Manteca Mayor Gary Singh is optimistic that an independent business improvement district could get traction to help move downtown forward.

That’s because, by his calculations, the City of Manteca as the largest downtown landowner, would likely contribute $50,000 a year.

Singh said the goal is make it possible for downtown businesses and property owners to shape their own destiny. Meanwhile, the city world address larger issues such as traffic circulation and how it fits into the need to make sure communitywide circulation needs as are addressed as well.

The independent district approach has been used in the region — Tracy, Livermore, and Pleasanton among others — to give merchants, restaurants, and others the resources they needed to make their respective downtowns appealing and safe as well as marketing what is available to potential customers.

A similar attempt in 2016 to form such a district went nowhere.

That 2016 effort known simply as the “Downtown Manteca Plan,” was fashioned by the Manteca Chamber of Commerce after talking with various businesses, property owners and potential investors eyeing downtown.

The goals of the 2016 proposal covered:

*code enforcement, façade improvements, parking, sidewalk cleaning, and any other items the board determines would enhance the area and make it more attractive for customers and possible tenants.
*developing and implementing events to attract people to the downtown area.
*working with the city to determine the mix of businesses that would be able to open in the downtown area.
*developing a name and a logo for the downtown district to help establish and brand the new area that would be identified as downtown.
*developing a yearly budget for the downtown.
Under the 2016 plan a proposed Downtown Manteca Board would be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the designated downtown area.

 The Manteca City Council in the 2016 proposal would have worked to establish the Manteca Business Improvement District. The city would collect all fees and transfer them to the BID. The city would remain responsible for cleaning, code enforcement, and maintenance on all city property in the downtown area.

The Manteca Chamber of Commerce envisioned working with the BID board in promoting the downtown area as well as provide office and meeting space as necessary.
A BID proposal floated years before 2016 by the city went nowhere as well when it failed to get critical traction from businesses and property owners.

BID efforts are funded by fees assessed annually on businesses and property owners.

The current BID effort is in the exploratory stage.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com