The Cloverdale Business Improvement Association (CBIA) mandate has been renewed for another three years.
Surrey City Council voted to approve Corporate Report R046 at its regular council meeting March 10. The report, from city manager Rob Costanzo, recommended council approve the renewal—which triggered the city clerk to bring forward the Cloverdale Business Improvement Area Bylaw, 2025, No. 21452, for final adoption—after the renewal was not voted down in a recent Council Initiative process for property owners within the Cloverdale BIA boundaries.
“The Council Initiative process is a means of consultation where if at least half of the property owners, representing at least 50 per cent of the assessed value of land and improvements in the BIA area register their dissent within 30 days of notification, the process would not proceed,” Costanzo noted.
As part of the Council Initiatives process, notices of renewal were mailed out to owners of both Class 5 and 6 properties within the BIA boundaries (see image above) in Cloverdale. The notices included both the estimated tax levy amount over the next three years and a petition form—with a Feb. 20 deadline for the form.
“The purpose of this notification was to inform the impacted property owners of the City's intention to renew the Cloverdale BIA for a three-year term,” Costanzo explained. “Recipients were advised of the 30-day period during which they could petition against the proposed renewal of the Cloverdale BIA.”
Roughly 155 property owners fall into the Cloverdale BIA catchment area and would be subject ot the BIA levy. The value of the total business properties is about $865,053,900. According to the Community Charter, in order to prevent a BIA from renewing, petitions against renewal must meet the 50 per cent threshold in the categories mentioned above.
“By the deadline … a total of 10 petitions opposing the Cloverdale BIA renewal were received, constituting 6.5 per cent of property owners and representing 8.6 per cent of the total assessed value” of business properties, Costanzo noted. “Therefore, due to the inadequate number of petitions received opposing the proposed renewal to the Cloverdale BIA, it is recommended that Council authorize the City Clerk to bring forward the proposed Bylaw for final approval.”
Now approved, the CBIA renewal will run from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2028. (The current term for the Cloverdale BIA expires on March 31, 2025.) The next renewal period, beginning in 2028, will be five years and all BIAs in the city would then renew at the same time. The city has four BIAs: Cloverdale BIA, Downtown Surrey BIA, Fleetwood BIA, and Newton BIA.
“A Business Improvement Area collects funds for specific purposes through a rate levied against benefitting properties in a specified area,” Costanzo noted in his report. “The establishment of a BIA is an effective means for businesses in that locale to finance programs to help keep the catchment area healthy and prosperous. In most circumstances, such collaboration between businesses is not possible by other means.”
For more info on the Cloverdale BIA, visit cloverdalebia.com, call the BIA office at 604-576-3155, or email cloverdalebia@telus.net.
