Topeka committee approves aligned CID/TIF/RHID policy updates including $25,000 developer funding agreement and higher application fee

The Topeka City Policy and Finance Committee approved a package of coordinated changes to the city’s CID (community improvement district), TIF (tax increment financing) and RHID policies on Jan. 28, 2025, including a new upfront funding agreement of $25,000, an increase in the CID application fee to $5,000 and added affordable‑housing language to the TIF policy.

Committee members and staff said the changes are meant to standardize timelines and review practices across the three incentive programs and to ensure the city can recover costs when it engages consultants and legal counsel to analyze proposed projects.

The revisions require a developer or applicant to provide a $25,000 funding agreement before staff begins outside consultant work, legal drafting or the city’s financial analysis. Randa Freeman, director of planning and development services, told the committee the payment is intended to “protect the city and our costs for investing and doing the analysis” of an RHID, TIF or CID and that the fee will be consistent across the three programs.

The CID policy was changed to increase the application fee from $1,500 to $5,000 to align with the TIF and RHID fees; staff said the change reflects similar consultant and staff workloads on all three program types. The committee also approved language making clear that developer entities and related partners must not be delinquent on property taxes or special assessments to qualify…