Traverse City commissioners will discuss allowing flashing lights on the Bijou by the Bay marquee and establishing a new tax increment financing (TIF) plan to replace the expiring TIF 2 district at their 7pm study session tonight (Monday) at the Governmental Center.

The board voted in January to have staff study the possibility of allowing blinking lights on the Bijou sign and come back with a recommendation. Blinking/running lights are prohibited within the city now, with the exception of buildings like the State Theatre that have been grandfathered in because they predate the ordinance. In a memo to commissioners, City Planning Director Russ Soyring recommends that if the board wants to change the ordinance to accommodate the Bijou's request, "standards should be put in place to restrict such signs to movie and live theaters." Soyring also recommends that blinking marquees be "limited geographically to places within the community that have a rich diversity of entertainment uses, such as downtown Traverse City." 

If passed, the new ordinance could allow for blinking signs at other local venues downtown, such as the Old Town Playhouse and City Opera House.

Commissioners tonight will also hear a presentation from Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Executive Director Rob Bacigalupi on a proposal to establish a new TIF plan downtown. Commissioners voted last June to "reset" the base of the TIF 2 district, meaning property values would be re-established at today's rates, with taxes only captured on new increases going forward. In a memo to the board, Bacigalupi outlines a timeline for establishing and passing a new plan by October, a process that would include identifying new public improvement projects to be paid for by captured TIF dollars. Bacigalupi highlighted Old Town and portions of Eighth Street as areas that could be targeted for improvement under the new plan.