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Council reviews CRA expansion and authorizes airport engineering services agreement
Summary
At first reading the council reviewed a proposed Community Reinvestment Area #2 that would expand development incentives and potentially allow residential parcels; separately, Council authorized a master services agreement with Butler, Fairman and Seufert, Inc. for airport engineering consultancy (7–0).
City staff presented a first reading of Ordinance 4631-25 to establish Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) #2. City staff described an existing legacy CRA covering downtown and said the new proposal would broaden eligible areas — including the possibility of adding residential properties — to support development tied to recent annexations and a housing study. Staff said any specific developer agreements would return to Council for final approval. Council did not act on the ordinance during the Oct. 7 meeting; it received a first reading.
Also on Oct. 7, the Council considered Resolution 2720-25 to authorize the Director of Administration to enter a master services agreement with Butler, Fairman and Seufert, Inc. (BF&S) for engineering consulting services under FAA Advisory Circular 150/5100-14E for airport grant projects. Grimes Airport Manager Drake Huffman explained the state-mandated five-year consultant selection process and that BF&S was the highest-scoring firm; city legal counsel noted the agreement provides a legal framework and does not itself commit project funds. The resolution passed 7–0.
Why it matters: expanding a CRA can change tax-incentive eligibility for development projects and affect the city’s ability to attract housing and commercial investment. The master services agreement establishes a pre-approved consultant relationship that can be used for future airport projects and FAA-funded work; it does not obligate funds without subsequent project approvals.
Next steps: the CRA ordinance will return for subsequent readings and any specific development proposals will come back to the Council. The administration may execute the BF&S agreement per the resolution to allow consultant engagement on future projects, subject to project-level approvals and funding.
