Council approves first reading of Cascade Hills PUD; developers outline 51-unit affordable housing plan
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Summary
Council approved first reading of PUD ordinance 12-85 for Cascade Hills, a ~51-unit affordable housing development. Developers described lot sizes, TIF financing and a $1.1M SDHDA grant; council voiced questions on helicopter noise, tax impacts and TIF term.
The Hot Springs City Council approved the first reading of ordinance 12-85, creating Planned Unit Development No. 3 (Cascade Hills Subdivision), a proposed affordable housing project led by Fall River Health (development representatives on record). The PUD would cover roughly a 10-acre parcel west of the hospital and accommodate about 51 housing units in a mix of smaller patio homes and larger single-family houses.
Designer Mike Tuohy told the council the plan includes smaller lots with 50-foot frontages for some units and 14–15 larger homes; builders hope to break ground in April and start construction in October. "The parcel is just over a 10 acre parcel...we've got 14 or 15 larger homes, 14 or 15 smaller homes," Tuohy said, describing lot sizes and setbacks.
Quinn Reimers of Collier Securities explained the financing structure: the project uses a developer TIF covering 51 lots that the Department of Revenue has classified; he said the city carries no liability for the TIF and that SDHDA has committed $1,100,000 toward infrastructure. "It's an affordable housing TIF that's already been classified by the Department of Revenue," Reimers said. Councilors asked about helicopter noise from the nearby helipad, potential impacts on existing neighborhood property values and the TIF's expiration date; Reimers said the TIF was conservatively projected to dissolve around April 2041.
The council adopted the ordinance on first reading by roll call; the PUD ordinance and a separate TIF resolution will return to the council for future action and final approvals. Planning and Zoning recommended approval earlier the same day.
Next steps: the council will consider subsequent readings and a separate TIF resolution at a future meeting; the developer and financing details will be refined during permitting and design.