(A) Facade Grant Program. The Facade Grant Program promotes the maintenance and rehabilitation of all buildings/businesses within the city limits of Union City, Indiana. The City Council may provide a matching grant process through the following guidelines.
(B) Qualifying facade projects. To qualify for a facade grant project the proposed project shall meet the following criteria, maintain historic and/or architectural integrity:
(1) Preserve and/or restore architectural features;
(2) Use material and/or colors that compliments the building architecture and/or community identity;
(3) Consider the entire building;
(4) Take cues from neighboring buildings;
(5) Maintain continuity with character of district (i.e. storefront retail, etc.);
(6) Improve or maintain interest and appeal at street level; and
(7) Expand or maintain visual access to building interiors.
(C) Funding guidelines.
(1) Facade grant will provide matching funds up to $10,000 per building project addressing exterior maintenance or upgrades to the facility.
(2) Smaller facade grant projects can be matched up to 50% of the total proposed amount.
(3) Examples:
(a) Facade estimates of $20,000, the City Council potentially can award a grant of up to $10,000.
(b) Facade estimates of $5,000, the City Council potentially can award a grant of up to $2,500.
(c) Facade estimates of $40,000, the City Council potentially can award a grant of up to $10,000.
(D) General application guidelines.
(1) All facade projects, shall include but not be limited to, a group of activities done together as a single project, for example, painting, exterior rehabilitation or structural repair, window replacement, and entryways.
(2) A maximum of one facade grant application, per building address, per calendar year will be accepted, with no more than two annual successive awards per building, not including sign requests. If an applicant is awarded two successive awards, they will not be eligible to apply for another grant, on the same awarded address, for a period of three years.
(E) Facade grant application procedure. The City Council will accept applications year-round, using the following process:
(1) Applicant contacts City Manager for a pre-application consultation.
(2) Applicant obtains a minimum of two estimates, from licensed contractors, and presented for application.
(3) Applicant submits facade grant application online found under the 'Online Application Form' on the city webpage, (unioncity-in.com) attaching photo of existing facade, photo/illustration/sketch of proposed project, and written estimate from contractor. A letter of permission from the building owner is required if the applicant is not the building owner.
(4) The City Council shall review the application, prior to formal presentation, to ensure it complies with the harmony of the neighboring area, meets expectations of the program, and is appropriate with the preservation of historic features of the structure.
(5) The application shall be placed on the City Council agenda for a formal presentation. This shall allow the property owner/occupant to have two-way communication with the City Council and answer questions concerning their application. Depending on a multitude of factors, this may or may not be a competitive process. It is highly recommended that the presentation be well prepared and thought out to completely demonstrate how this project benefits all parties involved. The City Manager can assist with preparation of your presentation if needed.
(6) Upon the awarding of a City Council grant an acceptance letter shall be issued by the City Council outlining the specific dollar amount of the grant. The acceptance letter shall be signed by the recipient, returned to the City Council within ten calendar days.
(7) Upon completion of the project, the applicant shall notify the City Manager that the project has been completed. The City Manager shall schedule a tour of the facade project confirming the completion. Applicant shall provide copies of all invoices, receipts, and expenditures at this time. Notification of the completion shall be made to the City Council, and the project shall be placed on the next scheduled Council meeting agenda with the purpose of authoring the payment of the grant award.
(F) Conditions and terms of grant. The work for facade projects must be done in a manner consistent with the description of such work in the application submitted to the Facade Committee for the grant request.
(G) Project duration. Unless otherwise approved, all projects must be completed within one year of approval. Incomplete projects result in a forfeiture of funds. Grant recipients may request an extension. Extensions may be approved by the City Council if substantial progress is demonstrated.
(H) Permitting and approval. All work to be performed on the grant recipient's building must comply with Union City ordinances, codes, and regulations. It is the sole responsibility of the grant recipient to obtain any and all zoning clearances, variances, permits, and approvals. Contact the Randolph County Area Planning Office to ascertain what approvals will be required for the project.
(Ord. 2020-23, passed 10-26-20)