Council approves $20,000 infill empowerment award for Shriner Point Section 3, noting limited fund balance

The City Council voted unanimously to approve an infill empowerment zone award of $20,000 to support utility extensions for Shriner Point Section 3, a planned 9‑acre subdivision that would create roughly 32 single‑family lots.

Aaron Vannoy, Planning and Development Services Director, said the estimated cost for water and sewer mains and service lines is $358,000 and that city policy allows assistance up to 50% of those utility costs (which would be $179,000). However, Vannoy reported the infill account balance at $20,349.89 and recommended approving $20,000 to help move the project forward; council approved the recommendation 7–0.

Council members discussed the program design — the empowerment zone was created to help larger infill parcels that require more infrastructure investment — and warned the current approval would leave no remaining infill funds for the fiscal year if encumbered. Staff said the program is structured as a one‑time funding mechanism tied to platting and that, in practice, utilities typically must be installed comprehensively rather than in many small staged payouts.

Why it matters: The award is intended to lower the infrastructure barrier for new housing in an infill area and could improve attainable housing supply; councilmembers expressed interest in increasing infill funding in future budgets to support similar projects.

What’s next: The award was approved and staff noted there will be no remaining infill funds for the rest of the budget year if the $20,000 is encumbered; additional funding would require future budget action.