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Council schedules workshop on draft Chapter 380 economic-development agreement after detailed discussion
Summary
City staff and the city attorney outlined a draft Chapter 380 (tax-incentive) ordinance and application packet for economic development; council scheduled a workshop to set parameters, reporting and management obligations before the city adopts a program.
Alpine officials briefed the City Council on a draft Chapter 380 economic‑development agreement and application materials that would let the city negotiate tax abatements, façade grants and similar incentives with businesses or developers in exchange for defined public benefits.
City Manager described the draft agreement and the application packet that city staff and City Attorney Cynthia Trevino prepared. Trevino, who advised the council on legal constraints and common program design, said Chapter 380 is an economic‑development tool that waives or rebates certain city resources in exchange for public benefits such as job creation, infrastructure investment or downtown improvements. "That is always the first hurdle to cross because at the end of the day, we're offering incentives," Trevino said, noting that the city must carefully set parameters and performance conditions and carry out enforcement and reporting.
Council members asked for clear thresholds and caps (for example, one‑time façade grants capped at a fixed dollar amount) and for the city to define who reviews and enforces performance provisions (staff or a designated economic‑development body). Council member Stone urged the council to require living‑wage or minimum compensation standards and to make reporting and clawback provisions robust so the city recovers incentives if promised performance is not achieved.
The council did not adopt a policy at the meeting but directed staff and the attorney to prepare more detailed draft parameters and return to a workshop on April 15. Staff said the city will also research model agreements from other municipalities and post the draft materials publicly for business feedback ahead of the workshop.
