1998-10-14 Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

SEP -10 -9e 10764 AM P.01 rAX Sept. 10th, 1996 City of Centerville Att. Ry -Chel Fax #429 -W29 Re. Buechler Estates Development Dear Ry -Chel: As a follow -up to our meeting with the City Council last evening, please accept this letter as a summary of our position. We had been told that the Park and Roo fees would be $950.00 per lot for 5 lots, for a total = $4,750.00, and we reasonably relied on those statements in all of our work done up to this point. We have incurred substantial fees already in getting the project to this stage. Had we been told up front the truth about the Park and Rec Fees, we may have scrapped this project altogether, or at least would have considered developing only four lots instead of five. Instead, we were Informed of the additional fees wet] after the fact, and after considerable fees had already been spent by us. We feel that the Council is potentially being short- sighted in this matter, particularly those members that stated that they would like to see the fees set at 10% of the costs of the land. You are currently receiving next to nothing in taxes on that property, even though you have some responsibilty for maintenance. If our development was approved as we have proposed, you would not only receive $4,750.00 in Park & Rec fees, you would also have five homes paying approximately $6,000.00 per year in property taxes. The cost impact on the City of these five homes would be extremely minimal, much less than virtually any other proposed use. In short, our development, as proposed, would be a win -win situation for both us and the City. However, if the City insists on getting 10% of the costs of the and in Park and Rec fees, they will not only lose our development (we would either have to withdraw it completely or modify it), they will be discouraging other potential developers for any other areas, particularly those on the Lake. Those lands would continue to be vacant, and the City would be wasting more potential tax base. We will consider, but not commit to, a very modest increase in the fees over $950.00 per lot. Any substantial increase will kill this project, at least as it is currently designed. Our understanding of the Park & Rec fees is the same understanding as that of all of the other developers we have spoken to who have dealt with the City recently, none of them claim to have ever even heard of a potential 10% charge. Thus, we feel that we are being singled out. We will wait anxiously to hear the report on the previous five developments, to see what they were charged. Assuming that we get the report fairly quickly, we will respond at that time. However, it it becomes readily apparent that the City is going to insist on receiving 10% of the purchase price of the land in Park and Rao fees, or that this decision is going to be significantly delayed, please let us know, and we will then quickly take appropriate action. Sincerely, Carl D, Buechler