West Bend planning commission backs creation of Tax Increment District 18 to fund mixed-use development

The West Bend City Plan Commission voted July 1 to recommend that the City Council establish Tax Increment District No. 18 and approve the district's project plan, which would fund infrastructure and developer incentives for a mixed-use development south of Roscoe Road between Main Street and River Road.

The project plan covers roughly 164 acres (about 13 acres of wetlands are excluded from developable acreage) and calls for a mix of industrial uses on the eastern parcels and roughly 315 "NextGen" residential units in the purple residential area of the plan. Commission discussion and staff presentations said estimated project costs total about $35,000,000 and projected built value could reach roughly $180,000,000 if the plan is fully realized; the plan anticipates closing in about 19 years.

Why it matters: The TID would pay for street and utility work including Roscoe Road reconstruction, a roundabout at Roscoe and River, a lift-station decommissioning, and a multiuse path connecting to the Eisenbond Trail. The plan also includes developer incentives and a county-backed NextGen down-payment/loan program intended to keep a portion of the homes affordable to local buyers.

City staff described the proposal as a…