Redevelopment Commission Packet 11.14.24 - Signed

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CITY OF SOUTH BEND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING – October 24 , 2024 4 Upon a motion by Vivian Sallie for approval, seconded by David Relos, the motion carried unanimously; the Commission approved the lease agreement as presented on October 24, 2024. 3. Second Amendment (Tree Nursery Agreement) Joseph Molnar, Assistant Director of Growth & Opportunity, presented a second amendment agreement. In 2017 the RDC and Parks Board established a scattered lot urban tree nursery program near Lincoln Park neighborhood. Currently new locations are needed and for economic reasons, one site would be a better use of resources. This amendment would discontinue the scattered sites and move trees without taking them prematurely and will plant and maintain the new urban tree nursery program and assume all expenses and fees related to the nursery. Mr. Molnar presented an aerial view of the proposed site called the Half Moon lot in Ignition Park. Barbara Dale, Project Manager with the Office of Sustainability stated she worked on the USDA US Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry grant that the city received for $1.87 million to expand our Urban Tree nursery program. Ms. Dale recommends changing the scope of the original agreement to condense and improve the efficiency of the program. Tina Patton wanted to clarify, are the trees being taken away from disadvantaged areas. Mr. Molnar stated that in the past, the trees were planted on vacant lots and now they will be consolidated to one place to allow for housing development and trees could be available and planted in these areas and low urban tree canopy neighborhoods. Ms. Dale confirmed that they are not taken away from disadvantaged areas. Caleb Bauer stated that, the goal is, instead of growing the trees in small lots all over the city and then having people go and eventually move them off those lots, we're consolidating the young trees into one area. Once they're at a maturity level, they can be made available to residents as part of Venues, Parks and Arts tree program or as part of the USDA program, making trees more broadly available to residents. Upon a motion by David Relos for approval, seconded by Vivian Sallie, the motion carried unanimously; the Commission approved the second amendment as presented on October 24, 2024. 4. Budget Request (Continental Divide Trail) Tim Corcoran, Chief Planner, presented a budget request for $150,000 to support a joint County-City initiative. This professional service will explore the feasibility of a shared use trail on the West side of South Bend called the Continental Divide Trail. Commissioner Relos asked