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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.1 Econ Dev Incentive Program STAFF REPORT CITY CLERK File #470-50 CITY COUNCIL DATE:March 5, 2013 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Joni Pattillo, City Manager SUBJECT: Participation Requests for Economic Development Incentive Programs Prepared by Hazel L. Wetherford, Economic Development Analyst EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City received a request from Fresh Millions to participate in the City’s Sewer Capacity Assistance Program, and a request from C & J Cox Corporation to participate in the City’s Sales Tax Reimbursement Program. Fresh Millions is in contract to lease a commercial suite located in the Tralee Village project and would propose to use the assistance to offset the costs for the improvements in the new restaurant. C & J Cox Corporation is in negotiations to construct a new gas station/car wash proposed for the Fallon Gateway project and would propose to use the assistance to offset the costs for the construction of the station. FINANCIAL IMPACT: If the City Council provides direction to Staff to proceed, there could be legal fees associated with the review of the agreement for sewer capacity and sales tax reimbursement. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council provide direction regarding each request for participation in the City’s economic development incentive programs. Submitted By Reviewed By Economic Development Director Assistant City Manager DESCRIPTION: Sewer Capacity Assistance Request On May 4, 2010, the City Council adopted Resolution 53-10 approving a Letter Agreement with the Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD) for the Administration of Unused Sewer Capacity for the City of Dublin. Commonly referred to as the Sewer Capacity Assistance Program, the Program allows the City to market its excess sewer capacity as an economic development incentive program to help stimulate economic growth in the community. The Program is designed to support large and ITEM NO. 8.1 Page 1 of 4 small businesses and encourage the recruitment, renovation or re-use of properties in Dublin. The Program allows the City to provide a credit of up to twenty-five percent (25%) of the DSRSD connection fees that would otherwise be paid by the applicant. The Program currently has 44 Dwelling Unit Equivalents (DUE) available. The City received a request to participate in the program from Fresh Millions (Attachment 1), who is in contract to lease a commercial suite located in the Tralee Village project. The City Council is being asked to consider this request seeking sewer capacity assistance for the construction of a restaurant. DSRSD has estimated a requirement of 3.0 DUE for this tenant. The program was initiated with 66.2 DUE. Since the program’s adoption, the City has made the following DUE commitments: Initial City DUE Holdings: 66.2 Allocated: Stanforth Holdings, LLC (BJ’s Restaurant) -6.0 Red Mountain Retail Group -2.0 Pending: Regency Centers -14.0 Remaining DUE Holdings: 44.2 Through the Program, the City would be able to assist Fresh Millions with the allocation of approximately 0.75 DUEs (value: approximately $13,052 in DSRSD fees) of the 44.2 DUEs of excess sewer capacity that the City has unreserved. The 0.75 DUE is 25% of the 3.0 DUE estimated by DSRSD. Staff believes that the investment of sewer capacity at this location will further assist in the City’s economic development efforts to bring high quality retail and restaurants to the Dublin community that will likely result in higher sales tax revenues to the City. Staff presented this request to the Standing Economic Development Committee on February 11, 2013 and they were supportive of the request. This request falls under the Committee’s purview to provide policy guidance and direction on economic development activities. The Committee is requesting that the full City Council consider the request. Staff is seeking City Council direction at this time before investing a significant amount of Staff time and associated legal fees in drafting the necessary agreement. Prior to entitlement, Staff will prepare the necessary agreements between the City, DSRSD, and the property owner/applicant for the City Manager to execute per Resolution 53-10 (Attachment 2). Sales Tax Reimbursement Agreement On January 6, 2009, the City Council adopted Resolution 09-09 approving the Sales Tax Reimbursement Program. The Program was later amended on October 6, 2009 by Resolution 149-09 and then again on July 17, 2012 by Resolution 135-12 to meet the current economic development needs for the City. The July 17, 2012 modifications added a new section to provide Staff with the flexibility to consider extending some form of sales tax reimbursement relief for improvements related to the construction of new buildings and structures. Page 2 of 4 In summary, the Sales Tax Reimbursement Program assists developers, property owners and/or business owners to help offset costs associated with improvements to the property or improvements relating to construction of new buildings and structures. For businesses generating $100,000 or more in new sales tax revenue to the City annually, the Program allows a reimbursement for the improvement costs of up to 50 percent of that annual revenue. This amount is payable for up to five years but for no more than the amount of the eligible improvement costs. For a business generating $500,000 in new sales tax revenue to the City annually, the Program allows reimbursement for the improvement costs of up to 50 percent of that annual revenue for a period of 10 years. Table 1 provides an example of the Program’s financial structure. Table 1 Tenant A Expected Annual Sales Tax Generation $100,000 Eligible Improvement Costs $250,000 Expected Reimbursements (50% for 5 years - $50,000/year x 5 years = $250,000 $250,000) – not to exceed Eligible Improvement Costs Tenant B Expected Annual Sales Tax Generation $500,000 Eligible Improvement Costs $1,000,000 Expected Reimbursements (50% for 10 years - $250,000 x 5 = $1,250,000) – $1,000,000 not to exceed Eligible Improvement Costs The City received a request to participate in the Program from C & J Cox