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2 <br /> <br />The citizen panel noted that Lake Drive is a high visibility area and a gateway and concluded it <br />should be designated as commercial. This site will be desirable eventually, but isn’t now because <br />utilities are a good distance from the site. It will take significant development to pay for utility <br />extensions. The city charter also controls how utilities can get extended. Often development pays <br />for utilities. Mr. Masonik asked if the developer has to pay even for those who hook up later. Mr. <br />Smyser said that typically the developer pays for it, or the city provides assistance using TIF to <br />mediate the cost, or it’s possible that other properties along the route can agree to pay when they <br />hook up, depending on whether they agree to such a plan. Ms. Schwartz said some cities have a <br />policy that if anybody hooks up within a certain period, they pay a portion. <br /> <br />Mr. Smyser said it is counter to the city’s redevelopment policy goal if individual property <br />owners make significant investments on their nonconforming sites. Businesses that invest in their <br />properties and have success are likely to stay over long periods and the city can’t make them <br />leave. The particular site that brought up this discussion is currently paying about $3,000 in city <br />taxes and the building value is expected to drop by a third in 2011. Further investment in the <br />building will have minimal impact on the city’s tax base. <br /> <br />A property owner has a right to use the building for its existing use. If the use changes, as it will <br />in this building because it’s been empty, it must meet the current zoning ordinance and building <br />codes. The city can change its ordinances if it chooses, but the city can’t change building codes, <br />including the adopted fire protection code. That part of the code, which is part of the Centennial <br />Fire District’s joint powers agreement, requires sprinklers in that size building. There’s no city <br />water to this site, so the owner could only put in an on-site sprinkler system, which is very <br />expensive. <br /> <br />Mr. Stranik asked if it were not for the charter, would the city be bringing utilities to the site to <br />speculate on development? Mr. Smyser said many cities would do it. <br /> <br />Mr. Roeser said the optimum solution is a developer who could bring utilities to the site, but <br />asked what is the short term solution? How do we fix the current problem? <br /> <br />Discussion included the following ideas and options: <br /> Blaine assembles land and sells to developers. <br /> Find funding sources that could allow the city to purchase blighted properties and hold <br />until development occurs. <br /> Find ways to bring utilities to the site. <br /> Should the city change its policies/ordinances to allow interim uses in older buildings in <br />the city? Changing ordinances affects other properties around the city as well. Could this <br />have unintended consequences? <br /> Buildings should be improved when the opportunity presents itself. <br /> Citizen committees over the past several years have said we want quality redevelopment <br />of nonconforming sites and allowing interim uses is contrary to redevelopment. <br /> It’s a combination of issues: the building must conform in use and meet the building <br />code.