North Branch City Council approves Nelsonís tax abatement

Posted 4/25/01

North Branch City Council approves Nelsonís tax abatement

The North Branch City Council approved a 10-year tax abatement plan for Nelsonís Market at its regular monthly meeting April 23.

A 15-year abatement plan had been tabled at the councilís March 25 meeting, and the amended 10-year proposal was approved Monday night.

The abatement plan concerns Nelsonís plans to construct a new grocery store off Falcon Avenue/CR 68 on the west side of I-35. The agreement provides for $18,000 in tax abatement for 10 years, down $120,000 over the 15-year, $20,000 per year agreement discussed in late March.

Following a number of public hearings, the council voted to move forward on a street reconstruction project in the Char-croft addition which will be assessed to property owners there.

Each of the 18 property owners listed in the assessment roll will be assessed just more than $5,500 for the work, which includes re-surfacing, a new culvert project and some minor grading, city engineer Julie Dresel reported.

The city council agreed to move forward on a curb and median construction project off 14th Ave. at the northwest corner of the McDonaldís parking lot. The project is designed to put a tighter control on traffic in the area and provide enhanced pedestrian and public safety, Dresel said.

Assessment rolls and project costs were also discussed and approved for utility work on Grand Avenue in the city industrial park. An existing cul-de-sac will be removed and the street extended, Dresel said, along with storm and sanitary sewer work.

The council approved a tax increment financing (TIF) district deal with Prime Ventures concerning the construction of two eight-plex apartment complexes to be located south of McDonaldís. A third eight-plex could be under construction if the original 16 units are rented out prior to the construction being completed.

It was agreed that the city should begin looking for a street lighting and pole system which would be kept consistent across the city in future new developments. The consistency factor would reduce costs and provide easier maintenance, relating to spare parts, for city crews, city administrator John Moosey said.

The council appointed Bruce Hagstrom to a vacant Park Commission seat. Hagstrom was one of five who had expressed interest in the seat.

The council also agreed to allow Moosey to move forward on a new roofing project on the existing city hall after some serious leakage had been experienced there during recent rains. Moosey indicated frustration with the situation, citing three patch jobs in the past two years, and said the quick fix efforts were not getting the job done.

Moosey said a new roof at city hall should cost less than $30,000, and the council authorized Mayor John Pinsonneault to proceed under an emergency budgeting basis.