City Council approves assistance for relocating businesses

Louisville City Council unanimously approved Business Assistance Program incentives so that businesses do not have to relocate outside of city limits.

Council voted 6-0 Tuesday night to pass the amendment. Councilmember Caleb Dickinson was not in attendance.

Community Development Director Rob Zucarro proposed the amendment to BAP funding during Tuesday’s council meeting. He said that the BAP funding should also apply to Louisville businesses that need to relocate due to unforeseen circumstances.

He said that BAP needed Louisville businesses to grow in order to qualify for assistance and that aid was not accessible for those that need to relocate. Zucarro added that businesses may receive aid to relocate to nearby communities, but that the amendment creates an incentive for them to stay in Louisville by providing BAP rebate assistance.

Eric Lund, Louisville chamber of commerce executive director, said that keeping businesses in Louisville is critical.

“We really want to keep our businesses here and not have them move to other communities,” Lund said.

Economic Vitality Specialist Austin Brown said that there isn’t a cap currently on the assistance a business receives.

Councilmember Chris Leh said that BAP does not give businesses money, but instead they receive a rebate on certain taxes in the event that they generate money. Leh said there is no benefit for the business unless it preforms well.

Councilmember Maxine Most said that the term “unforeseen circumstance,” pertaining to businesses relocating, needed more clarification. However, Zucarro stated that the language is included for businesses which may have to relocate for situations that are not from the loss of a lease, such as fire, flood or mold damage.

Mayor Dennis Maloney said that the amendment is well needed. He said that attracting new businesses to Louisville is more expensive than keeping current ones.

Zucarro said that the amendment was initiated after Creative Framing sent a BAP application after needing to relocate following the sale of the property and Creative Framing’s owner was not given a chance to renew the lease.