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DC Development reports site readiness work for 175-acre Scott County tract; commission approves first invoice
Summary
DC Development told the Scott County Redevelopment Commission it has completed survey, wetlands, geotechnical and utility verification for a roughly 175-acre site and recommended considering a speculative industrial building; the commission approved a $2,350 invoice for land-development services.
Josh Hill and a partner from DC Development updated the Scott County Redevelopment Commission on Jan. 9 about progress to prepare a roughly 175-acre tract for industrial development and asked the commission to consider options including a speculative building to improve the county’s competitiveness for site-selection inquiries.
Hill said DC Development has completed title work, an ALTA survey, a wetlands and stream report, geotechnical borings and verification of utilities and floodplain limits. “We have completed title search, completed, ALTA survey, completed, wetlands and stream report, completed geo technical work on the site, verified utilities, looked at flood plain,” Hill said. He told commissioners the team has responded to roughly 20 requests for information (RFIs) from site selectors and that the county is now “on their radar.”
The consultants showed preliminary site plans that illustrate a building footprint of up to 150,000 square feet in a developable area constrained by streams and wetlands; they said the larger tract could later be subdivided into multiple lots or accommodate a much larger building if demand materializes. The team estimated that removing one wetland feature would cost “just over $100,000,” and the geotechnical work showed clay soils and rock at depths that should not impede utility excavation, both findings Hill characterized as favorable for industrial construction.
Hill and his partner discussed financing and development options the commission could consider, including a three-year interest-only financing structure and a build-operate-transfer model under Indiana Code 5-23 to support a speculative building that could be sold once occupied. The partners said having an existing or spec building increases the likelihood a site will be shortlisted by prospective employers.
Commissioners discussed distinctions between the 175-acre tract and a recently acquired school property (reported sale price about $1,700,000), with DC Development advising the two sites may serve different market niches—heavier manufacturing for the larger tract and lighter industrial or distribution for the school parcel.
The commission also reviewed invoices from DC Development. The commission approved a motion to pay $2,350 for the firm’s initial land-development support services (described in the contract as 10% of land-development management work), a motion that was seconded and carried by voice vote; the invoice presenter said larger bills covering the survey, wetlands, geotech and subconsultants would follow.
Hill asked to return with concept plans and potential financing scenarios; commissioners requested that Hill provide full deliverable packages (survey, wetlands, geotech reports) to county staff for distribution to real-estate contacts and for further review.
No binding purchase or construction commitments were made at the Jan. 9 meeting; commissioners directed staff to continue outreach to site selectors and to prepare financial options and mitigation cost estimates for future decisions.
