Ogden Airport CRA package advances; Williams expansion and power needs shape proposed TIF terms

Weber County commissioners discussed an interlocal agreement and Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) proposal Jan. 27 tied to development at Ogden Airport, including a potential major expansion by Williams International.

County staff said they intended to present an interlocal agreement to the commission pending completion of language today, with the plan to place it on the county agenda as early as the following day. Stephanie Russell introduced city and airport representatives and turned the presentation to airport and economic-development staff.

Nut graf: The package aims to use tax-increment financing (TIF) to support infrastructure — most notably electric service — needed for a large Williams International expansion. Staff said Williams would create high-wage, skilled-production jobs and that its expansion could involve up to $1 billion in capital investment during the CRA period. "Power is the big one," airport representatives said; they described options such as building a substation or a microgrid to free the existing 8-megawatt circuit for other users.

Key points from staff: Airport and city presenters described ongoing talks about annexation for properties near the airport and said they would pursue city-initiated annexation where property owners agree. The interlocal was amended in staff discussions to raise the county's TIF participation on a specific project to 75% (above the county's typical 50%) because of a large infrastructure lift identified by consultants. Staff said the interlocal also includes a requirement that the county portion of any TIF be used for infrastructure projects and that the agreement requires annual reporting; staff said failure to provide reports could be treated as a material breach and that county legal staff would add explicit breach language to the interlocal.

Quotes and accountability: "We felt comfortable as an economic-development finance committee to go above the 50%... and to bring them up to that 75% because there is a huge infrastructure lift," a presenter said. County legal staff agreed to add a sentence making failure to provide required reports a material breach of the interlocal.

What commissioners asked and directed: Commissioners pressed staff to ensure reporting provisions would be enforceable and asked for language treating failure to provide reports as a material breach of the interlocal. Staff said they could update the interlocal and route it through the county portal in time to appear on the next day's agenda. Commissioners also requested coordination around annexation if property owners express willingness to be annexed into Ogden.

Other airport topics: Airport staff provided a status report on broader airport work: a new lease document is being drafted with private hangar owners; consultants and aviation counsel are drafting minimum standards, rates and fees and other guidance; the county and airport are reallocating cargo apron plans to the southeast side and are planning a cargo apron for FAA-designated aircraft group 3, a heliport, and parking for rotary-wing aircraft. Staff also described outreach on advanced-air-mobility opportunities.

Ending: County staff said they would add explicit breach language to the interlocal, circulate the revised agreement through the county portal, and expect to bring the interlocal to the commission for a vote the next day if commissioners are agreeable. No formal county action was taken at the Jan. 27 work session; the item was informational and preparatory for a future agenda.