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Broadwater County reviews Wheatland TED tax-increment financing application; staff flag typos and water-supply limits
Summary
County staff presented a draft tax-increment financing application for the Wheatland Targeted Economic Development (TED) District, flagged a demolition-checkbox typo and emphasized that projects should be presented to the TED committee before construction because pre-construction could affect TIF eligibility; commissioners noted a Department of Commerce planning grant and a pending water study.
Commissioners discussed a draft tax-increment financing (TIF) application for the Wheatland Targeted Economic Development (TED) District and asked staff and the TED committee to refine the application before formal adoption.
Community Development Director Nicole Brown said the draft includes Supplement A (statutory language) that had not yet been posted and pointed out a checkbox on page 5 (demolition and removal of structures) that should not be marked unless an applicant includes demolition in the proposal. Brown emphasized that projects should come to the TED committee before construction because beginning construction before approval may affect eligibility for TIF reimbursement.
Commissioners described the TED district as a southern Broadwater area zoned for industrial and commercial uses and said the county's role is to facilitate infrastructure and application review while landowners and private businesses lead the projects. Staff noted the TED district boundary adopted in 2019 contains 10 parcels; one large parcel (site of Bridger Brewing/Bridger Brewing Realty Group) has been subdivided into multiple parcels since the TED's adoption.
Commissioners also discussed a planning grant from the Montana Department of Commerce and an upcoming water study led by engineer WGM to address how a public water system would be funded and how water rights and exempt wells would be handled; several commissioners said securing water will be necessary before substantial development can occur in the TED.
The draft application uses an outside advisor (Courtney Ellis) paid from TIF administration funds, which staff said is an allowable administrative expense. Staff asked the TED committee for comments and said edits would be forwarded to the commission prior to final adoption.
No final action was taken; the item remained in discussion and staff will post Supplement A and address committee feedback before returning with a revised application for adoption at a later meeting.
What happens next: staff will post the full application materials (including Supplement A), accept TED committee comments and return edits to the commissioners; a water-study outcome is expected to inform development feasibility.
