Eudora official briefs Douglas County on Shadow Ridge North RHID plan; final development agreement not yet available

Zac Daniel, a representative of the City of Eudora, briefed the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners on the Shadow Ridge North Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID) proposal and said the city plans a public hearing and ordinance process in late February but has not yet provided a final development agreement for review.

Daniel walked commissioners through the RHID mechanism: a statutory tool that lets a city establish a district after a housing‑needs analysis is reviewed by the Kansas Secretary of Commerce. Under the RHID, taxes attributable to existing baseline property values continue to flow to taxing entities; only incremental growth in assessed value tied to new residential development is captured and used to reimburse developers for eligible public improvements (roads, storm sewer, utilities) identified in a development agreement. Daniel said developers typically front the infrastructure costs and then request reimbursement via the RHID from the incremental tax generation once the improvements are complete.

For Shadow Ridge North, Daniel said the current proposal is a retooled plan that envisions about 49 owner‑occupied single‑family units plus 30 senior housing units (duplexes, townhomes and similar housing types). The project has completed preliminary planning and a final plat is on track; the city has noticed a public hearing for February 24. Daniel told the board that staff are still awaiting a draft development agreement from the developer, which will list eligible costs and set the baseline value. Because the development agreement was not yet available, Daniel said Eudora intends to open the public hearing and then likely continue it to allow the county and school district time to review the draft agreement and assess any adverse effects.

Commissioners asked procedural questions about timing and school‑district review. Daniel confirmed that after the closing of the public hearing and adoption of an ordinance creating the district, the Eudora School District and Douglas County would have 30 days to adopt a resolution claiming any adverse effects; adoption of such a resolution within the 30‑day period can nullify the district. Commissioner comments included support for additional housing and appreciation that Eudora kept the county informed through the pre‑application process.

Why it matters: RHIDs alter how incremental property taxes are captured and used to finance infrastructure, which can affect county and school district revenues during the reimbursement period. Commissioners emphasized the importance of reviewing the forthcoming development agreement to understand eligible costs, baseline valuations and any special‑benefit district for a street extension Daniel had mentioned.

What’s next: Eudora plans a public hearing on February 24; the county and school district will review the draft development agreement when provided and may adopt a resolution within a 30‑day review period if they find adverse effects.