Commission authorizes staff to draft housing-incentive agreement for East Plum Creek subdivision

Developer Jim Strahan presented the commission with plans for East Plum Creek, a new subdivision near a grade school that will include about 30 building sites (including duplex units and single-family homes built primarily for entry-level buyers and seniors). He described infrastructure costs already incurred (water, sewer, storm, streets) and said he was seeking county assistance to discount lot prices for buyers.

County staff told commissioners that a payment structure could be drafted so the county pays back a per-lot incentive — approximately $9,000 per lot in their example — when each home closes, rather than providing a single upfront subsidy. Staff recommended using the county’s economic development incentive reserve fund for the payment, and they said the reserve had available balance for such support. Commissioners discussed program integrity and public assurance: several said they wanted contract terms to include maximum per-lot discounts and mechanisms to ensure the buyer actually receives the benefit rather than the developer simply raising the house price.

A motion to authorize county staff to draft an official agreement with Strahan that would allow housing incentives toward the East Plum Creek project passed on roll call. Commissioners said the agreement would return to the commission for formal approval once the contract language, maximum per-lot reduction and closing-based payment mechanism were drafted and agreed by staff and the developer.

The authorization does not commit funds immediately; it instructs staff to prepare the agreement and present it for final vote at a future meeting.