April 19, 2007

 

 

 

The Ellettsville, Indiana, Redevelopment Commission met in regular session on Thursday, April 19, 2007, at the Fire Department Training and Conference Room.  Frank Buczolich called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. 

 

Roll Call:  Members present were Frank Buczolich, President; David Drake, Vice-President; Doug Norton, Darby McCarty, Amber Ragle and Frank Nierzwicki. 

 

Approval of Minutes of the March 8, 2007 meeting

 

Frank Buczolich entertained a motion.  David Drake so moved.  Doug Norton seconded.  Motion passes. 

 

Treasurer’s Report

 

Amber Ragle announced there is no report. 

 

Old Business

 

Heritage Crossing Declaratory Resolution creating a Development Area

 

Frank Nierzwicki presented the Heritage Crossing Development plan and maps showing 179 parcels listed within the Economic Development.  The updated plan showed various changes; there is no municipal swimming pool and minor adjustments were made in other categories for better cost estimates.  Frank Nierzwicki outlined the steps and procedures for adopting the development plan:

·        April 19 – Redevelopment Commission meets to discuss and review a Redevelopment plan; possible approval

·        May 17 – Redevelopment Commission meets to approve plan or make other changes or amendments

·        May – Public meeting to adopt the development plan

·        May 27 - Plan Commission requested a workshop to discuss rezoning options

·        June – Town Council meet and approve development plan

·        June 12 – Notice of adoption by the Town Council and public hearing in The Journal

·        July 19 – Redevelopment Commission hold a public hearing and adopt the confirmatory resolution

·        August 3 – File with the County Auditor and Department of Local Governmental Finance 

 

It is up to the Redevelopment Commissioners to take public comments or make any changes.  The Advisor Committee has submitted some concerns. 

 

Doug Norton has a concern about a person owning a parcel in the TIF district and also having an adjacent parcel not in the TIF district.  He would not have a problem with expanding the TIF district to the adjacent parcel. 

 

David Drake summarized past options of the TIF district. 

 

There was discussion about the maps and the TIF district boundaries.  The Burrell property was in question.  Frank Nierzwicki stated the plans he has seen on the Burrell development was a mixed used PUD; commercial use, residential, condos and estate type of homes.  The question was “should the TIF district include areas that are going to be developed as residential?”  Frank Nierzwicki answered the current map does not show zonings and a stipulation can be made; a commercial or residential zone would not be included in the TIF.  What the Redevelopment Commission is trying to do is protect and bring back the old downtown traditional Ellettsville area.  There are flood plains in the proposed TIF district and some of the revenue will have to come from outside the proposed area.  Frank Nierzwicki announced the Ellettsville downtown has been designated historic and there will be a meeting May 2, 2007 (presentation and workshop) on what this means to the Town of Ellettsville. 

 

There was more discussion on the area in question for the TIF district.  Frank Nierzwicki stated it would be easy to increase the TIF district 20% without having to go through more hoops.  He researched and found it is easier to drop areas.  It was asked at the last meeting

what would the effect of having residential development in the TIF district be on the School Corporation.  David Drake does not think the residential area in this TIF district is big enough to demolish the school corporation. 

 

Doug Norton said if the area is conducive to residential and if it creates more problems to exclude it then he sees no problem with leaving the plan as is and dealing with anything coming up later. 

 

Dana Kerr, School Board and member of the Advisory Board brought up the residential area and the concerns.  The best use for the vacant land is for residential.  Residential developments in a TIF district would increase the number of children in the schools but not the money.  The School Corporation is in the process of long range planning for the facilities.  He summarized the some of the needs of the school system:

  • Overcrowdings in the junior high and high school
  • Facilities that have been kept up very well but mechanical systems are past their life expectancy in both buildings
  • Teachers are teaching off carts; they do not have a classroom
  • Inadequate facilities for special needs students; difficulty getting handicapped students out of the buildings for drills and emergencies

 

There are a lot of needs in the schools and the tax dollars generated from the TIF will not be available to the schools.  The plan needs to be developed now and not trying to deal with anything coming up later.  The School Corporation would not have the same level of input later than what they have now. 

