Developer contests fee‑rebate numbers; council approves incentive ordinance on first reading and asks staff to reconcile figures before second reading

Council considered an ordinance to authorize economic development incentives for a residential development and a commercial development in the Rutland Place area. The applicant’s representative, Charles Johnson of BP/VP Riverside, told council that the fee and rebate numbers printed in the agenda packet differed from the figures the company submitted and requested that staff and the applicant reconcile the numbers before final action.

Johnson said the packet contained altered fee figures and that exhibit references were inconsistent; he asked council to approve first reading and allow staff and the applicant to agree on corrected numbers and clear verbiage prior to second reading. Staff representatives acknowledged discrepancies and said some figures had been adjusted after discussions with building inspections, engineering and other departments; staff said it would confer with the applicant to correct the packet and return a reconciled document before second reading.

Council approved the ordinance on first reading and directed staff to work with the applicant to confirm the correct fee calculations, the rebate cap wording and the period over which reimbursements would be paid. The applicant noted the program is intended to reimburse a percentage (50% in the packet) of fees paid to the city over a multi‑year period and argued a hard dollar cap in the packet could be punitive if it did not match actual fees paid. Staff committed to provide the original application figures and corrected staff calculations for council review before second reading.