Council approves purchase of 3.86 acres at 252 Talbert Street to expand fairgrounds

The Coming City Council authorized staff to draft and the mayor to sign a purchase agreement for approximately 3.86 acres at 252 Talbert Street to expand the Coming Fairgrounds, voting 4-0. City staff said the purchase would be funded from accumulated recreation impact fees and would not affect the city’s operating budget.

City staff member Phil told the council he had made a verbal offer of $1,428,200 to the property owner (the Elzey/Elsey estate), which he said equals the appraised value included in the council packet. Phil said the purchase and any needed site improvements — grading, underground utilities, water, sewer and electrical — could be paid from the recreation impact fees account. “All funding for the purchase of this property as well as the needed site improvements would be paid for out of recreation impact fees and would have no effect on your operating budget,” Phil said.

Council members asked about the rules governing impact-fee timing; Phil stated the remaining impact fees are subject to a time limit and indicated the staff believed the limit was three years from the date of collection. Phil said the purchase would not exhaust the impact-fee fund. A councilmember moved to approve the purchase and the motion carried 4-0; the council then separately authorized the mayor to execute the purchase agreement by the same vote.

The city packet contains the appraisal information and Phil said the Elzey family had agreed to the offer. Staff described the acquisition as providing “much needed area for expansion of the fairgrounds,” with possible future site work and amenities funded from the impact-fee account. No construction contract or timeline was adopted during the meeting.