awhile,” said Thompson. “It’s providing connectivity.”
“Logistically, we would have to work it out,” chairwoman Loria said.
DDA member Jim Chudzinski said he just got back from New Orleans and they had a hop-on bus where you jumped on and jumped off wherever you wanted and then jumped back on for another ride. He said Belleville could have such a bus driving all over the city to carry people around and maybe charge a quarter a ride.
“In my travels, I’ve picked up renewed vision,” said Williams, who recently retired.
In other business at the March 15 meeting, the DDA:
• Heard a report by Kelly Howey of Plante Moran on the two-page DDA audit that is part of the 50-page city audit. She said the complete audit by Alan C. Young has an “unqualified opinion,” the highest possible. Fielder said the city now has an A+ rating and Howey said, “That’s not easy to do in this economy we’re in”;
• Heard Paul Henning from the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce give a report on last December’s Winter Fest, which the DDA supports financially. He said this was the largest Winter Fest so far. He said Santa was brought in by helicopter and they won’t do that again because there were so many logistics. He said those who provided the ice sculptures made a mistake on the cost and the chamber made some money on the sculptures because they had the cost in black and white. He said they got ice slabs instead of sculptures last year to cut the cost, but they’ll be going back to sculptures;
• Heard Vernon announce that a Pre-Earth Day Celebration will be held April 21 on South Street with 15 participants setting up tables and handing out information. US Ecology is making special handouts for children. The event is sponsored by Sugar Plum Candy Shoppe and Our Father’s Child Daycare; and
• Heard Thompson remind members that the fourth-annual Belleville SOUP Project will be held March 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Belleville High School Commons. Students from BHS New Tech will present their ideas for downtown Belleville projects and community members, who paid $15 each for tickets to the supper, will vote for the winning project. The DDA will present $500 to the top project.