Return Completed Application To: DUE NOT LATER THAN

Return completed application to: DUE NOT LATER THAN:

Cowlitz County February 28th, 2014 @ 4:30 p.m.

Office of Administrative Services

Attn: Traci Jackson

207 Fourth Avenue North #308

Kelso, WA 98626 Project Information Sheet:

Rural County Public Facility Funds

Telephone: (360) 577-3065

FAX: (360) 423-9987

SUBMIT AN ORIGINAL AND SIX (6) COPIES

SECTION 1: APPLICANT

Project Title / Castle Rock Visitor Center at exit 49
Applicant / City of Castle Rock
Contact Person / David Vorse
Title / Public Works Director
Mailing Address / PO Box 370, Castle Rock, WA 98611
Capital Facilities Plan where Project is Listed
Telephone / 360-274-7478
Fax / 360-274-6650
E-mail /
Federal Tax I.D.:

Signature of Authorized Official:

Date

SECTION 2: PROJECT ELIGIBILITY

Money collected under RCW 82.14.370 shall be used on public facilities and for economic development purposes.

Select the type of public facility that applies to your project:

Bridge / Natural gas
Road / Buildings
Domestic or industrial water facility / Structures
Sanitary sewer facility / Telecommunications infrastructure
Earth stabilization / Transportation infrastructure
Storm sewer facility / Commercial infrastructure
Railroad / Port facilities
Electricity
Identify the area(s) in Cowlitz County where this project will be located.
Provide a site map, reproducible in black and white in 8 ½ x 11 format.

Is the project currently listed in one or more of the following plans (check all that apply):

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Report

County’s Capital Facilities Plan

Your agency comprehensive or capital facilities plan

Other; please specify: ______

If no, will the project be listed in one or more of the plans prior to start of construction? Yes

Date of plan: August 2008

Which Plan: Castle Rock Capital Facility Plan

SECTION 3: PROJECT BUDGET ESTIMATES

What is the estimated budget for this project? Indicate whether the budget is based on preliminary estimates, engineers’ estimates, feasibility studies or public bids; include administration, design and construction costs.

$ 261,246 – Preliminary estimate based on construction estimate, utility cost, and improvements to the site and landscaping. See attached cost analysis.

List all funding sources for this project. Indicate the amount and status of the funding, i.e. grant application pending, grant secured, loan application pending, loan secured. L.I.D., R.I.D., bonds sold or to be sold.

Will rural county public facility funds be used to leverage other funds?

Source Status Date Amount

Federal ______$

State ______$

Local/Public Big Idea Fund committed 1/14 $ 47,000

Private ______$

Other City Public Work forces committed 2/14 $15,000

Volunteers – Local contractors committed 2/14 $ 12,000

Volunteer – Bloom Team committed 2/14 $ 3,000

Total Resources: $77,000

If in-kind or volunteer contributions for this project are planned, please describe.

City Public Works Department and Chamber volunteers will partner in providing concrete work, plumbing, wiring and some of the finish work.

The Castle Rock-American In Bloom, ‘Bloom Team’ will assist with landscaping improvements.

Identify specifically the elements of the project for which the rural county public facility funds are requested.

These funds will pay for the material and some labor to construct a visitor center at exit 49 on I-5.

RURAL COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITY FUNDS REQUESTED

$ 184,246

SECTION 4: GRANT OR LOAN?

The Board of Commissioners may award up to $1 million toward one or more projects; which funds are to be distributed in 2014. The Board has developed a self-sustaining program to make funds available for economic development even after the County is no longer eligible to receive the sales tax rebate. Therefore, the Board of Commissioners will give favorable attention to projects that propose to treat County funds as a loan.

Are you applying for a:

___yes_____ Grant?

____no____ Loan?

______Combination; give percentage or dollar amount of each:

______% Grant or $______Grant

______% Loan or $______Loan

If a loan is proposed, please provide the following details:

a) Proposed terms:

interest rate ______%

term of loan (in years) ______

# of payments ______

schedule of payments:

monthly ______

quarterly ______

semi-annual ______

annual ______

other (specify) ______

date payments would commence ______

b) Other financial information helpful in evaluating your proposal:

SECTION 5: PROJECT SUMMARY

DESCRIPTION OF PUBLIC FACILITY PROJECT:

Briefly describe the project, including, among other things, the following items:

a) Type, size, location and use of public facility.

