HomeMy WebLinkAboutA015 - Memo to City Council on consultation • Memo.
Department of Planning & Housing
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TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Department of Planning and Housing
DATE: December 12, 2008
SUBJECT: Consultation with Affected Taxing Entities
At the December 9, 2008 City Council meeting, the Council directed staff to proceed with the necessary
steps to create an urban renewal area for the South Bell project. One of the necessary steps is a
consultation with the "affected taxing entities" if the area includes a tax increment financing component.
Following that Council meeting, staff mailed and hand-delivered the invitation to the consultation and a
copy of the draft urban renewal plan to the affected taxing entities.
The consultation is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 16, immediately prior to the regular
scheduled City Council meeting. The consultation will include the Ames City Council, Story County
Board of Supervisors, Ames Community School District Board of Education, and the Des Moines Area
Community College Board of Directors. These last three may appear as the entire body or they may
choose to appoint a representative. The Ames City Council chose City Manager Steve Schainker as its
representative. His role will be to respond to any written recommendations for modifications by the
affected taxing entities.
The requirement of the consultation, as well as its content, is described below in this excerpt from Code
of Iowa Chapter 403.5(2).
Prior to its approval of an urban renewal plan which provides for a division of revenue
pursuant to section 403.19, the municipality shall mail the proposed plan by regular mail
to the affected taxing entities. The municipality shall include with the proposed plan
notification of a consultation to be held between the municipality and affected taxing
entities prior to the public hearing on the urban renewal plan. Each affected taxing entity
may appoint a representative to attend the consultation. The consultation may include a
discussion of the estimated growth in valuation of taxable property included in the
proposed urban renewal area, the fiscal impact of the division of revenue on the affected
taxing entities, the estimated impact on the provision of services by each of the affected
taxing entities in the proposed urban renewal area, and the duration of any bond issuance
included in the plan. The designated representative of the affected taxing entity may
make written recommendations for modification to the proposed division of revenue no
later than seven days following the date of the consultation. The representative of the
municipality shall, no later than seven days prior to the public hearing on the urban
renewal plan, submit a written response to the affected taxing entity addressing the
recommendations for modification to the proposed division of revenue.
At the consultation, the City's Finance Director will provide information on "the estimated growth in
valuation of taxable property included in the proposed urban renewal area, the fiscal impact of the
division of revenue on the affected taxing entities, the estimated impact on the provision of services by
each of the affected taxing entities in the proposed urban renewal area, and the duration of any bond
issuance included in the plan." Staff from the City's Finance, Public Works, and Planning and Housing
Departments will be available to answer any questions that may arise from the project.
Following the consultation, the school board, county supervisors, and DMACC directors will have seven
calendar days (until December 23) within which to make written recommendations for modifications to
the proposed division of revenue. Those written recommendations will be directed to Steve Schainker
who will have until seven days prior to the public hearing to respond back to those recommendations. At
the December 16 regular meeting, the City Council will be asked to set January 13 as the date of the
public hearing on the adoption of the urban renewal plan. If the Council sets this date, the City Manger
will respond back to the taxing entities no later than January 6.
At the January 13 City Council meeting, the staff will update the Council on the recommendations made
by the taxing entities as well as the City's responses. The Council will then be asked to act on a
resolution adopting the urban renewal plan, a resolution creating an urban renewal area, and an
ordinance establishing the tax increment financing district.
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