Woodland Park DDA authorizes negotiations on Tava House TIF application, directs legal to draft multiple deal options

The Woodland Park Downtown Development Authority voted to authorize staff to enter into negotiations with Tava House Properties LLC on a proposed tax increment financing package and instructed legal counsel to prepare three to four possible deal structures for the board to consider.

Board members discussed the scope of the applicant’s reimbursement request, which includes public improvements along Highway 24 and internal site infrastructure. Josh (legal counsel) told the board that today’s action would only authorize negotiations and that “there is not a TIF agreement that has been finalized after negotiations, so you wouldn’t be approving a TIF agreement today.”

Representatives of the applicant said some of the requested reimbursements are for CDOT-required improvements and other items that the parties understood would be part of the development. David (Tava Group representative) said the project has evolved from an initial restaurant pad into a larger, ‘loop road’ concept that includes extension of Saddle Club and other public work. He described the reimbursement requests as “hard bids” for public infrastructure.

Legal counsel and city staff explained how TIF reimbursements are paid: tax increment is generated only after the new assessed value produces incremental property taxes, and reimbursements are limited to the actual increment collected. Josh said the DDA’s statutory sunset (the board discussed a 2031–2032 end date) constrains the length of any reimbursement period and that any obligation to pay would cease when the DDA sunsets unless a future city council extends or reconstitutes the DDA. “If you don’t pay in $250,000 and we approved a 100% [reimbursement], that’s what you would get back,” Josh said, illustrating that the board would only be approving a share of actual tax increment revenue—not a guaranteed cash payment.

A motion to enter negotiations and to ask the city attorney’s office to prepare multiple deal-structure options — including language about whether the applicant could seek additional assistance from a future or extended DDA — was made and seconded and then approved by the board. The board’s approval authorizes negotiations only; any actual TIF agreement would require later, separate board action after drafting and review.

Board members asked staff to double-check which improvements were already required by prior agreements and which were newly requested as part of the CDOT review. City planning staff confirmed that utilities to the pad-ready lots have been stubbed and that constructed improvements are intended to be dedicated to the city after inspection and a standard two-year warranty period.

Next steps: staff will open negotiations with the applicant and return to the board with draft deal-structure options and supporting legal language for future consideration.