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City reviews first combined GSI and demolition abatement for West Side site; council asks about drainage and compliance
Summary
Staff presented the first Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) abatement application—paired with a demolition abatement—for a 12.7-acre West Side site near Derry Ashford and Briarforest, estimating roughly $5.7 million in abatement over 10 years and highlighting permeable pavers, bioswales and urban forestry.
City staff presented the first application to use the Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) tax abatement at the Economic Development Committee meeting on July 17. The proposed project (TPMS 3 d a, LLC and TPMS 4 d a, LLC) would demolish three existing buildings on a 12.7-acre site near South Derry and Ashford (Briarforest), install permeable pavers, bioswales, urban forestry and soil amendments, and build a mixed-use development. Staff estimated an abatement of about $5.7 million over a 10-year term with an effective date projected around Jan. 1, 2028.
Andrew Busker explained the GSI calculation: eligible GSI costs are measured and compared to the cost of conventional stormwater detention, and the abatement is applied to the net GSI value plus co-benefit adjustments. Under the proposed ordinance changes, the minimum total project cost that could qualify for GSI would fall from $3 million to $735,000 and the minimum GSI investment from $100,000 to $35,000.
Councilmembers asked whether public works and permitting had reviewed drainage and engineering studies. Busker said the project provided civil-engineering materials and that Public Works and the Resilience and Sustainability Office had provisionally reviewed the submission; a full permitting review will occur when the application advances to permits. He said compliance processes and monitoring are being coordinated with RSO and permitting staff and that demolition and GSI abatement values are linked in the project's financial math.
Councilmembers also asked about adjacent uses and whether retail tenants like CVS were inside the proposed reinvestment zone; staff clarified the CVS parcel is not included in the reinvestment zone and will remain. Busker said multifamily housing shown in renderings is a separate developer and not part of this abatement application.
Public commenters voiced support for GSI and asked staff to ensure enforcement and follow-through on abatement commitments. Staff said they will continue to refine compliance and permitting workflows with Resilience and Sustainability and Public Works before the agreement returns to council for zone creation and ordinance approval.
