Residential TIF In Winona Discussed At Warsaw School Board
November 11, 2020 at 11:36 p.m.
By Jackie [email protected]
The Winona Lake Redevelopment Commission approved a resolution to create a residential TIF district during its Oct. 7 meeting. The area encapsulates a number of new developments that will be going in south of Stonehenge Golf Course, at the former Raccoon Run golf course and other areas in Winona Lake, including the area north of Heritage Lakes and along Pierceton Road to Miller Field.
The residential TIF district, which would last 25 years, would collect new property taxes on new construction in the town. Money would be used to help pay for projects at Jefferson Elementary School, which includes the gym floor.
Alan Tio, CEO of Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation, spoke about KEDCO’s involvement in the TIF district, as well as how it would help the community at large.
“In this day and age, we’re very focused on community development,” Tio said.
People are moving to Winona Lake and having somewhere to move is important to the town, Tio said. “It’s up to us to provide the very best we can.”
During Tuesday’s meeting, representatives from the Winona Lake Redevelopment Commission, including town attorney Adam Turner and Town Manager Craig Allebach, attended the meeting.
The school board received a memorandum of understanding for the TIF district, some wording was discussed and the changes were agreed to be made.
School board member Brad Johnson said the TIF is mutually beneficial to the community and to the school. However, eight years from now, not everyone involved in the agreement will be in their current positions. He wondered if they’re setting themselves up for long-term problems 10 to 15 years down the road due to misunderstandings because the people initially involved in the agreement will no longer be involved in it.
Turner said he didn’t know if there was a solution to that other than there are parameters to what could be promised.
“We’re promising availability of some sort of funds on an annual basis for projects that you feel” are needed, Turner said. Jefferson Elementary is going to “feel growing pains” due to the expansion of Winona Lake and that’s going to happen with or without the TIF district. “And we’re saying alright, we’re going to come alongside the school on a yearly basis and say, ‘How can we help with those growing pains?’” Turner said.
Board President Heather Reichenbach asked how long it would take for Winona Lake to know if they have a successful TIF district.
Allebach said he thinks a successful TIF shows that there would be growth, not only within the TIF district, but outside the district as well. Discussions on developing areas outside of the TIF district are already happening about the parcels of land to the north and east of the TIF district on Wooster Road.
Allebach also discussed some plans for the TIF. The area in front of Racoon Run will be developed as a town center. Growth is happening and the TIF would just enhance it. Allebach said there’s plenty of opportunity for growth in the TIF district.
The town of Winona Lake was also asked to part of the contract, which would have to be voted on.
The decision was tabled due to not all the board members being at the meeting and not being able to provide input.
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The Winona Lake Redevelopment Commission approved a resolution to create a residential TIF district during its Oct. 7 meeting. The area encapsulates a number of new developments that will be going in south of Stonehenge Golf Course, at the former Raccoon Run golf course and other areas in Winona Lake, including the area north of Heritage Lakes and along Pierceton Road to Miller Field.
The residential TIF district, which would last 25 years, would collect new property taxes on new construction in the town. Money would be used to help pay for projects at Jefferson Elementary School, which includes the gym floor.
Alan Tio, CEO of Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation, spoke about KEDCO’s involvement in the TIF district, as well as how it would help the community at large.
“In this day and age, we’re very focused on community development,” Tio said.
People are moving to Winona Lake and having somewhere to move is important to the town, Tio said. “It’s up to us to provide the very best we can.”
During Tuesday’s meeting, representatives from the Winona Lake Redevelopment Commission, including town attorney Adam Turner and Town Manager Craig Allebach, attended the meeting.
The school board received a memorandum of understanding for the TIF district, some wording was discussed and the changes were agreed to be made.
School board member Brad Johnson said the TIF is mutually beneficial to the community and to the school. However, eight years from now, not everyone involved in the agreement will be in their current positions. He wondered if they’re setting themselves up for long-term problems 10 to 15 years down the road due to misunderstandings because the people initially involved in the agreement will no longer be involved in it.
Turner said he didn’t know if there was a solution to that other than there are parameters to what could be promised.
“We’re promising availability of some sort of funds on an annual basis for projects that you feel” are needed, Turner said. Jefferson Elementary is going to “feel growing pains” due to the expansion of Winona Lake and that’s going to happen with or without the TIF district. “And we’re saying alright, we’re going to come alongside the school on a yearly basis and say, ‘How can we help with those growing pains?’” Turner said.
Board President Heather Reichenbach asked how long it would take for Winona Lake to know if they have a successful TIF district.
Allebach said he thinks a successful TIF shows that there would be growth, not only within the TIF district, but outside the district as well. Discussions on developing areas outside of the TIF district are already happening about the parcels of land to the north and east of the TIF district on Wooster Road.
Allebach also discussed some plans for the TIF. The area in front of Racoon Run will be developed as a town center. Growth is happening and the TIF would just enhance it. Allebach said there’s plenty of opportunity for growth in the TIF district.
The town of Winona Lake was also asked to part of the contract, which would have to be voted on.
The decision was tabled due to not all the board members being at the meeting and not being able to provide input.
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