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City of San Marcos <br />Business Improvement & Growth (BIG) <br />Program Guidelines and Application <br />INTRODUCTION <br />The City of San Marcos has established the Business Improvement & Growth (BIG) Program to <br />provide technical and financial assistance to property owners or business tenants seeking to <br />renovate or restore exterior facades, signage, lighting and life- safety systems for commercial <br />buildings. The BIG program is designed to impact properties in need of revitalization, resulting <br />in improved exterior visibility and presentation of a property, as well as enhanced occupant <br />safety. The BIG program is not designed to subsidize corrections to building code violations that <br />prolong the life of a commercial property. Any BIG project should strive toward increases in <br />sales and /or revenue for the property owner or tenant. <br />BIG will provide a fifty percent (50 %) matching grant of up to $20,000 to fund well- designed <br />improvements that coordinate aesthetic features of the storefront while creating a safe and <br />accessible entrance for the public. This may include the restoration of architectural details, <br />improved windows and doors, and appropriate signage and lighting. An additional fifty percent <br />(50 %) matching grant up to $5,000 may be available for construction of monument -type <br />signage or the removal and replacement of non - conforming signs. The complete list of eligible <br />property improvements and procedures for participating in the program can be found on the <br />following pages. <br />II. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA <br />The following criteria must be met for participation in the program: <br />1. Applicants must be commercial property owners or commercial tenants located in <br />San Marcos within the Downtown SmartCode zoning district or along designated <br />corridors (see BIG Program Eligible Area Map); <br />2. Preference will be given to independent businesses not required by contractual <br />arrangement to maintain standardized decor, architecture, signs or similar features; <br />3. Tenants must have written approval from property owners to participate in the <br />program; <br />4. Any nonconforming signage on property must be permanently removed as part of <br />the improvement; <br />Business Improvement & Growth Program Guidelines and Application <br />Page 1 <br />