Riverdale, America First seek expanded tax-increment funding to pay for sewer and roadwork

Riverdale City officials and representatives from America First Credit Union presented a request to the Weber County Commission on May 19 to amend a long‑standing redevelopment area (RDA) budget so tax‑increment financing can pay for new roads, utility trunk lines and interchange upgrades near Interstate 15 and I‑84.

Brandon (presenter) and Riverdale City Administrator Steve Brooks asked the commission to approve an amended RDA budget that would extend the district from 17 to 22 years and raise the county’s cap on participation to $10 million. The proposal would change the current participation split and allow construction of the infrastructure the parties say is necessary to support nearly $1 billion in private development and as many as 7,000 jobs on and around the America First campus.

Why it matters: Riverdale and America First said most of the central infrastructure — sewer mainline, widened collector roads and modified I‑15/I‑84 ramps — cannot be funded without tax increment. Brandon said the existing RDA valuation base and $9 million cap are insufficient to build the network that would support planned commercial and employment development.

Riverdale City Administrator Steve Brooks told commissioners, “we’re not trying to hide anything from anybody,” and said city staff, engineers and America First executives were present to answer questions. County staff and commissioners focused on the requested participation rate. Commissioner Bert said the county’s policy on tax‑increment projects exists to ensure “everybody play[s] on the same field, not play favorites,” and pressed for explicit protections that a county contribution would only fund public infrastructure, not private building costs.

Brandon outlined the requested terms: extend the collection period to 22 years, increase the participation cap so the county’s incremental share would total about $10 million over the period, and adjust the split to 80% TIF participation to support initial heavy infrastructure investment. Staff noted that because the RDA predates current interlocal tools, the county cannot use the same interlocal contracting approach it uses with more recent RDAs — a legal/administrative constraint that prompted commissioners to ask for binding resolution language.

Next steps: Commissioners asked Riverdale and Brandon to work with county staff (including the county attorney’s office) to draft explicit resolution language that confines county funds to the listed public infrastructure items and clarifies reporting and procurement safeguards. Riverdale staff agreed to deliver a proposed resolution for commission review before any final action.