Logo courtesy of the City of Marysville

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - At the Sept. 15 meeting of the Marysville City Council, the council heard an overview of 11 city-owned properties that will be considered for new investment and development ideas. The city is releasing a Request for Information, or RFI, to test developer interest and explore possible uses to inform future city discussions.

Staff also shared an update about opening an area near the river as the Confluence Loop Trail. The city-owned open space is approximately 50 acres, which is behind locked gates and not currently utilized by residents. The city has worked to clean up illegal camps in the area, and the goal is to activate the space for public use.

An existing access road provides an easy 1.2-mile walking trail where the Yuba and Feather rivers meet. After additional cleanup and the installation of signage, the trail is expected to open by mid-October.

During public comment, a resident said she loved the idea of having a place to walk in nature along the river in downtown Marysville.

The council considered a contract to complete a window retrofit project for $235,201, with a 10% construction contingency, for a total project cost of $258,721. The project will replace all the windows in City Hall and a majority of the windows at the Police Department with historically accurate retrofitted windows that maintain the character and original design of the buildings while using modern materials.

The city determined that the lowest responsive and qualified bidder was Buttacavoli Window & Door Inc. Vice Mayor Bruce Buttacavoli recused himself from the vote because his son owns the company considered for the contract award.

The council voted 4-0 to approve the project contract.

The council also considered a Short-Term Rental Facilitator Reporting Ordinance, which will allow the city to request data about short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs and other vacation rentals operating within Marysville. The information will help the city begin the process of collecting the 10% transient occupancy tax, or TOT, that operators are required to pay.

Councilmember Stuart Gilchrist said, “This is crucial,” adding that he was happy the city could finally request the information from rental websites.

Mayor Chris Branscum agreed that it was unfair for operators to avoid paying the tax.

The council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance.

Finally, the council reviewed an amendment to the development agreement with B St. Hotel LLC for the Hyatt Studios Hotel Project. The update would establish a four-year TOT reimbursement for the project during its initial operating period.

The city would still collect the full 10% TOT from the hotel, but during the first two years, the city would reimburse 3% to the operators. During the third and fourth years, the city would reimburse 2%.

As a condition of the amendment’s approval, the developer must begin vertical construction of the hotel by the end of this year. Construction is currently expected to begin in October or November, with an anticipated 14-month construction period.

Branscum said the developers have invested a significant amount of money in the project, and Hyatt Hotels is investing $3.7 million. The project will feature 114 hotel rooms and a 250-person event center.

“They really believe in it,” Branscum said.

The council voted unanimously to approve the development agreement amendment.

The next Marysville City Council meeting is scheduled for Oct. 6.