JASPER — The Jasper Redevelopment Commission took the first step this morning in creating the city’s first tax-increment financing district.
Commission members approved a declaratory resolution to create a district that runs on the east side of the city and moves west to straddle south U.S. 231 as the proposed district goes south. The proposed area includes industrial land on the east side of the city near the Patoka River, the industrial area on the northeast side up to 36th Street, the core downtown area and land on the south side of the city on both sides of U.S. 231 to city’s southern boundary.
The proposed district includes about 90 percent of the city’s industrial areas, commission member John Kahle noted at this morning’s meeting. The district will not affect residential areas, as a TIF cannot be used on residential properties.
In tax increment districts, the city takes the property taxes collected on new developments within the district to conduct needed improvements in that district. By state law, the redevelopment commission would ultimately vote on how the funding is used.
City Attorney Renee Kabrick added that although The Parklands property is not in the TIF district, some TIF funding could be used for the property’s development because the development can be seen as improvement that benefits the TIF properties.
The commission has been working with consultant Ed Curtin of Columbus-based CWC Latitudes since April to research where a district should be that would best benefit the city. That included an open house in July to obtain public comments about TIF districts and where such a district should be located in Jasper. The few people who attended the open house primarily asked questions to learn about TIF districts and suggested that the industrial areas be included in the district.
The next step in the TIF district process will be to present the district proposal to the Jasper Plan Commission at its 7:30 p.m. meeting Wednesday night and to the Jasper Common Council at its 7 p.m. meeting Wednesday, Nov. 19. Both of those meetings will be in the council chambers at City Hall, 610 Main St. A public hearing will also be held prior to those boards deciding at their December meetings if they approve of the district. If those approvals are granted, the Jasper Redevelopment Commission must issue a confirmatory resolution to create the district.
“We will be paying attention to comments at the plan and council meetings and from the public,” commission member Andy Seger said this morning. “Is anybody not in favor of this? If so, why not? Does anybody have an issue with the boundaries? If so, why? I think that would be very important (for that information) to come out.”
In regards to The Parklands, the commission approved placing back into the city’s rainy day fund the $173,445 the city has received from the Greater Jasper School District for the 10 acres of land the school district purchased on the southwest end of the property near 15th Street and the Jasper High School Athletic Complex.
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