Council hears petition to add Madison Reserve to London Gateway community authority and seeks advisors for TIF management

Council members read a resolution at their meeting proposing to accept an application to add parcels — including those tied to the Madison Reserve project — into the London Gateway New Community Authority, a statutory vehicle that can allow developers to levy service payments in lieu of taxes to fund infrastructure.

A city explainer told council that the petition would be effective only with the agreement of the property owners and approval not only by council but also by the authority’s board. He summarized the mechanism: developers arrange financing for sewers, roads, sidewalks and utilities and repay those infrastructure costs through service payments tied to the properties rather than conventional property taxes. The explainer said the item would be followed by a public hearing scheduled for May (date in packet) and that inclusion would create deed restrictions and encumbrances that accompany those parcels.

Council also read a separate resolution authorizing the safety/service director to advertise a request for qualifications (RFQ) for New Community Authority and TIF advisors. A council member said the TIF structure for the area involves many separate taxing districts and that professional advisors — whose fees can be paid from TIF funds — could help the city and county manage the complex administration.

No final approval or vote on the petition occurred at the meeting; staff said the item would proceed to a scheduled public hearing and that developers and property owners must follow statutory petition steps under Chapter 349 of the Ohio Revised Code.