Visitor Center, 20’X40’ located off exit 49 on I-5

b) Indicate why the rural county public facility funds are necessary for the project to succeed.

While the City anticipates securing $77,000 in funds, labor and volunteers efforts, matching funds will be necessary for full development.

c) Is the project ready to proceed? If the project is not ready to proceed, describe what must be completed before the project is ready and estimate a start date.

City is working with the WSDOT to secure the sight agreement.

d) If applicable, list all permits and environmental reviews required and give their current status (applied for, permit issued, etc.)

SEPA – Ready to be processed

Building, plumbing, electrical - planning

e) Estimate the date for project completion.

March 2015

f) Does this proposed project duplicate existing capacity in the community-either public or private? i.e. who are your partners and/or competitors?

While there are other visitor centers in the area, there is none in view of vehicles from three different highways (SR 411, SR 504 and existing off and onto I-5). This Visitor Center will enhance the others making them more effective. Strategically positioned at the northern “Gateway to Cowlitz County” and as “The Gateway to Mt. St. Helen’s.”, this Visitor Center would provide marketing material for all the cities and Cowlitz County. It would also direct travelers to features and events within Cowlitz County.

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SECTION 6: PROJECT GOALS

Describe how your public facility project meets the goals identified in R.C.W. 82.14.370, as amended, namely financing of public facilities serving economic develop purposes in rural counties. “Economic development purposes” is defined in the statute as “those purposes that facilitate the creation or retention of businesses and jobs in a county.” Check and discuss any or all that apply, specifically:

Promote the ongoing operation of business in rural distressed areas;

This federal highway interchange has an average of over 5,000 vehicle trips a day.

The Visitor Center will provide marketing material and information to encourage visitors to stay and experience what Cowlitz County has to offer. Knowing the average vehicle of visitors will spend $84 during a day per visit, the promotion of Cowlitz County events and activities will have a positive impact on business.

The Lavender Farm on PH-10 is an example of how local businesses will grow. In 2013 they took advantage of MIA signage on I-5. The annual visitors to the farm expanded from 500 to over 2300. Along with these visitors that experienced the Lavender Farm these visitors more than likely stopped at some of our local restaurants, bought gas and shopped at our local stores. The key is letting those that come to our community from any of the three highways know that there is much more to experience in the north end of Cowlitz County.

Promote the expansion of existing business in rural distressed areas;

This Visitor Center will be in a position to direct visitors to existing businesses. Therefore, local businesses will see an increase in the number of potential customers and an increase in sales.

Attract new businesses to rural distressed areas;

Day visits are expected to bring in $84 per vehicle into the county. There is potential to generate even more income as our guests find out just how much there is to do in the north section of the county alone. With Mt. St. Helen’s, recreational hiking trails, mountain biking, one of a kind bike park, boat launch, North County Sports Complex, skate park, Seaquest State Park, historical landmarks, a museum and numerous outdoor recreational opportunities, visitors will likely stay multiple days. When a guest stays the night they not only add “heads in beds” but they now will spend an average of $146 per day. If only 1/2% of the 5000 guests takes advantage of our “outdoor paradise” this will result in an estimated $1.3 million annually direct revenue. Additionally, as our guests come into the Visitor Center, we will find out what other activities they would like to experience while they are here. This information can be used to attract new businesses to fill that void. This will create new opportunities for businesses that provide family wage jobs.

Assist in the development of new businesses from within rural distressed areas;

In recent years, Castle Rock has successfully filled empty store fronts with new business ventures. Our downtown business district is near the lowest vacancy rate in 4 years.

