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y <br />Concordia School Site Meeting Notes Page 4 <br />Johnson stated it is important to market the site based on <br />current city desires, to give good direction to developers. <br />Mayor Rog stated he is continually hearing from residents that <br />taxes are too high. Rog added that as mayor, he must consider <br />what is best for the city as a whole, and needs to generate the <br />maximum tax base. Rog asked what would happen if the city were <br />to buy the site with tax increment financing, and develop it. <br />Rhody stated it is not proper to use tax increment financing on <br />that particular site, because it is mostly raw, developable land. <br />He added it is the high purchase price of $3.6 million that is <br />preventing compatible development on the site. <br />Rog pointed out that the city used tax increment financing for <br />the Can American project on Lexington and Woodhill Drive to bring <br />about development which was more compatible with the adjacent <br />neighborhood. <br />Rhody stated that Can Am was a different scenario because the <br />site was zoned Shopping Center already, while the Concordia site <br />is zoned R-1. <br />Rog pointed out that tax increment financing changes, which are <br />being discussed at the Legislature, could eliminate the possi- <br />bility of tax increment financing. <br />Pankonin suggested maybe a small tax increment financing subsidy <br />could be considered to bring the price down to a more reasonable <br />level. <br />Rog suggested there was a possibility of usi,ig excess tax incre- <br />ment funds on the Concordia site to bring about single family <br />development. <br />Rhody stated that option was worth looking at, but would be <br />opposed to using tax increment financing to get a higher density. <br />Gail Westby stated the neighborhood objected to zero lot line, <br />single family because it was adjacent to an existing single family <br />area. Westby said the city needs to look at options for the site, <br />and added that apartments don't generally benefit school district <br />population because the tenants tend to be so transient. <br />Rhody said there was a lot of neighborhood objection to the <br />previous proposals because the neighborhood felt all alone. <br />Pankonin stressed the need to plan for the future. <br />Rog stated plans have been done in the past, but it was time to <br />redo the city's Comprehensive Plan. <br />Rhody stated maybe the city should consider a moratorium of <br />development on that site until the plan is done. <br />