Uncertainty surrounds the proposed Interstate 65 tax increment financing (TIF) district.
The Johnson County Redevelopment Commission was poised to vote on an updated map at their Tuesday meeting. The TIF district — one of two firsts for the county — has been stalled since April, when the mayors of Franklin and Greenwood called on the county to rethink its size and impact on the cities.
In light of several pending commitments with developers outside the city limits along I-65, updating the map is taking longer than expected, said Brian Baird, a county commissioner and redevelopment commission member.
Baird took on the task of updating the map at the last meeting, and played a key role in putting together the map that is on the table.
“I am being told that there are a few parcels that already have commitments to the cities for development, but have not verified that yet,” Baird said in an email. “If, in fact, they do have those commitments, I think us moving on those few parcels is not the right thing to do for the entities that are committed, especially if they are shovel-ready, as has been represented to me.”
The map, as it was, included all of Clark Township, areas of Pleasant Township around Tracy Road, Emerson Avenue and Combs Road, and unincorporated areas east and south of Franklin. Multiple parcels were included that were already annexed when the map was drawn, have been annexed since April or are in the process of being annexed, city officials said.
Baird met with Franklin, Greenwood and Whiteland officials about the map and parcels that need to be excluded since the July meeting, he said. They are still working on a list of parcels that should be excluded due to pending deals, he said.
Several members of the commission, which is composed of the three-member Board of Commissioners, County Council member Rob Henderson, R. Lee Money, an attorney from Greenwood and a non-voting school board member, called for a vote on the map next month. The process has dragged on long enough, they said.
But all of the main concerns the cities outlined since learning about the district in April remain unresolved, chief of which is having room to grow. With a county TIF district at their borders, there would be no more land to annex, and available parcels within city and town limits would fill up fast, officials said.
Another concern is whether the county is capable of providing utilities to some of the areas included in the TIF district. Without utilities, the areas are not likely to grow, officials said.
Ron West, a county commissioner and redevelopment commission member, said at past meetings there is some idea of how to bring utilities to the areas without Franklin or Greenwood’s help, but he didn’t elaborate on what that solution is.
The goal of the TIF district is to make the county as a whole strong, not just the cities and towns, Baird said.
“I have struggled with this from the beginning. I am not sure where this will end up, but am hopeful we make the ‘right’ determination for the whole county as a region and not as a single functioning part of the region. We are all part of what makes Johnson County strong, no matter the zip code,” he said.
The I-65 TIF will be discussed again at the next redevelopment commission meeting set for 4:30 p.m. Sept. 27.
