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Planner outlines blight-clearance and feasibility options for Flora fire station; recommends $20,000 planning grant
Summary
Emily Hall told the council that the town can pursue a $20,000 planning grant (8% required match, 10% recommended) to fund a feasibility study for demolition/redevelopment of a blighted fire station site; she described income survey validity, Brownfields Phase I assessment opportunities, and alternatives including self-funded demolition or USDA loans.
Emily Hall presented the council with options on Jan. 12 for addressing a blighted fire station site and preparing for potential redevelopment.
Hall said the town is restricted from clearing the site until July 8 due to an ongoing project constraint but that the town’s income survey remains valid through Sept. 1, 2027, which supports grant eligibility. She recommended applying for a $20,000 planning grant (described in the record as a feasibility study grant) with an 8% minimum match — a 10% match is encouraged to strengthen applications.
Hall described benefits of a feasibility study: preliminary design, cost estimates for demolition and new construction, identification of alternate sites within town property, and a consultant selection process similar to the town’s comprehensive plan. She also said the Indiana Finance Authority’s Brownfields program can provide a Phase I hazardous materials assessment at no cost, and that the value of such assessments can count toward match (values discussed between $2,500 and $3,500 in the transcript).
Hall said alternatives include pursuing USDA funding (mostly loans) or conducting demolition using town cash to avoid state grant conditions such as a five-year lockout period on redevelopment. She warned that if the structure were used only for storage (a secondary support facility rather than an active station), a five-year lockout could apply under state blight-clearance grant rules; confirming specifics with the state would be necessary.
Hall estimated an additional income-survey cost of about $3,000 if the town seeks to expand the survey beyond the town to include the full fire protection area served by the station (Monroe Township and other service areas). She recommended the planning grant route to preserve the income survey’s usefulness and to prepare a redevelopment plan required for blight-clearance grants and potential future construction funding.
Council discussion acknowledged constraints and options; no formal motion to pursue the grant was recorded in the transcript. Hall offered to assist the town with next steps if the council chooses a direction.
