Board certifies Town and Country Crossing site plan; aldermen ask how electric-vehicle chargers will be operated

Town and Country — The Board of Aldermen on Sept. 8 approved the fifth amended final site development plan for the Town and Country Crossing shopping center at 1000 Town And Country Crossing Drive and authorized certification of the plan. The action was taken by unanimous roll-call vote and is recorded as ordinance 4711.

Why it matters: The site development plan governs the layout and approved improvements for a major retail center in the city and includes new amenities such as electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations. During review, aldermen asked how payment for charging would be handled and whether the city would benefit financially.

During discussion Alderman Harder asked several operational questions about the charging stations, including whether customer card payments go to the utility or to the site operator. A staff or project representative described the typical commercial arrangement: the charging operator charges users by the kilowatt-hour, bills the user’s card and remits payments to the utility for electricity. The representative said operators commonly place an authorization hold (for example, about $50) on a card when beginning a charge. City staff said they were not aware of the development producing meaningful ongoing revenue for the city beyond any local gross receipts arrangements; no specific revenue-sharing agreement was presented at the meeting.

The board approved the plan after the brief discussion. Several aldermen commented that EV charging infrastructure is costly but represents a convenience and amenity for shoppers and residents.