Council to hold public hearing on bonding for public-private partnership

posted on 8/12/2024

The City Council at its Wednesday, Aug. 14 meeting will hold a public hearing on a resolution authorizing $2 million in bonding for an FY2025 Capital Improvements Program project that would reimburse a private developer for public improvements related to the Terra Nova/Westfield Land Development Agreement the Council authorized in 2022. The Council is scheduled to vote on the resolution at its next meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

In February 2022, followed by an August 2022 amendment, the City Council authorized the city to enter into a public-private partnership in developing two parcels adjacent to Littleworth Road – one owned by Terra Nova LLC and the other by Westfield LLC, both business entities of Dover resident and developer Chad Kageleiry. The project, according to the agreement, "will bring significant tax revenues and jobs" to the city through a "planned mixed-use development with residential, commercial and industrial/manufacturing components."

The agreement calls for the city to reimburse the developer for costs associated with the public improvements, which include building the road and installing water and sewer utilities. The project also includes creating a road connection between Crosby Road and Industrial Park Drive. Per the agreement, which allows for a multi-year, multi-phase project, the city will not reimburse for the public improvements until each development phase is complete and generating property taxes. The first phase included the development of Bluebird Self Storage, which has an estimated taxable value exceeding the amount needed to service the $2 million bond.

Also on the agenda:

• Authorizing the purchase of pay-as-you-throw trash bags used for curbside solid waste collection for $165,000. The city went out to bid last year, and the resolution would authorize the city to continue contracting with the same provider. The costs remain the same for the current fiscal year: $78.88 per case of 30-gallon bags and $57.60 per case of 15-gallon bags.
• Authorizing an additional scope of work for the Garrison Hill water tank rehabilitation work. The resolution would authorize appropriating $105,500 to Underwood Engineers to create design documents that would replace an 1888 vintage transmission line from the water tank to Broadway via Oak Street, which has been the subject of numerous water main breaks, including the one last month that shut down Broadway for nearly 24 hours. The Council previously authorized $200,000 for preliminary and final design work for the Garrison Hill water tank rehabilitation.
• Authorizing the city to contract with Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB), Inc. of Bedford for $99,774 to evaluate existing Crosby Road roadside swales and culverts and provide stormwater improvement recommendations. The evaluation of the watershed and drainage network is anticipated to include the various road and CSX railroad bridge crossings observed by Community Service staff responding to flooding concerns by property owners in the project area. The watershed to be studied is approximately 487 acres.

Click here for the complete agenda.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Hall’s Council Chambers. It will be televised on Channel 22 and online at https://dovernh.viebit.com, where it will also be available for on-demand viewing.