Dixie Highway business owners are in luck, the Independence Township board voted unanimous for a Commercial Rehabilitation Tax Abatement plan.
‘It’s really a win-win scenario for everyone. For businesses, land owners, the township, and the county,? said Treasurer Curt Carson. ‘Because what it does is it allows a business to come in expand or improve their facility and apply for a tax abatement to help out. That is something that we haven’t had over the years.?
However, Township Attorney Steve Joppich, noted the County would have 28 days to reject the proposal for the four rehab districts along Dixie.
‘If the county either does not act or approves, the districts are thereby established,? he said.
The tax abatement will allow business owners with a building 15 years or older to make improvements and renovations on their building and freeze their taxes on the addition part up to five years.
Township Assessor Beverly Shaver, said the additions to the building will only be taxed for schools, but all the original building will be taxed as normal as far as township, and county taxes.
‘It will go up and down with the market,? she said.
Carson said the concept is ‘to encourage businesses to come in and lease or purchase some of these vacant buildings.?
Shaver agreed.
‘Even if it’s only one, two, or three buildings improve it, it should bring in more interest, more business owners to come into the township,? she said. ‘We need more businesses and the employees that come with it. The employees go out on their lunch hour and they spend money. We need all of that, anything we can do to promote Dixie Hwy, I think is good.?
Though there were concerns from different board members the project might get out of hand due to the size with all four districts, Trustee David Lohmeier said he was comfortable with the controls set in place and the board could look at each project on a ‘case by case? basis.
‘It’s not approved at the county level, but we got this thing going really fast and we’re ahead of some of the other townships,? he said. ‘So the real opportunity is for Independence to be out there with this up front and generate some excitement and enthusiasm will draw people in and get that momentum.?
Planning Commissoner Joan McCrary, said originally Dixie business owners were concerned the township had spent all their resources on the Sashabaw Corridor and had left the Dixie group behind.
‘I’m happy the board moved on that so we can go on with what was originally planned with the large group that got together,? she said.
The board previously approved temporary signage, where businesses can place temporary signs out by the road four times a year, 14 days at a time. As well as incentives to change non-conforming signs to conforming by not having to pay permit fees, if business owners apply between now and Dec 31, 2010. The board also changed capital connection charges from one up front payment to quarterly payments that can be amortized over 10 years.
‘The key is it’s always been at a fixed eight percent,? Carson said. ‘Now, it is at a low interest rate, based on the federal funds rate.?
He noted the board had also voted on pre-approval for ‘welcome? signs at each end of the corridor, but that is still to be brought back to the board.
Trustee Mark Petterson gave ‘kudos? to Ron Ritchie the rest of the planning commission as well as the business owners for their diligence.
‘It was them who accomplished this, not the board,? Petterson said. ‘We’re not taking any of the glory just because we passed this. It was what the planning commission wanted to do.?
Supervisor Dave Wagner concurred.
‘The thing I appreciate about Dixie Highway the most is that we got a group of dedicated business owners, that stepped up to the plate at their own expense and worked very, very hard on this project,? Wagner said. ‘That’s what we really need to see more of is the involvement of the community.?