The Plan Commission, without looking at the fiscal impacts, and with some pieces of the documents missing, approved the plan for the Truman Olson site on Park Street. Porchlight, Inc. essentially told them that they preferred the Nakoosa Trail site over Park Street because they could do the project earlier, despite the fact that these is no other housing around the project, its isolated and the staff won’t be able to ride the bus to the site later at night. I don’t really blame them, but dang, this is going to cost us some money.
We have yet to see the fiscal impacts of such a decision. However, last night, we were told that the Nakoosa site was appraised at $425,000. It is currently owned by the Water Utility. Which means the Water Utility Board (which is meeting tonight and has this on its agenda but no further information is available on-line) is going to have to approve giving the land to Porchlight, or . . . the City will have to buy it from the Water Utility. Either way, its $425,000 I don’t think we can afford this year.
Next expense . . . we need to buy the 3.5 acres on Park Street from the Army. Can anyone figure out how this is going to be a good deal for the City taxpayer? Why are we paying for what would otherwise be free land?
