Housing development talk extends FCRC meeting
December 21, 2022 at 2:49 p.m.
The potential project to construct 200 homes north of Brookville near Reservoir Road is on a lot of inquiring minds these days, and discussion around it made for a nearly 90-minute Franklin County Redevelopment Commission meeting last Tuesday – about an hour longer than normal.
County economic development consultant Nick Lawrence (The Wheatley Group) had briefly touched on it during his state-required annual presentation to the board earlier in the meeting, with FCRC's role possibly being the entity that creates/manages a new residential TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district.
Member Jana Selke later asked whether the board was involved in any decision making regarding the project.
“From a housing standpoint, we have no stake other than the commissioners giving their consent to creating a residential TIF district,” president Bill Schirmer answered.
He added that other pieces to the READI (Regional Economic and Acceleration Development Initiative) application were the town of Brookville's agreement to assume ownership of the extended wastewater line - a $4.5 million grant is being pursued for the extension – and a letter of support for the TIF district from Franklin County Community School Corporation, which he and vice president John Palmer had secured.
“We need to know the $4.5 million's been allocated before we finalize that,” he added.
Selke, along with nonvoting school appointee Sara Duffy (via phone connection) and county surveyor Rob Seig, had a series of questions and comments that dominated the back end of the meeting.
Seig asked about existing homeowners and whether they'd be required to hook up to the new sewer main, to which Palmer replied a recent state law allows homes whose operating septic system has been approved within the last 10 years to continue with that system.
Palmer reminded that no county or town funds would be utilized to get the project moving and the town's former annexation plans would cease due to captured tax revenue by the new TIF district.
Seig said he'd hook up if he were a resident there but understands many people may not want to. Schirmer said one drawback is the cost to homeowners who decide to hook on later versus when the line is initially installed.
The new system is not a traditional gravity flow but a low-pressure one offered by Earthtek Environmental, LLC, Batesville. Company president Kevin Chaffee has provided a cost analysis, according to Palmer.
“It's basically a tank that can hold a lot more solids than the typical septic system and most of what you get is clarified water, probably cleaner than what Brookville Wastewater puts out,” Palmer explained.
Seig asked about future maintenance. The town will likely charge a minimal fee based on a fixed maintenance schedule, thought Palmer.
Selke wanted to know more about the developer and types of homes.
Palmer said the county's in no position to tell the local builders what to construct, other than meeting all zoning requirements. Homes could range from 1,500-square feet to million-dollar structures with homeowners' associations.
Duffy noted the school board wished to see affordable housing to attract younger families with children. She also asked if the line would extend to State Road 1 on the other end of Reservoir Road; Palmer said it would.
Other questions from Seig included how the line would be fed into the different neighborhoods, whether developers would bear any cost overruns from such extensions, and lastly, where in fact would the homes be built.
Palmer figured costs would be turned over to the homeowner as part of the sale price, when it came to laterals coming from the main line. As for the location, he wasn't completely sure, but thinks an interested developer owns land to the west of Reservoir Road near municipal Brook Hill Golf Club.
“I'm all about economic development, as long as we do it the right way,” said Selke. “If this board has anything to do with this, I'm voicing my concern that it needs to be done in a positive, respectful way and we need to follow the guidelines from experts. If 200 homes are going in our demographic, everybody needs to be on the same page.”
Seig agreed, saying he's all for responsible development. “There seems to be a push right now by at least one of the commissioners to eliminate standards,” said the surveyor. “Because a developer's influencing them … that's exactly what's happening.”
His technical concerns, which he communicated with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, include drainage, erosion control and possible slide effects.
“We had INDOT standards approved in 2021 that were rescinded this year,” said Seig. “I heard that in a closed-door meeting, they decided to throw all that out. Who makes that decision?”
He pleaded with the public to put pressure on those making decisions, in order to include proper standards.
Schirmer added that “we need to make sure we have attractions such as open spaces, (access to Brookville) lake, jobs within 20 minutes and a school system that rocks.”
The connection between FCRC and local schools was also a topic at other points. The commission previously agreed on a revenue sharing agreement with FCCSC wherein the schools would receive 15% of monies captured in TIF revenue.
County attorney Grant Reeves is working on the official paperwork. There's a desire to have specific language that abides by Indiana Code. Schirmer also doesn't want to see any gray area when it came to the financial numbers.
“We need to know for a fact that within a physical year, a TIF collection number we can tell the school system they're going to have to operate (with) the following year,” he said.
