Median lighting along Cape Coral Parkway and the special events sponsorship grants policy were the main topics up for discussion Tuesday for the South Cape Community Redevelopment Agency Commission.

Patterned off a city of Naples project agreement, Cape Coral Public Works Director Paul Clinghan informed the commissioners that staff had decided on miniature warm white lights over the cool white version for wrapping around the trunks of palm trees in the parkway median strip.

Commissioners approved the decision on the condition that Clinghan bring back a cost estimate for annual maintenance of the lights with an outside contractor for comparison with the city doing the maintenance.

Clinghan said the city will move ahead with the installation while researching the maintenance effort.

Commissioners also approved a grant application from the South Cape Hospitality & Entertainment Association to transfer a $2,000 event grant approved by the CRA for SCHEA’s now canceled Touch-A-Truck event in 2017 to the Celebrate Cape Coral Night Parade, a new event planned for March 4 along the Southeast 47th Terrace entertainment district.

Commissioners heard a request from the CRA Advisory Board to change its policy on evaluating and granting funds to a variety of downtown events in the future. It was suggested that new events deserve more consideration for funds than some of the older more established events.

The suggestion comes with a rating matrix for each application based on attendance, applicant qualifications, methodology to draw attendees to South Cape, specific expenses the CRA grant would fund and for what purpose the net profits from the event is used for.

Commissioner Richard Leon said he believes event organizations should get less funds after three to five years if it is successfully becoming established.

Commissioner Marilyn Stout was not in favor of cutting off a group when they bring more attention to Cape Coral.

“The money spent to bring people to Cape Coral is a good thing,” Stout said.

Commissioner Rana Erbrick added, “At some point the CRA will sunset. We need to evaluate and look at capping the grants for certain events. I’m fine with using the matrix for 2018 grants, but we need to start looking at caps of some kind.”

The CRA approved last year a total of $39,000 in grants for 15 events for 2017.

Commissioners also approved two bookkeeping amendments to its 2017 operating budget by carrying forward fund balances from 2016.

The first amendment carried forward a balance of $561,296 and commissioners approved placing it in the capital improvement fund to be allocated some time in the future.

The consultant recently hired by City Council for the Bimini Basin project will be touring the Bimini and CRA district and meeting with city departments and stakeholders the week of March 6-10. An open house is planned for March 8 with the public invited to view sketches, drawings and other material. It will be held at the Chester Street Resource Center.

The firm also is doing a market assessment, feasibility analysis and other background research to be presented at a future council meeting.

The CRA Commission’s next meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. on April 18 at the Chester Street Center.