HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.2_Attachment E_Washington County Comment Letter NP TIFWashington
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December 7, 2021
Christine Costello
Community Development Director
ccoste I lo@cottagegrovemn .gov
12800 Ravine Parkway S
Cottage Grove, MN 55016
Dear Ms. Costello,
Board of Commissioners
Fran Miron, District 1
Stan Karwoski, District 2
Gary Kriesel, District 3
Wayne A. Johnson, District 4
Lisa Weik , Chair, District 5
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments regarding the plan to create a tax increment financing (TIF)
district within the City of Cottage Grove to facilitate economic development. TIF District No. 1-20 (an economic
development district) is being created to facilitate the construction of approximately 3.44 million square feet of
manufacturing/distribution facilities. The duration of the economic development TIF District will be 9 years .
The County Board has adopted a policy related to comments on municipal tax increment financing proposals. In
that policy, it states the board shall review proposals in order to understand the financial implications, its
consistency with the county's comprehensive plan for land use and transportation, the impact on the county's
tax base, and its impact on economic development, blighted areas, and increasing housing opportunities within
the county.
After reviewing the proposed new district, and pursuant to Minnesota Statute 469.175, the county expresses its
support for the economic development project as outlined in the TIF plan. This support is consistent with the
County Board's goals through the Community Development Agency (CDA) to support the efforts of cities within
the county to increase tax base.
County staff from the Departments of Public Works and Property Records and Taxpayer Services also reviewed
the draft TIF plan. Property Records noted that all parcels within the district must be full tax parcels so the
subdivision identified must occur before the TIF is certified . They also noted that if the district is certified
between now and June 30, 2021 the original net tax capacity (ONTC) rate will be based on taxes payable in 2022.
Public Works reviewed the location of the proposed TIF District, the intensity of the planned use, and the likely
routes that vehicles would use to and from the development. Washington County worked closely with Cottage
Grove and other partners to develop the Southwest Arterial Master Plan. The TIF development is directly
adjacent to the preferred concept for the future county road . Based on the provided site plan, this development
will generate a significant amount of new traffic, including increased truck traffic. This increased traffic will
require significant upgrades to highway infrastructure, including roadway widening, turn lanes, intersection
control and potentially will act as a catalyst to push the need for major road realignments contemplated in the
recently completed Southwest Arterial Study. However, currently many of the roads are not county-owned.
Improvements to infrastructure related to the Southwest Arterial are currently not programmed in the County
Improvement Plan (CIP). Because the adjacent roadways are not currently county-owned infrastructure, the
county will not request increment.
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www .co .washington.mn.us
Washington County is an equal opportunity organization and employer
Jennifer Wagenius
Deputy County Administrator
Cc : Washington County Board of Commissioners
Nick Anhut, Ehlers Public Finance Advisors