The process is underway for North Shore Business Improvement Association (NSBIA) members to have a say on the latest levy renewal request from 2020 until 2024.

Executive Director Jeremy Heighton says they’re asking for $0.71 per $1,000 of assessed property value in the first year, which is similar to the ask in 2015.

He says there are plans for a gradual increase in the years that follow, and NSBIA members have 30 days to have their say.

“If they choose to not have the BIA in existence, then they have to write to the city and identify that and 50 per cent of property owners with a minimum value of 50 per cent have to say no for us to stop,” he said. “Or you just stay where you are at. You view our plans, you say ‘yeah, absolutely’ and you have to do nothing.”

He is urging business owners with concerns to reach out directly to the NSBIA.

“A lot of questions that we find that come up are procedural, or you know, ‘how are we working with the street teams?’ or ‘what are we doing about enforcement?’ – those kinds of things, so we’re happy to deal with those questions one on one.”

Heighton adds the discussions around the levy renewal process have been ongoing for six months, and he says members have been given information about the plans for the next five years.