 

Mr. Kerr gave an example of what his concept of an appropriate TIF area is.  The area of concern to him in the current TIF district plan is between the divided highways, east of Sale Street.  He outlined a more beneficial idea for the growth of the area than having streets or sidewalks.

 

Mr. Kerr commented on all the projects and cost estimates listed within the Economic Development Area:

  • Heritage Trail; the biggest benefit would be if it linked Bloomington and the university to Ellettsville.  There is no TIF district that will give enough funds to make that link.  He does not see the use of those facilities increasing development in the area the town wants to redevelopment.  A walking trail or multi-use trail will not add quality commercial businesses downtown. 
  • Municipal Parking Lot; there are three lots by his business that are available.  They are never full.
  • Municipal Building; does not see how constructing one would encourage people to come in and redevelop properties in the area.  He does not see the connection.
  • Hartstraight Road to Paddington Park; the area will be residential and the developer would be responsible for the road.  He does not see how this extension road will help the area between the divided highways. 

He went over the rest of the projects listed and explained how they do not encourage or have any connection to increasing business development downtown. 

 

Mr. Kerr went on to say Richland Bean Blossom Township is very rural and the farm assessed value rates are very small; the school does not generate the revenue needed to do the projects it needs to do.  The biggest draw of an area is its schools. 

 

He suggested the Town needs to decide what it wants to be first, look at what kind of projects would make that vision happen and then see how you would fund those projects.  If the needs of the junior high and high school are addressed then more people will move into the town and the town will benefit from that in assessed valuation. 

 

Frank Buczolich reminded everyone we are dealing with two different issues tonight.  One being “where” the TIF district would be and the other is the list of projects which is a “wish list”. 

 

Ed Bitner, Main Street resident commented on Dana Kerr’s comments.  He asked about the amount of people attending Ellettsville schools living out of town limits but in Richland Bean Blossom Township and the amount of people moving in to town from Bloomington.  Frank Nierzwicki has the figures of the number of housing starts in Ellettsville versus township. 

 

Ed Bitner has multiple land parcels; two are in the TIF district.  He would like all parcels included.  Frank Nierzwicki explained when the Commissioners were deciding on the TIF district, they decided to go one parcel deep.  Frank Nierzwicki, if so directed, would go back and check all parcels for multi-parcel owners. 

 

Russ Ryle, Reeves Road resident and Citizens member of the Advisory Council handed out packets with town maps and statistics.  He thanked Dana Kerr and Ed Bitner for their comments.  He agreed with Dana Kerr on what a TIF project should and should not be.  It should bring economic benefit to the town in a larger sense. He researched the historical background of town.  What did Ellettsville look like?  How fast did it grow? He reviewed the Indiana Stats rates from the Kelley School of Business where he added the Ellettsville and Richland Township.  The chart shows percentage rates and comparison of the town to Monroe County and the changes over the time.  Russ Ryle went over the figures and the calculations on the chart. 

 

David Drake interrupted and explained what a lot of people are missing with the entire subject is the Redevelopment Commission would not be getting $14 million of assessed valuation.  All the Redevelopment Commission would get is the increase in assessed valuation from the time the TIF district is adopted from then on; only the increase, not the entire $14 million. Frank Nierzwicki added with our tax base, for every million dollars of extra revenue above the $14 million we would receive $22,500.  Frank went on to explain at the county level “trending” is being done in the State of Indiana; the assessed valuation of the property is inflated but we would not receive the extra money out of that.  The trending increases would go to all the taxing units. 

