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Halifax County approves conveyance of 698.79-acre parcel in corporate park for economic development
Summary
The board authorized a resolution to convey a nearly 699-acre county-owned parcel in Halifax Corporate Park to an unnamed company contingent on commitments around investment, job creation and construction timelines.
The Halifax County Board of Commissioners authorized a resolution at its June 16 meeting to convey a 698.79-acre county-owned parcel in the Halifax Corporate Park for economic development, contingent on contractual commitments from the prospective buyer.
Cathy Scott, the county's economic development director, said state law requires a public hearing before conveying county-owned land for economic development. Scott told the board the parcel, located on Highway 561 in Halifax Township, has a county-estimated fair market value of $2,095,600. “The company that is proposed for this project will invest a total of $45,550,000 every 5 years in real property improvements and equipment and machinery purchases,” Scott said, and the firm is pursuing state incentives. Scott also said the proposed jobs would pay an average weekly wage of about $1,007 versus the county's current average of $823 per week.
Scott and county counsel said the resolution requires the company to contractually complete required improvements within five years and asks the board to consider projected tax revenues over the next 10 years when determining the conveyance. County staff said the company name could not be released at the time because the project team is pursuing state incentives.
Public hearing and board action The board opened the statutorily required public hearing and, after no members of the public came forward to speak, closed the hearing. The board then adopted the resolution authorizing the conveyance and authorizing county staff and the chair to execute the final economic development agreement, provided its final form is substantially similar to the version presented to the board. Scott said a July 16 deadline applies to receipt of certain paperwork tied to outside funding commitments; staff clarified the date in response to a commissioner question.
Farm lease and rent provisions County staff and commissioners discussed an existing farm lease on part of the parcel. Staff said any portion of farmland removed from production for development would require compensation to the tenant farmer for lost crops or expenses depending on the stage of the season, and the county would prorate farm rent in that event. Staff also said the current farm lease terminates at the end of the year and is a three-year lease.
Why it matters: the resolution is intended to ensure the proposed private investment and job creation will offset the county's decision to convey a large parcel of public land and to protect the county's interests through deed restrictions and contractual conditions.
Quotes in this article are drawn from remarks made during the June 16 meeting.
