Two CIDs get council's final nod

The Northwest Area Community Improvement District, covering the recently approved Chestnut Crossing development at Chestnut Expressway and West Bypass, was approved at an earlier meeting, but the cooperative agreement essential to running the district was approved July 11.

A second CID, covering the new Airport Plaza development, and its cooperative agreement also was approved.

The CIDs allow retail businesses in each district to assess additional sales taxes on purchases, with the money going back into the upkeep and development of the districts. The city administers the programs, and in turn, receives a percentage of gross sales revenue from the districts; the two new CIDs pay the city 1.5 percent of gross sales.

City development specialist Mike MacPherson said the developers have the option of choosing how much to increase the sales tax in the district, up to an extra 1 percent. The developer must, however, submit a plan to the city detailing how much the increase will be and what the revenue will be spent on; the city then can approve, negotiate or reject the proposal.

City officials view a CID as a way to encourage development and maintain an area’s aesthetic appeal. City Manager Tom Finnie has told council that new CIDs will come before them in the coming months.

Thompson Plaza

Council heard a rezoning request to revise the Thompson Plaza planned development at the southeast corner of Independence Street and Fremont Avenue, fronting James River Expressway. If approved, the site would become home to a new Furniture Factory Outlet store.

Councilman John Wylie said he was concerned about the aesthetics of the proposed business, which would be one-third retail and two-thirds warehouse.

“Along that area and past it, there are hospitals and businesses that are very attractive on both sides (of the street),” Wylie said. “That was a corridor that had a master plan, so that we didn’t have something that looked like a dumpster that people had to look at as they went through our community.”

Geoffrey Butler of Butler, Rosenbury & Partners Inc. spoke at the meeting, on behalf of land owner Thompson Sales Co.

“As much as (Furniture Factory Outlet’s) paying for the property, they’re probably going to do whatever they can to attract attention to the facility,” Butler said. “You can draw attention by being terribly ugly, but that’s not very positive, so I’d imagine they’re going to put some sort of pretty face on it.”

If council approves the rezoning request at its July 25 meeting, Butler said Thompson will sell the land to Furniture Factory Outlet, which would open a third Springfield location at the site. FFO District Manager Rick Tennis said the company hopes to complete the sale and begin construction in the next 30 days.

Also on the agenda:

Council also considered a $5.85 million supplement to the city’s 2005 operating budget, to fund the Joint Venture Landfill Gas to Energy project. The project, a combined effort of the city and City Utilities, would harness methane gas released at the Noble Hill landfill.

CU Chief Operating Officer Bill Burks estimated the total cost of the project to be between $7.5 million and $8 million.

The project is expected to create 3.2 megawatts of energy. At its peak capacity, the methane-powered generator system could produce about 1 percent of the city’s energy needs on an average day.

Council will vote on the proposed supplement July 25.

For related coverage from July 4, 2005, click here.

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