City of Decatur considers deal with developer for parks

Plats approved for Paloma Trails, Vista Park

Wise County Messenger
By Austin Jackson 
August 16, 2023

The City of Decatur is considering an agreement with a developer that would fund city park amenities inside the new planned development off Deer Park Road.

Council members Monday discussed a potential 380 agreement with BridgeRock Developments to create a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone to use a portion of ad valorem taxes in the 89-acre Vista Park development. The development, which is expected to have excavation and other prep work completed by the end of the year, would bring in hundreds of residences as well as commercial property.

BridgeRock Development’s Troy Lewis said the developer is proposing that the TIRZ would fund a 50 percent share of the 1.4 million in improvements. The term of the TIRZ would be 15 years, however, Lewis estimated that the project would be completely funded in around 5 years.

The agreement could fund additional trails and expanded trail width, the installation of playground equipment in two areas of the development and shade structures and benches around the city parkland.

“Really, what we’ll be able to do will be determined by the agreement we come to in regards to additional dollars to make this look nicer throughout the entire development,” Lewis said.

Lewis identified a city park area on the west side of the property with room for gravel trails, trees and playground equipment, as well as a separate city park area on the east side that would include trails, playground equipment and a fishing dock on a pond.

“Most of that is tree cover, and originally we were going to keep it natural,” Lewis said. “With TIRZ dollars, we feel like we can amenitize it.”

Chapter 380 agreements authorize municipalities to offer incentives designed to promote economic development. TIRZs are a form of tax increment financing, another economic development tool to incentivize development, reallocating additional ad valorem property taxes within the zone.

The park amenities would be constructed as the surrounding phases of the development are completed, Lewis said. 

Council member Eddie Allen asked if the proposed parkland that would be dedicated to the city would be available to all citizens of Decatur, later asking for a timeline on when an actual plan for park amenities could be established.

Lewis said the property would be available to the public, and that the parkland would be maintained by the development’s homeowners association. He added that a more complete picture of the plan would come into focus if/when financial parameters are set in stone.

Council member Jake Hayes then asked for clarification on what percentage of the 380 agreement and TIRZ would fund the city parks versus general infrastructure improvements in the development. 

“That’s where I think we need to get in the details of the proposal. We can get details and put a number to it and work towards that,” Lewis said.

At the end of the presentation, Decatur City Manager Nate Mara sought direction from the council on how to move forward, asking whether city staff should draft a 380 agreement and bring TIRZ language before the council.

The council instructed city staff to establish parameters for a potential deal.

“I would like to see it move forward, but I think we need to understand exactly what we’re getting out of it at the end of the day,” Allen said. “The parks and the walking trails are all very important. Of that $1.4 million, we’re not funding it directly, but we are still funding it. I want to make sure we get what we want out of it. If not, we can just fund it ourselves.”

The discussion on the development was followed by a public hearing to consider amending the Vista Park PD to increase the total lots to allow 139 townhomes by reducing the amount of single family homes from 348 to 258. In total, it increases the amount of lots from 349 to 397, while opening additional space for parkland and greenspace. 

Since it was the first reading of the ordinance, any action from the council would take place at a later date.

However, the council did take some action on Vista Park at the meeting, approving the final plat for Phase 1A of the development to create 150 lots on a 37-acre tract of the property. The council also approved the final plat for 102-acre Phase 1 of the Paloma Trails development that’s located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 380 Business U.S. 380. In total, the Paloma Trails development is expected to include around 400 lots for single family residences, as well as additional acreage for multi-family housing.