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West Bend planning commission approves recommendation to create Tax Increment District 18
Summary
The West Bend City Plan Commission voted July 1 to recommend establishment of Tax Increment District (TID) Number 18, a 164-acre mixed‑use district that would fund roads, a roundabout, decommissioning of a lift station and housing incentives tied to Washington County's NextGen program.
The West Bend City Plan Commission voted July 1 to recommend that the City Council create Tax Increment District Number 18, a proposed 164‑acre mixed‑use district south of Roscoe Road that staff say is intended to finance infrastructure and developer incentives.
The project plan presented to the commission describes a district that mixes roughly 102 acres of industrial uses with about 62 acres of newly platted residential, including an estimated 315 NextGen housing units. Phil (staff presenter) said the plan anticipates infrastructure work — notably Roscoe Road reconstruction, a roundabout at River and Roscoe and decommissioning a nearby lift station — and developer incentives paid back through pay‑as‑you‑go municipal revenue obligations.
Why it matters: TIDs allow a city to capture the incremental property tax revenue produced by new development to pay for public improvements and developer reimbursements. Phil told the commission the project plan carries an estimated $35 million in project costs and projects roughly $180 million in new development value if the proposals are fully built out.
Details and timeline: Phil said the district would include wetlands that reduce developable acreage to about 164 acres and that, under mixed‑use TID rules described in the plan, the district could exist up to 20 years. The plan allocates about $7.7 million for Roscoe Road infrastructure, roughly $21.7 million in incentives tied to developer performance and approximately $6.3 million to the NextGen down‑payment assistance (a Washington County revolving loan of about $20,000 per unit). Residential buildout was modeled at five to six years for the first phase; industrial absorption is expected to be longer.
County and other partners: Phil said the NextGen housing element is coordinated with Washington County and EDWC, and that the county provides a roughly $20,000-per‑unit loan that is repaid to a revolving fund when units sell. The presenters told commissioners the county is separately considering improvements at Main and Roscoe intersection on its own timeline.
Public process and approvals: Staff said the City Council action is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 4, with the joint review board to meet about two weeks later. The commission approved a resolution recommending the district boundaries and project plan be sent to council; the motion to approve was made by Jeff (commissioner) and seconded by Mike (commissioner) and carried on a voice vote.
Outstanding questions: Commissioners asked about coordination with Washington County on intersection timing, the sequencing of borrowing and construction, and whether costs would fall to utilities or the general fund; staff said the TID is expected to fund the listed projects and that debt borrowing is not anticipated for at least a year to two years. Phil and John (planning staff) said detailed development agreements and municipal revenue obligations would set the flow of funds if the district is created.
Next steps: The commission forwarded the resolution and project plan to City Council for consideration. If council approves the TID and the developers meet the performance conditions in future development agreements, the city expects infrastructure and incentives to be funded from the district increment rather than general taxpayers or utility ratepayers.