Duffy hinted at a capital project that superintendent Tammy Chavis and Keith Isaacs, director of operations at the high school, have in mind.
Lawrence praised the partnership with the schools, saying it was one of the overlapping taxing units for the Golden Road development area (TIF) along with the county, Brookville Township, Highland Township, FC Public Libraries and Southeastern Indiana Solid Waste Management District.
Continuing with his presentation, he said the current TIF collects real and personal property taxes (Hautau, Thompson Machining, UniRef) among the 32 total payers.
Notwithstanding a pair of bills paid recently - $540 to Barada Law Offices and $1,000 to Baker Tilly consultants - Lawrence gave a precise rundown of financials.
A net assessed value of $8,858,034 for 2022 was an increase over 2021, he noted, saying FCRC doesn't collect on that total but on incremental assessed value – for real property ($2,496,344) and personal ($867,770). The beginning TIF balance in 2021 was $188,345.73, followed by a record year of revenues ($55,212.48). After deducting some professional services payments, starting balance in 2022 was $237,348.60; spring tax disbursements were $34,139.42 and fall $18,961.73.
There was a combined operating cash balance to begin 2022 at $30,443.33 (now $41,178.33). Combined fund balances overall sit at $331,628.08.
Lawrence highlighted several projects that FCRC is either directly or indirectly involved in. Reid Health on Hwy. 101 should open next year. The commission has contributed to SEI (southeast Indiana) READI. Sycamore Gas completed an extension line north on 101. The county is working with Dearborn County on a preliminary study of the SR 1 corridor near St. Leon. Expansion of Smith Welding & Repairs on 101 had its grand opening in October.
Palmer, economic development president, gave a brief update on broadband expansion within the county. He said there's a ton of progress, but a slight issue has come up. There are some spots that have holes as far as future providers go, so the state's Office of Community and Rural Affairs is pushing for the most accurate possible map ahead of more Next Level Connections funding in 2023. Palmer said the whole county is not affected, but people are urged to go online with their exact location information and current service status by Jan. 13.
In other items, Schirmer confirmed the residential TIF concept will be a major focus next year. Selke said she may not wish to serve on the board next year and mentioned advertising for her spot. A meeting schedule for all of 2023 was delayed; an organizational meeting on Jan. 24, 5 p.m. was approved.
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The potential project to construct 200 homes north of Brookville near Reservoir Road is on a lot of inquiring minds these days, and discussion around it made for a nearly 90-minute Franklin County Redevelopment Commission meeting last Tuesday – about an hour longer than normal.
County economic development consultant Nick Lawrence (The Wheatley Group) had briefly touched on it during his state-required annual presentation to the board earlier in the meeting, with FCRC's role possibly being the entity that creates/manages a new residential TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district.
Member Jana Selke later asked whether the board was involved in any decision making regarding the project.
“From a housing standpoint, we have no stake other than the commissioners giving their consent to creating a residential TIF district,” president Bill Schirmer answered.
He added that other pieces to the READI (Regional Economic and Acceleration Development Initiative) application were the town of Brookville's agreement to assume ownership of the extended wastewater line - a $4.5 million grant is being pursued for the extension – and a letter of support for the TIF district from Franklin County Community School Corporation, which he and vice president John Palmer had secured.
“We need to know the $4.5 million's been allocated before we finalize that,” he added.
Selke, along with nonvoting school appointee Sara Duffy (via phone connection) and county surveyor Rob Seig, had a series of questions and comments that dominated the back end of the meeting.
Seig asked about existing homeowners and whether they'd be required to hook up to the new sewer main, to which Palmer replied a recent state law allows homes whose operating septic system has been approved within the last 10 years to continue with that system.
Palmer reminded that no county or town funds would be utilized to get the project moving and the town's former annexation plans would cease due to captured tax revenue by the new TIF district.
Seig said he'd hook up if he were a resident there but understands many people may not want to. Schirmer said one drawback is the cost to homeowners who decide to hook on later versus when the line is initially installed.
The new system is not a traditional gravity flow but a low-pressure one offered by Earthtek Environmental, LLC, Batesville. Company president Kevin Chaffee has provided a cost analysis, according to Palmer.
“It's basically a tank that can hold a lot more solids than the typical septic system and most of what you get is clarified water, probably cleaner than what Brookville Wastewater puts out,” Palmer explained.
Seig asked about future maintenance. The town will likely charge a minimal fee based on a fixed maintenance schedule, thought Palmer.
