Commission to consider extending Scarbrough Drive

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PIQUA — The Piqua City Commission will be considering street improvements to extend Scarbrough Drive to connect with IDC Spring’s $2.3 million building expansion during its meeting on Tuesday.

IDC Spring is currently expanding its facilities, and the city is seeking to construct street improvements to extend Scarbrough Drive the length of the subject property frontage. According to the staff report, this “will accomodate the building improvement project and provide access to 10 acres of land available for industrial development activity.”

The street improvements would be funded through a state of Ohio Jobs and Commerce Grant and a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreement, which would reimburse the local fund sources originally used to finance the street improvements. The Ohio Jobs and Commerce grant would provide $75,000 in funding, and the TIF would fund approximately $213,390.

The TIF agreement does not increase or decrease the property tax obligations, but instead, it “redirects the increase in tax dollars being collected due to the increase in valuation of the property the occurs as a result of the property improvements,” the staff report stated. That would then be used to pay back the city for the street improvements.

As part of that project, the commission will be holding the first reading of an ordinance that would authorize the TIF agreement. This would allow the city to grant a 75 percent exemption from real property taxation for a period of 10 years for the improvement to the site of IDC Spring’s improvements, 9200 N. Country Club Road, Piqua, and charge service payments in lieu of taxes in the same amount as the real property taxes that would have charged as part of the TIF agreement.

Through the grant and the TIF agreement, the project would ultimately result in a zero net expense to the city. The cost for the project is expected to break down as $34,140 for professional design services; $228,250 for construction; $25,000 for resurfacing. The city’s initial financing between the city’s departments will break down as $10,000 from the development fund; $176,190 from streets; $25,000 from the street tax fund; $34,700 from the stormwater fund; and $42,500 from the water.

The commission will then consider a resolution authorizing the city to enter into a Jobs and Commerce Economic Development Agreement between the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the city for the grant funding for the extension of Scarbrough Drive.

Following that, the commission will vote on authorizing the city purchasing analyst to advertise for bids to make certain purchases during 2020.

The commission will then consider the final legislation to enter into an agreement with ODOT for the resurfacing of Covington Avenue/U.S. Route 36 between R.M.Davis Parkway and Sunset Drive.

The commission will also vote on authorizing a contract with Frank J. Patrizio as law director and McCulloch, Felger, Fite and Gutmann Co., L.P.A. as legal counsel for the city.

Also during the commission’s meeting on Tuesday, commissioners Thomas Fogt, Cynthia Pearson, and Kazy Hinds will be taking oaths of office.

The commission will also appoint the mayor and vice mayor during this meeting. Due to a city charter amendment approved by over 60 percent of voters in 2016, the commission now elects one of the sitting commissioners as mayor during its first meeting in January every two years. Residents do not vote on who the mayor of the city of Piqua will be.

This charter amendment was first implemented in 2018, at which time Hinds was appointed the mayor. Hinds was re-elected in November 2019 to the fifth ward commissioner seat on the commission after running unopposed. Hinds is eligible to be appointed as mayor again.

The commission will also be making appointments to the Piqua Energy Board, the Grow Piqua Now Board, the Miami County Council, the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, and the Governing Board of the Piqua Improvement Corporation.

The commission will also be issuing a proclamation honoring William H. Pitsenbarger.

This meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, in commission chambers on the second floor of the municipal building, located at 201 W. Water St., Piqua. City commission meetings are typically held at 6 p.m., but due to the city’s charter, the first commission meeting of the year must be held at 7:30 p.m.

City would utilize TIF agreement to fund project

By Sam Wildow

Miami Valley Today

Reach Sam Wildow at [email protected]. ©2020 Miami Valley Today, all rights reserved.

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