By JONATHAN SNDYER
Four properties slated to go on the Tax Increment Fund district’s acquisition list were removed from the list before the resolution was approved on Tuesday.
After the Common Council approved the list in step three of the four-step process, the Redevelopment Commission held a public meeting about the expansion of the acquisition list. The Redevelopment Commission adopted the resolution on April 2, followed by approval from the Wells County Area Plan Commisssion and the Common Council.
“All we are doing is adding properties to a list,” City Attorney Tony Crowell said prior to public comments Tuesday. “It doesn’t mean that the Redevelopment Commission is going to … go out and talk to those property owners and try to buy the properties. It’s simply adding properties to a list so that if some time in the future, if there is an interest, that someone may want to develop that property for an industry or business, it’s already on the list so they don’t have to go through this process. It’s not a list that requires the Redevelopment Commission to buy any properties. It’s not a list that requires the owners to sell their property.”
Crowell clarified that the only property the commission ever purchased using TIF dollars was the property needed to improve Snider Drive and build a cul-de-sac there.
In public comments, Matt Reiff, who owns property on Meridian Road slated to be added to the district, was concerned that the RDC would be putting him in competition with the city for negotiations with other businesses, should they open up.
In response, RDC member Scott Mentzer stated i that the city has never had the desire to own property. Mentzer also noted that the city will not force a deal to go through, and there is no plans to turn the property into something else.
“The preference will always be for the owner and the business to execute the deal,” Mentzer said. The city would only step in the middle should the parties feel like a third-party is necessary to work something out. Really, we don’t want to be involved in the process.”
Courtney and Brett Pfister, who own property on State Road 100 South, also had concerns that the term “acquisition list” is a misleading statement. Courtney Pfister stated that he rents and farms 100 acres of land to the north of his property, which he plans to buy. Those 100 acres are currently owned by Leonda Stieglitz, according to the proposed list.
Pfister was concerned that a developer could swoop in and make a better offer and harm his future prospects. Mentzer and the board reminded him that, as property owners, the members of the district keep full rights to negotiate or not negotiate. RDC member Chandler Gerber reaffirmed that there are no current plans for the land, nor any current interest from developers to acquire those plots.
“We are only here to help owners and sellers mutually do what they want to do,” Mentzer added. “If that’s not of interest for you (Courtney), to give you another option as an owner to allow the city to facilitate (negotiations) with whomever you may want to, we’ll take your property off the list.”
The RDC agreed to modify the agreement with Reiff’s, Pfisters’, and Stieglitz’s properties.
jonathan@news-banner.com
