Efforts to create a Property and Business Improvement District, also known as a PBID, are moving into the next major phase in Downtown Lodi. After months of planning, outreach, research, and discussions with property owners and stakeholders, petitions are expected to begin going out soon as supporters work toward officially forming the district.

The proposed PBID would cover key commercial areas along portions of Sacramento Street, School Street, and Church Street. The goal of the PBID is simple. Property owners are working together to create a funding source that would provide additional services focused on keeping downtown clean, safe, attractive, and economically strong.

PBIDs are used in cities throughout California to support business districts through services that go beyond what cities are typically able to provide. According to project documents, the Downtown Lodi PBID would focus heavily on cleanliness, public safety, beautification, marketing, and economic development.

The process to create the PBID officially began earlier this year with the hiring of Sacramento-based consulting firm MMS Strategies. The consulting team was brought in to guide the formation process, conduct outreach, develop plans for assessment, and manage the petition and ballot process.

MMS also created a detailed property database using information from the city and county assessor records. That database is now being used to track outreach efforts and prepare for the petition process.

Over the last several months, the consulting team has conducted outreach meetings with property owners, business owners, and civic leaders to gather feedback about priorities for the district. One-on-one meetings were also used to better understand concerns, identify goals, and measure support for the PBID.

That feedback helped shape the draft Management District Plan, called an MDP for short. The document outlines the proposed district boundaries, services, budget, governance structure, and assessment methodology.

Under the current draft plan, the PBID would generate approximately $415,000 annually during its first year. The largest portion of the budget, about 65%, would go toward “Clean and Safe” services. These services could include items such as sidewalk cleaning, graffiti removal, illegal dumping removal, security patrols, landscaping, lighting improvements, and public art.

Another portion of the budget would support marketing and economic development efforts designed to attract visitors, customers, and investment into downtown. Proposed efforts include branding, banners, digital campaigns, special events, seasonal promotions, and business spotlight campaigns.

The PBID would also have an owners’ association, governed by a nonprofit board primarily made up of assessed property owners. The organization would oversee operations, budgets, reporting, and service delivery. PBIDs are subject to the Brown Act, which means that meetings are mandatorily open to the public and the PBID would have to report their budget and performance every year to the Lodi City Council.

Now the process is entering one of the most important stages, the petition phase.

The petition will be released and supported by a website that will include the Management District Plan, assessment information, maps, and fact sheets explaining the proposal. Consultants will then work directly with property owners to answer questions and encourage participation in the process.

If enough support is gathered through the petitions, the process would move into a formal ballot phase managed through public hearings and voting procedures required under California law.

Supporters of the PBID believe the district could become an important long-term investment in Downtown Lodi’s future. Project materials point to the success of PBIDs in other California cities where districts have helped improve safety, cleanliness, business retention, tourism, and economic activity.

For many involved in the process, the effort is about creating a stronger and more coordinated approach to maintaining and promoting downtown as Lodi continues to grow.

With petitions circulating this week, downtown property owners have an opportunity to formally weigh in on whether they want to move the PBID effort forward into the next phase. You can learn more about the PBID by going to www.lodichamber.com/PBID