 

Russ Ryle asked how much new assessed valuation would need to be generated to handle $10 million in projects.  He wants everyone to get realistic.  Frank Nierzwicki gave an example of McDonald’s and CVS being $1 million assessed valuation each; get ten businesses.  He outlined how much money would be brought in and how to spend it.  There were discussions and different ideas regarding the TIF district. 

 

Russ Ryle has researched the history of Ellettsville.  The first 100 years the town has stood by itself; economically separate from Bloomington.  Ellettsville is a “suburbanized” town.  For Ellettsville to constructively grow and have a large enough economic bases, Russ Ryle feels the town needs an assessed value that permits it the revenue to have a Town.  In 30 years, what should that figure be? 

 

Dana Kerr asked if there is any proposed develops in the TIF area.  Frank Nierzwicki answered there was a sketch of a preliminary proposal when the area is annexed and he outlined the proposal.  There is criticism with the TIF district is supporting housing divisions but Frank Nierzwicki supports the area for the commercial division. 

 

Dana Kerr asked about the areas with tax abatements for example Eagles Landing.  When the tax abatement comes off would those increased taxes go to the TIF or would it go to the underlying taxing authorities?  Frank Nierzwicki will check on that.  Dana Kerr researched it and found Eagles Landing is only half a million. 

 

Dana Kerr clarified the long range plan committee is trying to find out what the needs are and then try to find a way to fund those needs.  What is the project that is necessary for the Town to have a TIF district.  He does not see it.  The junior high and high school needs improvement to educate our children competitively with other school systems and give our children what they need to be competitive in life.  

 

Frank Nierzwicki has had people talk to him regarding large scale developments weekly.  Some commercial interest also.  Frank gave examples of different things that could be done in the TIF district but explained there are limited amount of things that could be done in flood plains.  The downtown needs to be protected and enhanced.  He asked “how do we get businesses to locate in those areas along Sale and Vine Streets?”  Trails are very attractive for economic development.  The town has a good chance of getting Federal support and some money out of the local MPO for funding on this.  With the amount of people who attend the Hilly Hundred and Fall Festival each year, the Town needs to have the area in the one way pairs looking “pristine”.  Dana Kerr agreed; the area needs to be marketed and the impact would be much greater of an impact in redeveloping the area than any other single thing that could be done.  Frank Nierzwicki had a survey conducted on economic consumer wants in the Ellettsville area.  There needs to be a redevelopment area “pre zoned” for different types of development to come in so it would be easier to just walk in and start working. 

 

David Drake thinks it is time to proceed with the TIF district and he is open to suggestions for changes.  He agrees with a lot of Dana Kerr presented but does not think they will ever come to an agreement.  David Drake feels Ellettsville has been behind the curve.  The town pays more for things than others do; the example he gave was the conference room at the Fire Station being used by all of Richland Township and being paid for by people who own property in the Ellettsville town limits.  The Town of Ellettsville has little money to work with.  The tax base has always been low.  The TIF district is one way to correct the imbalance of money coming into the Town. 

 

Frank Buczolich announced in order to proceed and pass a resolution, a finalized version of what will be in the TIF district will need to be submitted. 

 

Don Calvert said if we are looking at long term planning, he felt a few more meetings and months would be very insignificant if we are looking at something that would affect us thirty years from now.  He felt that since we are looking at long term planning we need to back off. 

 

Russ Ryle agreed with Don Calvert and recommended the town back off on this for now.  We should take a more focused approach to this before deciding to have a TIF.  We will need to define the geography it covers and what the money will be used for. 

 

The audio tape ended; the following is from The Journal newspaper article written by Stuart York on the rest of the meeting

 

“All these points were discussed in some depth, and Nierzwicki plans to revise the TIF plan’s map to include parcels of adjacent owners and remove some areas that are expected to show residential development.  He spoke of the committee having some momentum in making progress and noted that with losing an intern this week and his other responsibilities, such as the Thoroughfare Plan, the changes would take some time.” 

 

Adjournment

 

The meeting was adjourned.