City of Batavia Manager Rachael Tabelski and Maintenance Superintendent Ray Tourt are seeking to “tap” into a funding source that has benefited the community in the past.
Tourt, in a memo to Tabelski dated July 22, advised that the Genesee Transportation Council and New York State Department of Transportation put out a call to municipalities wishing to apply for 2021 TAP (Transportation Alternative Program) grants.
Ranging from $500,000 to $5 million, these grants are earmarked for planning, design and construction projects that “address improvements to non-driver safety, access to public transit and enhance mobility,” Tourt wrote.
TAP initiatives are eligible for up to 80 percent federal funding with a 20 percent local share match.
According to the memo, the city has received TAP grants before, including one for its Pedestrian Way and Healthy Routes to Schools projects. This year’s funding, if received, would be used for improvements on Bank Street between Main Street and Washington Avenue.
Per the memo, that area has been identified in both the Downtown Revitalization Initiative proposals and City Centre Feasibility study “to promote economic prosperity corridor to promote accessibility to downtown.”
The project would include streetscape elements, pavement markings, signs, accessible ramps, additional crosswalks, pedestrian corner “bump-outs” and/or center median refuge.
The city has contracted with LaBella Associates of Rochester to prepare the grant application.
Tabelski has drafted a resolution for Monday night’s City Council Conference Meeting and (if approved) for voting at the Business Meeting afterwards. The Conference Meeting is scheduled for 7 o’clock at City Hall Council Board Room.
In other developments, Council:
- Will consider a resolution authorizing the city to act as lead agency for the State Environmental Quality Review for the renovation of Jackson Square – one of the city’s several DRI projects. Jackson Square is located between Jackson and Center Streets, next to Center Street Smoke House.
In a memo dated Aug. 3, Tabelski wrote that the city looks to complete the SEQR process and then notify “involved interested agencies” of the city’s intent to act as lead agency.
She is recommending that Council move the resolution from the Conference to the Business Meeting on Monday, approve it, and then for Council to move a resolution to issue a declaration at the Sept. 13 Business Meeting.
Tabelski wrote that design drawings from Architectural Resources of Buffalo are almost done, and construction is expected to begin at the end of October.
- Will consider several event requests, as follows:
Batavia Players/Main St. 56 Theater Holiday Craft & Gift Sale – Dec. 3-4, 10-11, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the City Centre concourse.
Great Lakes & Attica Central Model Railroad Club Picnic – Aug. 19 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Farrall Park.
Batavia Police Community Night Out – Oct. 10 at City Church St. Anthony’s Campus on Liberty Street.
Batavia Players/Main St. 56 Theater Summer Youth Theater – Aug. 27-29, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 27-28, and 2-4 p.m. on Aug. 29, at the City Centre stage.
GO ART! Art Festival – Sept. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the City Centre parking lot along Bank Street, featuring music, food trucks, beer tent, art vendors and demonstrations, dancing, theater and art walk.
Downtown Batavia Business Improvement District Wine Walk – Oct. 2 from 4-8 p.m. with 20 to 24 stops; a 21-and-over event for wine and cider tasting.
- Will hold a public hearing Monday night on the rezoning of 211 and 211 ½ East Main St. from P-2 (Planned Development) to C-3 (Commercial) in connection with the Healthy Living Campus project.
The city also is seeking lead agency status for the SEQR for this venture.