Selke wanted to know more about the developer and types of homes.
Palmer said the county's in no position to tell the local builders what to construct, other than meeting all zoning requirements. Homes could range from 1,500-square feet to million-dollar structures with homeowners' associations.
Duffy noted the school board wished to see affordable housing to attract younger families with children. She also asked if the line would extend to State Road 1 on the other end of Reservoir Road; Palmer said it would.
Other questions from Seig included how the line would be fed into the different neighborhoods, whether developers would bear any cost overruns from such extensions, and lastly, where in fact would the homes be built.
Palmer figured costs would be turned over to the homeowner as part of the sale price, when it came to laterals coming from the main line. As for the location, he wasn't completely sure, but thinks an interested developer owns land to the west of Reservoir Road near municipal Brook Hill Golf Club.
“I'm all about economic development, as long as we do it the right way,” said Selke. “If this board has anything to do with this, I'm voicing my concern that it needs to be done in a positive, respectful way and we need to follow the guidelines from experts. If 200 homes are going in our demographic, everybody needs to be on the same page.”
Seig agreed, saying he's all for responsible development. “There seems to be a push right now by at least one of the commissioners to eliminate standards,” said the surveyor. “Because a developer's influencing them … that's exactly what's happening.”
His technical concerns, which he communicated with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, include drainage, erosion control and possible slide effects.
“We had INDOT standards approved in 2021 that were rescinded this year,” said Seig. “I heard that in a closed-door meeting, they decided to throw all that out. Who makes that decision?”
He pleaded with the public to put pressure on those making decisions, in order to include proper standards.
Schirmer added that “we need to make sure we have attractions such as open spaces, (access to Brookville) lake, jobs within 20 minutes and a school system that rocks.”
The connection between FCRC and local schools was also a topic at other points. The commission previously agreed on a revenue sharing agreement with FCCSC wherein the schools would receive 15% of monies captured in TIF revenue.
County attorney Grant Reeves is working on the official paperwork. There's a desire to have specific language that abides by Indiana Code. Schirmer also doesn't want to see any gray area when it came to the financial numbers.
“We need to know for a fact that within a physical year, a TIF collection number we can tell the school system they're going to have to operate (with) the following year,” he said.
Duffy hinted at a capital project that superintendent Tammy Chavis and Keith Isaacs, director of operations at the high school, have in mind.
Lawrence praised the partnership with the schools, saying it was one of the overlapping taxing units for the Golden Road development area (TIF) along with the county, Brookville Township, Highland Township, FC Public Libraries and Southeastern Indiana Solid Waste Management District.
Continuing with his presentation, he said the current TIF collects real and personal property taxes (Hautau, Thompson Machining, UniRef) among the 32 total payers.
Notwithstanding a pair of bills paid recently - $540 to Barada Law Offices and $1,000 to Baker Tilly consultants - Lawrence gave a precise rundown of financials.
A net assessed value of $8,858,034 for 2022 was an increase over 2021, he noted, saying FCRC doesn't collect on that total but on incremental assessed value – for real property ($2,496,344) and personal ($867,770). The beginning TIF balance in 2021 was $188,345.73, followed by a record year of revenues ($55,212.48). After deducting some professional services payments, starting balance in 2022 was $237,348.60; spring tax disbursements were $34,139.42 and fall $18,961.73.
There was a combined operating cash balance to begin 2022 at $30,443.33 (now $41,178.33). Combined fund balances overall sit at $331,628.08.
Lawrence highlighted several projects that FCRC is either directly or indirectly involved in. Reid Health on Hwy. 101 should open next year. The commission has contributed to SEI (southeast Indiana) READI. Sycamore Gas completed an extension line north on 101. The county is working with Dearborn County on a preliminary study of the SR 1 corridor near St. Leon. Expansion of Smith Welding & Repairs on 101 had its grand opening in October.
Palmer, economic development president, gave a brief update on broadband expansion within the county. He said there's a ton of progress, but a slight issue has come up. There are some spots that have holes as far as future providers go, so the state's Office of Community and Rural Affairs is pushing for the most accurate possible map ahead of more Next Level Connections funding in 2023. Palmer said the whole county is not affected, but people are urged to go online with their exact location information and current service status by Jan. 13.
In other items, Schirmer confirmed the residential TIF concept will be a major focus next year. Selke said she may not wish to serve on the board next year and mentioned advertising for her spot. A meeting schedule for all of 2023 was delayed; an organizational meeting on Jan. 24, 5 p.m. was approved.