The committee approved a brownfield plan that will allow tax capture to support a proposed 32‑unit housing development on a vacant 3.86‑acre parcel at 147 South Washington in downtown Oxford.

Brad Fanson, planning division staff, said the project includes 16 two‑bedroom and 16 three‑bedroom units, with a total development investment of approximately $9,400,000. He said seven units will be set at 120% of area median income under the program’s workforce/affordable housing component created by a recent state law. Fanson said the brownfield will be the first claimant in the district’s tax capture structure and that developer reimbursement is $2,250,000 over a 14–15 year capture period; the last five years of the brownfield payback flow to a local site revolving loan fund to support future brownfield work.

Commissioners discussed that many recent brownfield approvals have been used for housing rather than traditional environmental cleanups and asked staff whether other counties were using the same tools; staff said colleagues around the state are adopting similar approaches. The committee voted in favor, recorded as 6 ayes and 0 nays in committee, and the motion carried.