Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Landbank Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission directs move toward separate seven-member local land bank board, plans July transition
Summary
After discussing options, commissioners signaled support for creating a separate local land bank authority with seven members, asking staff to seek a state intergovernmental amendment and to hold a July transition so current Brownfield board can finish start-up tasks.
The city commission on March 11 directed staff to pursue creating a separate local land bank authority, recommending a seven-member board and a July handoff from the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. Commissioners said the change should include clear, written policies for property disposition before the new board assumes authority.
Why it matters: The local land bank holds tax-foreclosed and otherwise difficult-to-market properties. Commissioners said a dedicated board could move faster on redevelopment while preserving continuity with the city’s existing brownfield work.
Commissioners and staff framed the decision as a phased handoff rather than an immediate replacement of the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. City staff recommended a transition period to allow the current board to complete administrative startup tasks — including portfolio transfer, basic marketing and maintenance — and to allow staff time to prepare onboarding materials for new board members.
Staff said the new board would oversee a broader set of activities once onboarded: refining a property-disposition policy that prioritizes community goals, layering existing incentive tools (tax/infrastructure incentives, Brownfield tools) to improve site marketability, and later evaluating whether limited, strategic property acquisition is appropriate. Commissioners emphasized they do not want a land bank to become a long-term land holder; rather, the stated objective is to return properties to productive use and, where appropriate, to use the tool to advance affordable housing and equitable redevelopment.
Several commissioners recommended a seven-member board rather than the five-member fallback in the city’s agreement with the state land bank, saying seven offers more room to include varied expertise while keeping the body small enough to be nimble. Commissioners also said they expect to consult the current brownfield board members and invite those with relevant expertise to seek appointment to the new authority.
Next steps: Staff was directed to open talks with the state land bank to amend the intergovernmental agreement to permit a larger board, and to return with implementing documents and an appointment timeline so a new board can take authority no earlier than July 2025. Staff also will draft a property-disposition policy for the incoming board to adopt and will brief the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority on the plan.
Commissioners said they expect the disposition policy to reflect the commission’s “north star” goals — returning property to productive use quickly while advancing equitable ownership and affordable housing where feasible.
Copies of staff’s briefing materials and suggested timeline will be posted with future city commission communications.
Ending: The commission did not hold a roll-call vote to finalize the governance change at the March 11 meeting; instead members gave clear direction to staff to pursue the state amendment, craft an onboarding plan and schedule the transition for July.
