Into The Weeds About Snider Plaza Maintenance
What’s up with those weeds in the pavement at Snider Plaza? That’s what Plaza Health Foods owner Max Fuqua wanted to know.
So, he took photos and sent them to University Park city officials and Park Cities People.
Turns out, they’re dead for a reason.
“The City recently treated the vegetation that is in your pictures, which is why the weeds have died,” City Manager Robbie Corder said in an emailed response to Fuqua this weekend. “Crews will follow up the treatment by trimming and collecting the dead plants. This is scheduled to occur next week.”
Fuqua said the weeds aren’t the only issue popping up in Snider Plaza.
“There also continues to be a problem with trash in the street and on the sidewalks,” he said in an email.
Fuqua said planning for Snider Plaza has been ongoing for years, but he wants it to be well maintained now.
“What I would like to see happen…we have all these plans for the future and there’s not a lot going on right now for the people who are using the plaza right now. I’d like to see things get better in the present day,” he said. “I would just like to see Snider Plaza treated on the same level as our city parks are because this is our downtown area.”
University Park City Manager Robbie Corder noted that, in Snider Plaza, public property includes the streets – street repair and maintenance, parking space striping, curb and gutter maintenance, and regulatory sign maintenance. Public property also includes the landscaping in medians and fountain area, where the city provides seasonal landscape color, fountain maintenance, and decorative pole banners.
“The City provides maintenance services to areas that are within public property. However, many areas that appear to be public are actually on private property, including many of the Plaza’s sidewalks. If there is a tripping hazard or a broken section of sidewalk, the City will repair it,” Corder said. “However, if sidewalk improvements are needed to address access issues to a private business, the private property owner is generally responsible. Trash receptacle(s) throughout the Plaza are maintained and emptied by the City. The City also has a contract with a street sweeper that routinely runs through the Plaza.”
Corder said he believes these issues highlight the need for a Public Improvement District (PID).
“Across the country, especially where the upkeep of public and private properties overlap, cities, owners and tenants are using this partnership tool to coordinate supervision of maintenance issues and address future needs and amenities,” he said. “Parking management and enforcement is another area of responsibility that is often coordinated through PID agreements.”
Corder said plans for Snider Plaza, including a PID concept, will be discussed in an August 4 city council meeting.
A PID is an additional tax on property owners which will then be passed on to the merchants. The merchants in Snider Plaza already pay their own rent, taxes and insurance as well as the property owner’s taxes and insurance. We pay to renovate the buildings and bring them up to code. If the sidewalks need fixing, the costs ultimately get passed to the merchants. We are the last ones who can afford yet another tax foisted upon us to pay for basic street services that we are already paying for. Most cities take pride in their downtown areas and try to make them attractive and inviting to visitors. Apparently that’s not a priority for University Park, unless the merchants pay for it.
It is totally inappropriate to raise taxes on the merchants in Snider Plaza in the middle of this pandemic when they are already struggling. Raising taxes will destroy our shopping because it will cause more merchants to go out of business.
I agree with the sentiments expressed by the two previous posters: now is definitely not the time to be imagining new taxes on the struggling business owners in Snider Plaza. Further, as a taxpayer and member of a five-generation Park Cities family, I value the historical feel of the Plaza. Tax funded efforts should be focused on meticulous upkeep. Any enhancements should be limited and pay deep respect to its place as a longtime centerpiece of the community.