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Commissioners approve sale of two surplus parcels to nonprofit housing partners after debate over taxpayer reimbursement
Summary
After discussion about recouping county cleanup costs, commissioners voted to approve sales of two surplus parcels (C‑8 and C‑9) to nonprofit homebuilders; one commissioner recorded a nay vote and staff agreed to return with policy analysis on future sales and funding options.
The Board of County Commissioners debated whether nonprofit buyers should reimburse the county for remediation work before the board voted to approve the sale of two surplus properties intended for affordable housing development.
Commissioner Lisa Yeager opened discussion about C‑8, noting that the parcels will be used to build homes for households at or below 80% of area median income with zero‑percent financing from Habitat for Humanity. “These people are being able to finally have a place of their own, not rent,” Yeager said in support of the sales. Commissioner Seth Waitman urged that the nonprofits should at least repay the county’s cleanup costs; he cited taxpayer investments of roughly $5,614 and $8,000 into the two properties.
Commissioner Jack Mariano proposed exploring a program using Community Development Block Grant—Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) or other funding to reimburse the general fund while allowing nonprofits to keep the low‑cost transfers. Staff responded that funds already expended on cleanup cannot simply be reclaimed through CDBG‑DR for those two already‑remediated parcels but that future program rules could be developed for new properties. After additional discussion the board voted to approve the sales; one commissioner recorded a dissenting vote on the final motion. Staff agreed to return with a policy analysis and recommendations for future transfers and possible tree‑mitigation support from the county’s tree fund.
The board’s action moves the parcels toward conveyance to housing partners; staff noted the county previously offered the land on the open market without takers and emphasized the housing partners will build new homes and generate property tax revenue once developed.
