
They should probably pay a little bit more, so we're looking at different tiers, which is not unusual. "We recognize there's value in having that front-street access (in the blocks of N. Kansas Avenue traditionally considered NOTO). Fine art, unique shops, activities, and all the mouth-watering food you could ever need NOTO offers over 40 outdoor public art murals and sculptures, with performance art regularly featured at Redbud Park. The NOTO organization is a 501(c)3 non-profit that serves to support and advocate for the NOTO Arts and Entertainment District. "Obviously, geography is important," Underwood said. The NOTO Arts and Entertainment District is the vibrant heartbeat of North Topeka. Part of the planning committee's job is to determine potential boundaries for a NOTO BID, and what businesses would be charged based on where they're located.


What makes a BID sustainable?įees levied against businesses within an improvement district are how BIDs provide services in a given area.Īccording to Underwood, there are about three dozen businesses situated within the NOTO arts district. "The service fee ordinance is also subject to a 45-day protest period," Hadfield said. That budget would identify fees levied against business owners within the improvement district and indicate what services such revenue would pay for. Wheatfield Village joins Topeka as the newest area for dining and. If no business owners within the potential NOTO improvement district file a protest, an advisory board would move forward with presenting a BID budget to the city council. Voyeur Nightclub, Raven Lounge, Pulse Night Club, NOTO Philadelphia, Rec & Royal. "After the hearing, the governing body will decide whether to create the BID, by passing an ordinance," Hadfield said. "The ordinance triggers a 45-day protest period by business owners within the BID." The Wheel Barrel is a small business located in the NOTO Arts District. "But generally, there's been very strong support in regards to we need to at least take a look at this." "We'll have a lot of details to work out," Underwood said. But the road ahead and when such a district might be created remains to be seen. The Topeka City Council took the first step this past week to make that BID a reality, unanimously approving the creation of a six-member planning committee to study the creation and implementation of a NOTO improvement district. Underwood and business owners in the district have engaged in conversations over the past year about the possibility of standing up a business improvement district, or BID, in NOTO, as they see it as a way to grow and enhance what the arts district offers. "Part of the challenge with that is, how do you support it?" said Tom Underwood, NOTO executive director.
#Noto topeka how to
That has sparked questions among members of the community about how to keep beautification projects in the arts district going long term. "We'll have to make sure it does the same thing we're trying to do with the ARPA funds, make sure it has a long life and can sustain itself.North Topeka's NOTO Arts & Entertainment District has placed greater emphasis in recent years on creating a destination for locals and visitors alike - but up to this point, such improvement efforts have largely been grassroots. "It won't be an ongoing $2 million add-on," Deputy Mayor Spencer Duncan said. Disclaimer: The City Clerks Office has the official version of the Topeka.
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"It's really a budget amendment, 'We got an extra 2 million bucks, and this is what we're gonna do with it.'"Ĭity officials said they hope the money sticks around for a while. The Topeka Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 20360, passed June 14, 2022. “(American Rescue Plan) money came through a lot of different federal departments," said Karen Hiller, District 1 council member. This funding was issued exclusively for housing and urban development use. The council also approved an amendment to the 2021 consolidated action plan, which added $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding. “And so it went through, and everything is fine.” 2021 consolidated action plan amended

”I feel it really makes a difference that we were able to rectify the situation, say let's go and correct it,” Valdivia-Alcala said.

However, the ordinance was reviewed and amended before Tuesday's meeting. Upon review, Valdivia-Alcala and the council learned that "not all the channels had been gone through" when preparing the implementation of the ordinance. The oversight was first noticed by Andy Fry, chairman of Complete Streets advisory committee. "I don't feel like I'm an excuse maker at all, but it is busy.” "I don't think it's something that happens very often," Valdivia-Alcala said.
