CHAPTER 39
MAIN STREET IOWA PROGRAM
[Prior to 1/14/87, Iowa Development Commission[520] Ch 9]
261—39.1(15) Purpose. The purpose of the main street Iowa program is to stimulate economic development within the context of historic preservation and to establish a strong public/private partnership to revitalize traditional commercial districts in Iowa communities. The main street Iowa program emphasizes community self-reliance and the traditional assets of personal service, local ownership and unique architecture historically prevalent in traditional commercial districts. The main street Iowa program is based on four strategies which, when applied together, create a positive image and an improved economy in these districts. The strategies are organization, promotion, design and economic vitality.
Communities selected for participation in this program will receive technical assistance from the authority’s main street Iowa staff, professional staff of the National Main Street Center, and other professional consultants and may have professional services of other state agencies to draw upon in order to facilitate the communities’ local main street programs.
[ARC 9455B, IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11; ARC 2748C, IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16]
261—39.2(15) Definitions. The following definitions will apply to the main street Iowa program unless the context otherwise requires:
“Authority” means the economic development authority created in Iowa Code section 15.105.
“Director” means the director of the economic development authority.
“Eligible activity” includes organization, promotion, design and economic vitality activities to create a positive image and an improved economy in a city’s traditional commercial district.
“Eligible applicant” means a city in Iowa that files a joint application with a local nonprofit organization established by the community to govern the local main street program.
“National Main Street Center”  means a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organization chartered by the United States Congress. The National Main Street Center owns the licensed, trademarked Main Street Four-Point Approach®.
“Program” means the main street Iowa program established in this chapter.
“Traditional commercial district” means a downtown or neighborhood area that is walkable and is dominated by historic or older commercial architecture and contiguous commercial uses. A traditional commercial district defines the target area of the local program efforts.
[ARC 9455B, IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11; ARC 2748C, IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16]
261—39.3(15) Program administration.
	39.3(1) Administering agency. The program is administered by the economic development authority.
	39.3(2) Subcontracting. The authority may contract with the National Main Street Center for technical and professional services as well as with other appropriate consultants and organizations.
	39.3(3) Applications. The authority, upon availability of funds, will distribute applications. The application will describe the program, outline eligibility requirements, and describe the application process.
	39.3(4) Program agreement. Each selected community shall enter into a standard program agreement with the authority. The program agreement will describe the obligations of the authority and the community.
	39.3(5) Advisory council. The director may appoint a state main street advisory council(s) composed of individuals knowledgeable in traditional commercial district revitalization to advise the director on the various elements of the program.
[ARC 9455B, IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11; ARC 2748C, IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16]
261—39.4(15) Eligible applicants. Rescinded ARC 2748C, IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16.
261—39.5(75GA,ch1201) Funding. Rescinded IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11.
261—39.6(15) Application and selection process.
	39.6(1) The authority will conduct application workshops around the state. Cities that wish to apply for selection as a main street community must attend one application workshop in order to receive an application form. The authority will send standard application forms to workshop attendees. A completed application shall be returned to the authority, be postmarked no later than the date specified by the authority in the application, and contain the information requested in the application.
	39.6(2) The director will determine, contingent upon the availability of state funding, the number of cities to be selected for inclusion in the program.
	39.6(3) Cities will be selected for participation in the program on a competitive basis as described in these rules.
	39.6(4) Upon selection of the communities, the authority will notify selected communities in writing.
[ARC 9455B, IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11; ARC 2748C, IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16]
261—39.7(15) Selection criteria. The following factors shall be considered in the selection of a city for participation in the program:
	39.7(1) The applicant has a well-planned budget demonstrating sustainable funding for ongoing operations and evidence of adequate local sources of funding to support the traditional commercial district revitalization organization and its programming.
	39.7(2) The applicant has garnered broad-based financial and philosophical community support for the local program including support from the city.
	39.7(3) The applicant has provided evidence of willingness by local stakeholders to get involved in the effort.
	39.7(4) The applicant has demonstrated its commitment to the main street approach and has hired or will be hiring an executive director to manage the local program.
	39.7(5) The applicant is committed to historic preservation and preservation-based economic development and has demonstrated its commitment by a track record of preservation planning and a commitment to future preservation projects.
	39.7(6) The applicant has provided evidence of traditional commercial district planning efforts and clearly defined goals for the future.
	39.7(7) The applicant has defined an organizational structure to manage local program efforts.
	39.7(8) The applicant demonstrates an eagerness to learn and implement traditional commercial district revitalization strategies and techniques.
	39.7(9) The applicant has clearly defined the boundaries of the proposed traditional commercial district and has articulated the reasons behind the location of the boundaries.
	39.7(10) The applicant has identified a traditional commercial district that has clear potential for success, as demonstrated by the presence of the following elements:
	a. 	Existence of historic character of the traditional commercial district.
	b. 	Plans for the traditional commercial district demonstrate a recognition of traditional commercial district trends and address the challenges unique to that district.
	c. 	Present market capacity defined by a current business environment upon which the district can build its revitalization efforts.
	d. 	Present physical capacity defined by building stock and built environment upon which the district can build its revitalization efforts.
[ARC 9455B, IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11; ARC 2748C, IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16]
261—39.8(75GA,ch1201) Financial management. Rescinded IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11.
261—39.9(15) Reports. Participating main street communities shall submit performance reports to the authority as required. The reports shall document the progress of the program activities.
[ARC 9455B, IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11; ARC 2748C, IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16]
261—39.10(15) Noncompliance. If the authority finds that a participating main street community is not in compliance with the requirements under this program or the terms of the program agreement, the authority shall terminate the program agreement.
[ARC 9455B, IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11; ARC 2748C, IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16]
261—39.11(15) Forms. The following forms will be used by the administering agency for the main street program.
	1.	Application form for the Iowa main street program (Form 1).
	2.	Performance reports for monitoring the performance of each grantee (Form 2).
[ARC 9455B, IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 15.108.
[Filed emergency 12/13/85—published 1/1/86, effective 12/13/85]
[Filed 4/30/86, Notice 1/1/86—published 5/21/86, effective 6/25/86]
[Filed emergency 12/19/86—published 1/14/87, effective 12/19/86]
[Filed 10/27/89, Notice 9/6/89—published 11/15/89, effective 12/20/89]1
[Filed 11/20/90, Notice 8/8/90—published 12/12/90, effective 1/16/91]
[Filed 12/16/94, Notice 11/9/94—published 1/4/95, effective 2/22/95]
[Filed ARC 9455B (Notice ARC 9336B, IAB 1/12/11), IAB 4/6/11, effective 5/11/11]
[Filed ARC 2748C (Notice ARC 2653C, IAB 8/3/16), IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16]
1	History transferred from 261—Chapter 42 IAC 1/4/95.