Corporation (Attachment 3), who is looking to occupy a yet-to-be constructed gas station/car wash at Fallon Gateway (located on the southwest corner of Dublin Blvd. and Fallon Rd.). The City Council is being asked to consider this request to provide financial assistance to help offset the construction costs associated with the new building. Staff presented this request along with a request to participate in the Sewer Capacity Assistance Program to the Standing Economic Development Committee on January 15, 2013. The Committee directed Staff to review other options before making a recommendation. On February 11, 2013, Staff brought back the request to participate in the Sales Tax Reimbursement Program to the Standing Economic Development Committee and they are supportive of the request. This request falls under the Committee’s purview to provide policy and guidance direction on economic development activities. The Committee is requesting that the full City Council consider the request. Staff is seeking City Council direction at this time before investing a significant amount of Staff time and associated legal fees in drafting the necessary agreement. If the City Council desires, Staff will work with the applicant to draft the necessary agreements, and will bring back the agreement for City Council action at a future date. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: None. Page 3 of 4 ATTACHMENTS: 1. Request letter from Fresh Millions 2. Resolution 53-10 3. Request letter from C & J Cox Corporation Page 4 of 4 3162/ • , ll sE/pp�c Aµ0„'/�_ DUBLIN I 7051 Dublin Boulevard SAN RAMON p" " ' " Dublin,California 94568 Phone:925 828 0515 SERVICES ,t id<2'a a,,,,, FAX:925 829 1180 DISTRICT • �` � " www.dsrsd.com 'rroce 1953. 1 April 21, 2010 Ms. Joni Pattillo City Manager City of Dublin 100 Civic Plaza Dublin, CA 94568 Subject: Letter of Agreement for the Administration of Unused City of Dublin Sewer Capacity Dear Joni: As you are aware, at the request of the City of Dublin (City), on March 2, 2010, the Board of Directors of Dublin San Ramon Services District (District) adopted Resolution No. 9-10 (Attachment A) authorizing the City to transfer unused sewer capacity allocated to City properties to commercial properties where the City would like to stimulate economic growth. The resolution requires a Letter of Agreement between the City and District to define the administrative procedures for the administration of the program. In addition, on April 20, 2010, the District Board of Directors adopted Resolution No. 14-10 (Attachment B) authorizing the City to also transfer unused sewer capacity to residential development. Upon the City's approval and acceptance, evidenced by your signature below,this letter will serve as the required Letter of Agreement. The procedures for administering the unused capacity transfer program shall be as follows: • City shall provide to District Engineer, David A. Requa, a letter providing the name of (and contact information for)the applicant for the new,expanding,or relocating business (hereinafter, "commercial project") or residential development project (hereinafter, "residential project" or collectively "project") the City is supporting, the name of(and contact information for) the owner(s) of the property on which the project is located (if different than the applicant for the project) and the number of dwelling unit equivalents ("DUEs")the City desires to allocate to the project. • The District Engineer shall have the discretion to determine whether the number of DUEs the City desires to allocate to the project are consistent with the wastewater flow characteristics, including volume and strength in terms of BOD and SS, for the proposed • use. Such determination will be based, in the sole discretion of the District Engineer, on Dublin San Ramon Services OisvM is a Public Entity EXHIBIT A Ms.loniPetitlo (� d/ 4 Page 2 I o1 April 21,2010 • information concerning the wastewater flow characteristics provided by the Applicant, and/or on a schedule of wastewater flow characteristics for the category or categories of use classifications determined by the District Engineer to be most applicable to the proposed use. • The Applicant shall be responsible for complying with the District Code! with respect to commencing wastewater service, including the acquisition of all additional DUEs determined to be necessary, the application for a Sewer Permit and compliance with all conditions thereto,and for paying all fees and charges attributable to the project. • Prior to and as a condition of District issuance of a Sewer Permit authorizing a commercial project to proceed, City shall sign an agreement with the District, the applicant, and the landowner (if a person different from the applicant) regarding management of the DUEs allocated for the project,which agreement shall be in the form attached hereto as Attachment C, which form of agreement shall be revised to conform to changes made from time to time to pertinent portions of the District Code. • City shall provide District written notification should the applicant's commercial project fail and the City desires to transfer the allocated DUEs back to the City from the owner of the property. • The aggregate total of DUEs allocated under this program shall not exceed sixty-six and two-thirds (66 2/3)DUEs at any time. • No letter request dated after December 31, 2011 by the City to allocate DUEs will be honored by District unless approved by the District Board of Directors. If this Letter of Agreement is satisfactory to the City, please sign and return one copy to the District. The District is pleased to have this opportunity to assist the City in these challenging economic times. Sincerely, i ✓!mil ° BERT L. MICHALCZYK General Manager ACCEPTED for CITY OF DUBLIN JONI PA 1DLLO Date City Manager • 1. This is the District Code of the Dublin San Ramon Services District,which contains the pertinent rules and regulations as adopted by the District's Board of Directors from time to time. Ms. Joni Patillo cQ Page 3 Apri121,2010 Attachments: (A)DSRSD Board Resolution No. 9-10 (B)DSRSD Board Resolution No. 14-10 (C)Dublin Sewer Capacity Transfer Agreement • cc: D. Requa • • • • H-1F..NGDFPTIlem IlemdFNGMRRTHIR1IMn1 rF elle.o6n.0.n..,,I