City to annex land for apartment complex

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After clearing up confusion about how they had voted, the Snyder City Council approved a developer’s request to annex 10.281 acres located south of Memorial Way and west of College Ave./Hwy. 350 that is expected to be site of a 132-unit apartment complex. 

The developer is K-Son, Inc., which is owned by Bill Smyrl.

The council also approved two agreements between the city and the Texas Housing Foundation, which is spearheading the project.

Council member Steve Rich voted against the annexation and agreements.

No one from the public spoke during a short public hearing on the annexation. According to the developer’s application for annexation, the apartment complex will not add to Snyder’s tax base, but when full could add 132 utility customers.

Mark Mayfield of the Texas Housing Foundation said 65 of the units will be market value priced, while the remainder would be income based.

“Residents will have to earn 80 percent or less of the median income of the community,” he said.

Rent for the one- and two-bedroom apartments will run from $750-$1,600 per month.

The city will pay approximately $300,000 to extend water and sewer lines to the development, City Manager Merle Taylor said.

The apartment project has been on the drawing board since 2013 Smyrl said. If the timeline continues to advance as planned, he said, construction could begin in February and take 14-18 months to complete.

Because the Texas Housing Foundation is a quasi-governmental entity, it will not pay property taxes on the apartment.Local rental property owner Carson Matthies asked if everyone who owned rental property could receive the same exemption.

Taylor said new construction projects were eligible to apply for a tax abatement.

“Seems like it’s hard to compete against someone who gets government subsidies,” Matthies said.

Charlene Heydinger provided information about the state’s Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program. 

She said that PACE helps secure long-term, low-cost financing​ for commercial building renovations focusing on energy efficiency and water conservation.

The program is currently in place in Dawson and Fisher Counties. 

The council will vote on joining the PACE network at a future meeting.

The council also approved an electricity-provider contract, appointed Curtiss Jackson to the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Reinvestment Zone Number One and Vernon Clay as its chairperson, and approved six bids totaling $1,650 on properties being sold to satisfy tax liens.

The council extended its disaster declaration until Sept. 14, with council member Sarah Jamison voting against the extension. 

Council members also approved the quarterly investment report and June’s financial report.