Hooper council delays decision on Terra Strada development after public objections to CRA and questions about $2.5M lift station

At a recent Hooper City Council meeting, councilors discussed a proposed Terra Strada commercial and residential development — referred to by several speakers as "Smith Plaza" — but did not take a final vote after extended public comment and technical questions about project financing and infrastructure.

Councilors and city consultants focused on how to pay for a sewer lift station that engineers estimate could cost roughly $2.5 million, and on whether a community reinvestment area (CRA) or tax‑increment financing (TIF) would be used and supported by other taxing entities. Jason Burningham of LRB Public Finance Advisors told the council his fiscal impact analysis assumed the full cost of the lift station (based on an engineering estimate from JUB Engineering) and explored tax increment as one possible vehicle but did not assume taxing‑entity participation.

Why it matters: The council is considering a general plan amendment, rezoning and related development agreements that would allow the Terra Strada project to proceed. If the city adopts a CRA/TIF or other financing tool connected to the project, those…