The information gathered by the new Visitor Center will be valuable in assessing the needs of the visitors and what goods and services the businesses in Castle Rock can and should provide. The Castle Rock Community Development Alliance (CRCDA) will continue to be proactive and identify where our business leakages are. CRCDA will then set out to fill that need by meeting with building and vacant landowners, new entrepreneurs and developers to match the need with the product and/or service. Knowing that success of the new businesses is imperative for sustainable economic growth, educational workshops on how to start and sustain a successful business is currently a 2014 goal for the CRCDA. We are working with Castle Rock High School on a curriculum that engages students in how to start and sustain a successful business.

Provide family wage jobs to the citizens of rural distressed areas.

It is estimated that each guest will spend an average of $146 the local area when

they spend the night. The State’s average indirect multiplier is 1.88. This means that for every

direct dollar spent in the local economy, it generates an additional $1.88 in other indirect

revenue. If ½% of the traffic flow (25 heads in beds) is added to those that stay, there would

be an additional $2.5 million annually added to the local economy when the multiplier is

included. If 30% of these annually generated funds are for labor cost, this will result in a

conservative number of 10 family wage jobs.

Specifically identify the number and type of family wage jobs that will be created or retained as a result of your project:

Construction No. of jobs: ____8

Permanent full time No. of jobs: __110 (estimated for businesses within the city)

Permanent part-time No. of jobs: __240 (estimated for businesses within the city)

Seasonal No. of jobs: ___70 (estimated for businesses within the city)

Other (specify) No. of jobs: _____

Promote the development of communities of excellence in rural distressed areas;

There is real evidence of the ongoing business developments in Castle Rock as potential to increase the number of new businesses. The recent upscale design and construction of the Rocket Market at exit 49 on I-5 was created to reflect ongoing improvements throughout the City. The owner was encouraged by what is happening in Castle Rock which resulted in the commitment to a superior facility.

Other (be specific).

SECTION 7: APPLICANT CAPACITY

Identify the organization(s) and individual(s) involved in the project activities described in this application. Explain how the project is coordinated between involved parties.

The City of Castle Rock will act as the lead agency and coordinator. Volunteers from the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce, Castle Rock Community Development Alliance and the Castle Rock-American In Bloom ‘Bloom Team’ have committed work forces from construction through landscape work. The City Public Works Department will also assist with the construction.

SECTION 8: PROJECT TIME LINE

Provide estimated schedule for this project.

Estimated Completion Date

(month/year)

Preliminary Engineering Report NA

Environmental Review(s) 6/2014

All Required Permits Obtained 9/2014

Design Engineering 7/2014

Land/Right-of-Way Acquisition 7/2014

Prepare Bid Documents 7/2014

Award Construction Contract(s) 8/2014

Begin Construction 9/2014

Project Operational 4/2015

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SECTION 9: PROJECT DYNAMICS

Provide other information, or special and unique features of the project that merit attention.

Castle Rock is known for the great volunteers when it comes to getting projects completed. Examples of this type of collaboration have been the Al Helenberg Memorial Boat Launch, The North County Recreation Sports Complex, Lion’s Pride Park, and a one of a kind bike park, new landscaping, flowering baskets and planters on both sides of I-5, just to name a few. We see this as another great opportunity to be Cowlitz County’s ‘Welcome Mat’ to “The Gateway to MT. St. Helen’s” and a whole lot more!

The success of this visitor center is key to not just Castle Rock’s economic and tourism development, but Cowlitz County as a whole. We will be able to highlight all the natural features, events, goods and services that all of Cowlitz County has to offer.

We are entering conversations with both the private and public sector regarding the on-going operations of this facility in order to make it sustainable and successful.

We look forward to the increasing “heads in beds” and the other related income that will follow as we open up the opportunities to our guests. Yes, we have Mt. St. Helen’s in our backyard, but we also have a whole lot more to offer to their outdoor experience.

The City of Castle Rock, Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce, Castle Rock Community Development Alliance and our great volunteers stand ready to enhance the “Big Idea Funding” and ‘pay it forward’ for all of Cowlitz County with this opportunity. We look forward to Cowlitz County standing with us.

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