From left are Jeff and David Solomon from Solomon Brothers Holdings, Marc Truss, CEO of Green Point and Oranje Kloof CID, Mayco member JP Smith, Mark Vella, head of the Camps Bay Improvement District, Bernard Schafer, chairman, Camps Bay Community Policing Forum, David Raad, chairman of the Camps Bay Business Forum, Nicolette van der Walt, national director – Child Protection, Afrikaanse Christelike Vroue Verening (ACVV).
More than 40 people, among them those who want to formalise the Camps Bay Improvement District (CBID), heads of local stakeholder organisations and City officials gathered at a business breakfast on Friday May 27.
The Camps Bay Improvement District was started in 2015 by Mark Vella with the support of the Camps Bay Business Forum (CBBF), but has not yet been formally constituted.
“The CBBF recognised that as other communities have become improvement districts and taken responsibility for their urban management. They have attracted investment, key tenants, top events, and people to their district,” said Mr Vella.
The CBID, which is still informal, was launched in October last year and already has more than 40 members.
“The discussion has now moved to unifying Camps Bay stakeholders around the formation of a formal City Improvement District.
“This is why this business breakfast was so important. It deepens the conversation and grows the momentum towards this next step.”
A City Improvement District, technically known as a Special Rating Area (SRA), refers to a clearly defined geographical area in which property owners pay additional rates for that specific area as per the approved business plan.
These additional rates are used to provide additional municipal top-up services such as public security and safety measures, cleansing, infrastructure maintenance, upgrading of the environment, and social services.
There are 35 formal CIDs in Cape Town.
Mr Vella added: “If we keep thinking the same, and behaving the same, we will stay the same.
“If we are to form a CID in Camps Bay, we need to be respectful, collaborative and progressive in our approach. But there is a long way to go, and a lot of constructive dialogue and work to be done. It’s a long systematic process that must be followed with proper consideration to all stakeholders.”
The main speakers were a joint panel with JP Smith, the Mayco member for safety and security; and Marc Truss, the CEO of the Green Point and Oranje Kloof City Improvement Districts.
Mr Truss, speaking of the experience gained from 15 years with the Green Point CID, explained the benefits and challenges that a CID formation had in Green Point and how this changed Green Point over the years.
Mr Smith added that CIDs had become valuable urban management partners with the City of Cape Town.
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