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A. The Environmental Advisory Council Bylaws will be drafted and adopted by City Council.
B. If at any time the established bylaws are determined to be at conflict with EAC activities or impose too great a set of constraints, the EAC may request City Council amend the bylaws. The request, along with specific recommendations, must be submitted to City Council in writing. Upon receiving a request for amendment, City Council will meet with representatives of the EAC to discuss the request. Amendments to the EAC bylaws must be approved by City Council through resolution.
C. City Council reserves the right to amend the bylaws of the EAC through the adoption of subsequent resolutions.
A. In addition to those required by law, the EAC may hold public hearings when the EAC and City Council decide that such hearings will be in the public interest.
B. Except as required by law, notice of the time and place of such hearings, when on matters of widespread interest, shall be published in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the territorial jurisdiction of the hearing, not earlier than two weeks prior to the hearing. For matters of limited territorial interest, notice shall be given in such manner as is deemed appropriate by the EAC.
C. The matter before the EAC shall be presented in summary by some person designated by the Chair, and parties in interest shall have privilege of the floor.
D. No record or statement shall be recorded or sworn to by the EAC as evidence for any court of law without notice to the parties mentioned in the record or statement.
E. A record shall be kept of those speaking before the EAC at such hearings.
F. Copies of all testimony and other evidence provided at a public hearing must be forwarded to the City Clerk's Office at the conclusion of the hearing.
A. No part of this Part 11 shall prohibit the Reading Environmental Advisory Council from cooperating with similar organizations in other jurisdictions.
B. In the interest of efficiency, the Reading Environmental Advisory Council may wish to form a joint board with other jurisdictions. Any merger shall be treated as an amendment of this Part 11 requiring the approval of City Council.
Part 12
Downtown Revitalization Public Private Partnership 18
Downtown Revitalization Public Private Partnership 18
[Adopted 7-23-2018 by Ord. No. 41-2018]
18. Former Chapter 23, Part 12, Main Street Program Board, repealed by Ord. No. 40-2018, adopted 7-23-2018.
[Amended 10-8-2018 by Ord. No. 66-2018; 8-9-2021 by Ord. 60-2021]
The City Council recognizes the need to increase the economic momentum in the Central Business District of the City of Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania (the "City") in and around Penn Street. The City desires to partner with the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) and use the resources and ability of the GRCA to administer an economic development strategy and initiatives including but not limited to the Main Street Program that will 1) promote a sense of community and unified purpose, 2) assure the historic continuity of the City's architectural heritage, 3) improve the image and perception of the City to residents and visitors and 4) strengthen economic rejuvenation of property and commerce for the benefit of all.
The Downtown Revitalization Public Private Partnership is hereby authorized and shall consist of nine voting members, serving voluntarily, to serve four year staggered terms, as follows:
• A member of City Council, initially serving a two year term, selected and appointed by City Council
• A representative of the Mayor's administration, initially serving a two year term, selected and appointed by the Mayor
• A representative of a large business, initially serving a four year term, selected and appointed by City Council
• A representative of a small business, initially serving a four year term, selected and appointed by the Mayor
• Two representatives from private entities, initially serving three and four year terms respectively, selected and appointed by the GRCA
• One citizen, who must be a City resident who is not employed, appointed or elected to any government position, initially serving a three year term, selected and appointed by the Mayor
•
The City of Reading Designated Downtown Coordinator
• The Executive Director of Downtown Revitalization, who shall be employed by the GRCA
Each appointing entity shall have the ability to select and appoint an alternate member who shall have the same term as the full member to attend meetings and participate in the member's absence.
Any appointment made after the effective date of the October 8, 2018 amendment that does not comply with any of the requirements and conditions as stated herein shall be considered null and void.
The membership shall elect the positions of Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary annually at their January meeting.
A. Chair. The Chair shall preside at all meetings and shall have the duties and powers normally vested in the Office of Chair. He/she shall enforce the bylaws and regulations of and be the official spokesperson of the public-private partnership, along with the Executive Director.
B. Vice-Chair. The Vice-Chair shall carry out the Chair's duties in case of absence, incapacity, or resignation.
C. Secretary. The Secretary will be responsible for keeping the official minutes of the public-private partnership. The monthly minutes, agenda and reports shall be provided to the City of Reading City Clerk, after they are approved by the Board.
D. Program Manager. The Executive Director of Downtown Revitalization, will be employed by the GRCA, shall be the Program Manager, responsible to the Public Private Partnership for carrying out its Revitalization Program.
A comprehensive approach to downtown revitalization involves aesthetics, business creation, business retention, and housing possibilities – all creating a healthy and economically vibrant downtown. The public private partnership shall focus on building a stronger downtown community through a five-year strategic plan including the Main Street program's four point approach of Organization, Promotion, Design and Economic Restructuring.
The Downtown Revitalization Public Private Partnership shall involve government officials, business organizations, and property owners to:
• Implement an effective business strategy to recruit appropriate small and large businesses;
• Encourage the development of new housing in the upper levels of commercial properties to strengthen the social and economic vitality of the downtown;
• Undertake community renewal programs at the local level;
• Facilitate an effective planning process that ensures that capital investments of public funds will enhance the aesthetics and economics of the commercial district through appropriate design that respects the historic architecture of the target area;
• Develop strategies, to update zoning requirements and building code requirements that may discourage economic reinvestment;
• Promote economic activity through a coordinated outreach and communication strategy to publicize activities;
• Measure and evaluate progress in meeting established goals.
• Preserve significant or historic buildings and provide an environment that attracts new investment to enable the adaptive reuse of these buildings for new Main Street enterprises;
• Develop effective communication with existing downtown merchants and residents:
• Develop a coordinated marketing effort to attract investments, prospective businesses, and new residents.
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