Contractor wants city as partner -- DyersburgUSA

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Date Posted: 16:40:56 03/27/08 Thu
Author: sil
Subject: Contractor wants city as partner
In reply to: SG 's message, "Developer asks city to reimburse $85,000" on 01:08:14 03/01/08 Sat

Contractor wants city as partner to finance subdivision
Thursday, March 27, 2008

If the city of Dyersburg would like to offer a new subdivision of "affordable housing" to residents of the area, it will have to foot part of the bill, said local developer and contractor Billy Escue.

Escue met with members of the city's Finance Committee on Tuesday with a proposal for Westbrook Subdivision, a project that will offer 53 lots for new houses in what Escue called the middle-income bracket.

Westbrook Subdivision is slated to beoff Upper Finley Road and Jenkinsville-Jamestown Road, next to the Camelot Subdivision.

"This is not in any way associated with low-income housing," said Escue, who said the subdivision would be comparable to Camelot, with lots selling for around $30,000 and home packages from $150,000 to $175,000. "In real estate right now, that is where the demand is."

Escue said the base price to build the first phase of the subdivision would be $27,000 per lot and that he and investors will only be able to spend $16,000 per lot to offer the homes in the middle-income price range.

"What I guess I'm asking for is to see what the city is willing to invest," said Escue. "What I'm looking for today is to see if the city is even willing to work with us on this. I'm basing my future in Dyersburg on this. We are at kind of a stalemate. This is the one development we are working on and if that's it -- I need to move on."

Escue said that although Farms developer Judy Burks told members of the Finance Committee at a recent meeting that no more land in the Farms acreage will be developed, he and Glenn Hall are looking into developing another 17.5 acres in the development in the future.

"Just because she's my mother-in-law doesn't mean I agree with everything she says," said Escue. "Glen and I are looking at developing land out there. I just want you to know there are plans. A lot of that depends on this. If this (project) doesn't go, we're out of here."

"This sounds like it would be appropriate for the new high-falutin' city engineer we've just hired," said committee member Bob Kirk.

"He's sitting right behind you," said Mayor John Holden.

Newly-hired city engineer Brad Davis, with SSR Ellers of Memphis, joined the meeting just in time to hit the ground running and discuss the details of the development with Escue, Holden, Kirk, committee member Kevin Chaney, committee chair Lewis Norman, City Recorder Gleyn Twilla and purchasing agent Greg Williams.

Although he did not request a specific action or investment amount from the city, Escue said that a deficit of $11,000 per lot exists between what the developers are willing to invest and the cost of the subdivision. He also said that the developer's investment should be reimbursed quickly because the subdivision will bring benefits to the city indefinitely.

"We only get a one-time lick at this," said Escue. "The city is going to get infinite rewards."

"We have perpetual maintenance," said Twilla. "Once it is completed, those streets will have to be paved. No matter how well it's engineered, you are still going to have water problems. More houses mean more fire stations for the fire department, more cars for the police department."

Another hurdle to cross is that the subdivision will be located in the Northwest Utility district, which has offered to run underground electric cable for free as long as gas lines are not run in the subdivision.

"It costs an incredible amount of money to keep these systems running," said Chaney. "It's going to be pretty hard to spend city tax money on Northwest infrastructure."

Escue gave examples of public/private partnerships or incentives given by Union City and Ripley. Norman asked about communities like Arlington, Lakeland and Jackson, and Twilla updated the group on a negative situation in Millington and Union City's five attempts at promoting residential growth with varying degrees of success.

Davis and Escue discussed meeting at a later date to go over the figures of the proposed subdivision. The group also discussed contacting other municipalities in the area to see what they offer as incentives to developers within their city limits.

"I would like to meet with city engineers in these cities," said Holden. "Go to Union City and Millington and visit those sites and talk with those people. Let's see what we can do about that. We've talked about affordable housing. I think it's important. It's important for the future of Dyersburg."

Committee members were also cautioned about entering into an agreement that will obligate them to offer similar packages to future developers, and reassured that any agreement or contract will be drafted by the city attorney's office.

"If you do it for one, you have to do it for everyone," said Kirk.

"I don't know how we are going to do it, but we'll sure look into it," said Chaney.

"I really believe we need to do something," said Twilla. "My heart says we need to do it, but my head just cannot see it working."

"I'm trying to look at this as a partnership," said Escue. "I want to live here. I want to stay here. I'm doing the best I can to stay here, but it all comes down to this. We are just trying to bring this to a point. I'm just glad to know that maybe this is something we can do."

Also at the meeting, Holden informed the committee that he had sent a letter to Judy Burks with documentation that the city had paid its part on the lift station she requested reimbursement for. The de-annexation of Burks' land has been deferred to the planning commission with input also requested from the Municipal Technical Advisory Service on the matter.
© Copyright 2008, Dyersburg State Gazette
Story URL: http://www.stategazette.com/story/1321037.html

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Replies:

Re: Contractor wants city as partner -- titans, 16:43:53 03/27/08 Thu
- Re: Contractor wants city as partner -- jimmy, 16:45:21 03/27/08 Thu
  - Re: Contractor wants city as partner -- Muskee, 16:46:34 03/27/08 Thu