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Mount Pleasant discusses sale of 2.18-acre strip by airport to steel subcontractor; council to vote
Summary
Mount Pleasant officials discussed a proposed sale of a 2.18-acre strip beside the airport runway to a buyer planning a steel manufacturing subcontracting operation tied to St. Pete Steel. Council members asked for development milestones in the contract and said the sale will go to city council for a vote.
Mount Pleasant meeting participants discussed a proposed sale of a 2.18-acre strip of city-owned land along the airport runway to a prospective buyer who, according to meeting remarks, would operate a steel manufacturing subcontracting operation tied to St. Pete Steel.
The parcel, described by Speaker 1 as "2.18" acres based on the survey, drew questions from other participants about whether the sale would include enforceable post-sale development requirements. "You have to have a business presence within a year and a full fledged business within 2 years. That's right in the contract," Speaker 2 said during the discussion, noting that the contract template includes milestone requirements intended to ensure the site is developed and contributes to the tax base.
Speaker 3 expressed support for bringing employers to town but raised the risk that a buyer could acquire the land and then not develop it, asking for contractual protections. Speaker 2 told the group that RDA attorney Hartwick had confirmed the strip's handling differed from the industrial-park parcels and said the prospective buyer has financing and was prepared to begin construction: "he's got the loan. He's ready to go," Speaker 2 said.
Officials also discussed the property's history: Speaker 2 said the Public Development Authority provided $1,200,000 in infrastructure funding dating back to 1998 to support the park's development. Participants acknowledged enforcement of milestone clauses can be difficult in practice even when they exist, and that reclaiming parcels can require legal action.
No final sale was approved at this meeting. Speaker 1 said the sale would be taken to the city council for a vote and that Council member Ray would be present for that consideration. Public comments during the session included support for the site's suitability for heavy truck traffic and local job creation; speakers also noted the parcel is zoned (referred to as) Zone 4.
The matter will return to the city council for a formal vote; no formal development agreement or final sale documents were approved during this session.
