EDC outlines decision model for 148-acre Poor House tract; board told to weigh infrastructure, historic resources and incentives

An Economic Development Committee representative presented options for the county's 148-acre Poor House tract and asked the Board of Supervisors for direction and feedback during the April 30 special meeting. The EDC's Mr. Bullard said the group developed a decision model to evaluate a set of build alternatives against consistent criteria and risk scenarios and that the model would yield a ranked set of feasible options.

Mr. Bullard described a broad menu of possible uses including medical/clinic space, recreation, and mixed-development options and noted the tract's size and internal road layout make multiple uses possible. He and a county planner (Mr. McKenzie) presented a buildable-area analysis that showed the flattest land near Dodler Road and identified soil and steep-slope constraints elsewhere. Mr. Bullard said many proposals will hinge on infrastructure: sewer/water capacity, road access, and whether the county would offer incentives to attract private investment.

Historical resources were flagged as an immediate concern: the county's historical society will conduct a one-day walk-through in May because the transcript records that there may be one or more cemeteries on the property; staff said they would defer archaeological recommendations to the historical society before moving to more intrusive feasibility work. The EDC proposed a phased schedule: finalize option rankings by the end of June, conduct feasibility and developer outreach in July/August, and prepare budget-ready requests for a January 2027 budget round for initial work.

Next steps: EDC requested board feedback by May 8 on options to include or remove and plans to return with feasibility findings, developer interest, and rough order-of-magnitude budgets.