Angola redevelopment commission approves amendment to expand TIF district

The Angola Redevelopment Commission on Oct. 8 approved a resolution to amend the city's economic development area and expand the boundaries of a tax increment finance (TIF) district, a step staff said is intended to make municipal infrastructure improvements and spur private development.

Attorney Pittman told commissioners the amendment process requires four public approvals in sequence: an initial redevelopment commission approval, plan commission review, city council consideration and a final redevelopment commission public hearing with a confirming resolution. He warned that Indiana law requires personal notice to property owners inside the expanded area and that those notices frequently draw inquiries or attendance at the hearing. "We want to expand the TIF District," Pittman said when summarizing the amendment in plain terms.

Why it matters: Expanding the EDA and the TIF makes additional parcels eligible for TIF-funded public improvements such as water and sewer extensions, sidewalks, signage and other infrastructure that the city owns and operates.…