Planning & Zoning committee approves redevelopment amendments and clarifies TIF use for Case Place and Jefferson Street

The Planning & Zoning Committee recommended approval of amendments to the Case Place and Jefferson Street redevelopment plans and approved resolutions that define activities eligible for tax increment financing, the committee chair said. The votes on the four related items were unanimous or recommended by voice vote: 10 in favor, 0 against, 0 not voting.

The amendments affect the Case Place and Jefferson Street redevelopment plans and the East Bank Redevelopment District. Council member Capp, the lead sponsor, told the committee that an earlier sequence of approvals related to tax-increment financing needed correction and that the council had previously approved the substantive redevelopment items. "In 2019, there was some amendments put in place as a result of tax increment financing," Joe Kane, director of urban development for MDHA, told the committee. "At that time, there was a timing issue on who should approve the amendments first, and that timing was out of sequence. This is going back to correct that sequence."

Why it matters: the resolutions establish what activities and improvements can be funded or supported using TIF revenue tied to each redevelopment plan and set the near-term boundaries and process for community engagement. Council member Capp said the East Bank extension holds the plan in place for one year while a broad community-review process occurs and that the only immediate boundary change is the removal of the East Bank parcels west of I-24 from the redevelopment district for that year.

Discussion and amendments: Sponsor amendments clarified the language about TIF uses to align with state law. "The earlier version said that the TIF money could go to affordable housing. That's not a quite accurate use of TIF under state law, so it is infrastructure and support for the construction of affordable housing," Capp said while moving the amendment. The amendment changed the resolution language to specify infrastructure and construction support rather than direct operating subsidies for affordable housing.

MDHA said it conducted surveys, held community meetings (in-person, hybrid and virtual) and performed outreach regionally to solicit input for the priorities that are attached to the resolution. MDHA acknowledged that some of those results are "a little bit buried" on its website and agreed to distribute links to council members. Council members asked for the survey results to be circulated through the council office.

Concrete outcomes: - Item BL20251103 (Case Place and Jefferson Street plan amendments) was moved and recommended for approval (motion by Council member Capp). Vote: 10-0, recommended for approval. - Item BL20251104 (one-year extension of the East Bank Redevelopment District) was moved and recommended for approval. Vote: 10-0, recommended for approval. The extension removes East Bank parcels west of I-24 from the district for the one-year period while amendments are prepared. - Item RS20251562 (resolution specifying activities and improvements eligible for TIF in Case Place) was amended to clarify permissible TIF uses and approved as amended. Vote on amendment: 10-0. Vote on resolution as amended: 10-0, recommended for approval. - Item RS20251563 (resolution specifying activities and improvements eligible for TIF in the Jefferson Street redevelopment plan) was amended and approved. Vote on amendment: 10-0. Vote on resolution as amended: 10-0, recommended for approval.

What remained unresolved: Council members pressed for clearer, easier access to the MDHA survey results and asked MDHA to circulate links. Members also discussed priorities raised in the surveys — including land acquisition, infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, historic preservation, child care and grocery stores — and asked how those priorities are reflected in the redevelopment documentation. MDHA said priorities cited in the surveys were being followed and that specific instances (daycare, grocery-related suggestions) were among the responses.

Next steps: MDHA agreed to provide direct links to the compiled survey results to council members and to the council office. The committee advanced the amended resolutions and the redevelopment-plan amendments to the next legislative steps with committee recommendation.

Speakers quoted: Joe Kane, director of urban development with MDHA; Council member Capp (sponsor).