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Middletown holds public hearing on proposed Christo townhomes TIF; council takes nonbinding straw poll
Summary
City staff and developer outlined a phased incentive-district TIF to pay infrastructure for a 59-unit townhome project at the former Lincoln School site. The city held a public hearing; no binding vote occurred but council took a straw poll signaling preliminary support.
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — City staff and the developer of a proposed townhome project described a phased tax-increment financing plan for infrastructure at the former Lincoln School site during a public hearing Tuesday night, May 6.
Jacob Schulte, program manager for the city’s Community and Economic Development Department, told the Middletown City Council the proposal splits the project into four separate incentive-district TIFs so infrastructure funding will come online in sequence as construction proceeds. "This would be a 10 year 75 percent TIF," Schulte said, explaining that roughly 75 cents on the dollar of new valuation from the improvements would go into a payments-in-lieu-of-taxes fund to pay for roads, streetscaping and lighting.
Developer Adam Christo, who identified himself as representing Christo Homes, said the plan aims to produce attainable housing at a lower price point than earlier proposals. "The average price point we're targeting now was about $240,000," Christo said, and he told council the project envisions 59 townhome units on the Lincoln School property.
In response to the staff presentation, council held a nonbinding straw poll at the request of the assistant law director. The poll was taken to gauge support for an overlay TIF; council members indicated preliminary support but no formal vote to create the TIF was taken that night.
Why it matters: The TIF would divert a portion of new property tax revenue from most local levies into a fund to pay developer-facing infrastructure costs for the project for a limited period. If council later adopts the TIF ordinance, the city’s taxing districts would temporarily see altered revenue flows from the newly developed parcels until the TIF term ends.
What was discussed: Schulte explained why the district is being phased rather than covering the entire project at once, and he noted certain millages (for example, libraries) are exempt from incentive-district exclusions. Christo described prior cost estimates and said working with the city and the incentive could lower unit prices compared with earlier projections. There was no public testimony in opposition or support recorded during the hearing.
Next steps: The hearing concluded after the straw poll. Schulte said this public-comment phase is the initiation of the TIF process; additional legislative steps will be required before the city can formalize any district and pledge payments.
Staff and developer contact: Jacob Schulte, program manager, Community and Economic Development; Adam Christo, Christo Homes.
