Wed
Dec 26 2007
02:40 pm
Is there a Knoxville/Knox County TIF list viewable online?
By: jbr

That would be interesting. I assume one entity keeps those records. Who it went to, how much, what project applied to, etc. Anyone know where that would be found?
Sandra Clark's picture

IDB

Submitted by Sandra Clark on Wed, 2007/12/26 - 4:44pm.

JBR: The city and county have separate Industrial Development Boards and issue separate TIFs. It's a fairly new thing with the county. In fact, Tim Graham might have gotten the first one with his South Grove development.

Someone at The Development Corporation would know. -- s.

Bill Lyons's picture

TIFs in the City

Submitted by Bill Lyons on Wed, 2007/12/26 - 5:23pm.

Sandra, and JBR. Almost all of the city's TIFs have been through KCDC - in redevelopment areas. The Brownlow was one that council and commission recently approved. It was for a TIF in a one-parcel redevelopment area under a policy we developed to be used to enable rehab of historic school buildings in neighborhoods. This process requires that council approve a redevelopment area. Before the administration recommends a TIF an application be filled out to ensure the project would not occur "but for" the TIF. The justification is two faceted--- the "but for" as well as an explanation of the public's interest in the project's occurring.

The city has made very limited use of the City Industrial Development Board for TIFs. The City IDB was used for a limited TIF district downtown as part of the financing structure for the cinema.

Bird_dog's picture

what about town center?

Submitted by Bird_dog on Wed, 2007/12/26 - 11:39pm.

The project at Pellissippi and Northshore? I thought it was mentioned in the CC meeting as receiving a TIF.

Bill Lyons's picture

Northshore Town Center

Submitted by Bill Lyons on Thu, 2007/12/27 - 9:47am.

The Northshore Town Center project received a TIF through the County IDB. The City participated in this TIF as well.. for public improvements to Northshore that had been in the planning stage prior to this development. Under the approved arrangement the developers pay for the improvements up front and are paid back by increased taxes after the development. If the development does not perform economically the developers are at risk. The City's participation was based on the town center mixed-use concept.

bizgrrl's picture

Is there a Knoxville/Knox

Submitted by bizgrrl on Thu, 2007/12/27 - 7:20am.

Is there a Knoxville/Knox County TIF list viewable online?

Apparently not for the city. Would be nice, though.

Scruffy Citysin's picture

"Nice" is an Understatement

Submitted by Scruffy Citysin on Fri, 2007/12/28 - 12:18am.

If City Council approves all TIF's within the city whether granted through the KCDC or the IDB and County Commission approves all TIF's whether in or out of the city, it would be reasonable to assume that there should be an accumulative listing of those that have been granted.

Surely, the County Tax Assessor would have, or should have, a record.

Obviously, it should be possible to review the minutes to accumulate a list.

Another job for a citizen auditor? For the Shopper?

jsnieri's picture

How did we end up with a city and a county government

Submitted by jsnieri on Sat, 2007/12/29 - 4:40pm.

Seems so Redundant and Arcane.

Anonymous's picture

TIF for Economic Development

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 2008/04/25 - 10:00pm.

Has Knoxville or Knox County ever used TIF on projects that developers could finance themselves without the TIF?

Rachel's picture

I don't know about past

Submitted by Rachel on Sun, 2008/04/27 - 7:27pm.

I don't know about past TIFS, but the City of Knoxville has had a policy for awhile that they only do "but for" TIFs - as in this development couldn't happen BUT FOR the TIF.

Clearly the County has no such policy.

michael kaplan's picture

I would think most of the

Submitted by michael kaplan on Mon, 2008/04/28 - 12:30am.

I would think most of the projects awarded TIFs could have been financed by the developers. And how does a developer decisively prove that, but for a TIF of, say, 10%, a project could not go forward?

Pamela Treacy's picture

Are there deadlines?

Submitted by Pamela Treacy on Sun, 2008/04/27 - 7:02pm.

Does anyone know if there are deadlines to finish construction of a project in order to continue to receive the TIF? It sure seems like the Northshore project is behind schedule. If we are expecting revenue to pay for the improvements, it doesn't seem like we are getting any revenues as this point.

I don't understand how we offered to help a developer build a project like this -- if the numbers didn't work then maybe the whole project didn't make sense. TIFs are to encourage development where it is not happening naturally. What did the county get from this development?

KCS and KC should purchase the land and build the much needed school for the southwest quadrant at this location.

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