Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
City unveils draft land‑banking strategy and sets a modest biennial set‑aside to leverage partners
Loading...
Summary
City staff presented a draft land‑banking strategy focused on partnership‑led acquisitions, an evaluation checklist, holding and disposition policies, and a proposed $50,000 per year ($100,000 biennium) set‑aside to leverage partner funding and predevelopment work.
Assistant City Manager Joseph Brillio and Development Project Manager Mandy Burr presented a draft land‑banking strategy that emphasizes partnerships with developers and nonprofit partners, a checklist for evaluating parcels, clear holding and disposition approaches, and a case‑by‑case budgeting approach.
Mandy Burr summarized the strategy's priorities: focus acquisitions where they deliver public benefit (housing, infrastructure, community space), evaluate parcels with a standardized checklist, define partner and city roles early, and limit holding time while planning disposition to advance housing and community goals. She explained that the city intends to lean on partner organizations for acquisition and asset management rather than building a standalone land‑banking agency.
Assistant City Manager Brillio said staff proposed a modest budget set‑aside of $50,000 per year, $100,000 across the biennium, to cover predevelopment gap funding and to "sweeten the pot" for partner deals. Council members praised the checklist and practicality but asked staff to soften categorical language that the city "will not acquire or hold land for speculative purposes" so gifts and properties obtained via code enforcement would not be excluded by policy.
Council members asked staff to return with a formal version for adoption (anticipated on a future consent agenda) and to include tracking for specific parcels councilors suggested. Staff noted other potential sources (construction excise tax, URA funds) could also support acquisitions when available.
Next steps: staff will revise language per council suggestions, incorporate council‑provided property lists, and return a final version for formal review and adoption.
