Frankfort City Limits will stretch out to I-65 by the end of this decade.
Frankfort City Council President Eric Woods gave a birds-eye summary of the Frankfort Annexation project out to I-65 to the Frankfort Rotary Club at Arborwood Thursday.
Frankfort City Limits were originally set in 1830 within 60 acres set aside in an eight block area around the Frankfort Courthouse Square.
Frankfort experienced decades of change and city limits were enlarged several times over the years. The last annex of the Frankfort City Limits finished in 2013 after a 10 year ramp-up period started by the Roy Scott administration. This 2013 annexation was extremely impactful to Frankfort, increasing the assessed valuation of the City by about 40%.
Frankfort is on a path to annex its city limits to I-65 by 2028. The increase in assessed valuation and population will not be much (10 Million Dollars added to about 470 Million), but the table will be set for attractive growth opportunities for the city and county. Some would characterize the I-65 and 28 area as a future “Boardwalk and Park Place” area when it comes to future potential for Clinton County growth.
This initiative would not have been possible without a 20 million dollar investment by the County. A TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district was established to run water, sewer and roadways out to the desirable area. The City will follow with plans for Fire and Police protection.
Not specifically discussed in the Rotary presentation but presented by community leaders in other meetings was the desire to protect light pollution impacting Camp Cullom’s Prairie Grass Astronomical Observatory about 4 miles (20,000 feet) to the North. County lighting ordinances will play a major role in this protection.
Time Table:
December 2020: Annexation Ordinance Adoption
March 2021: Ordinance recorded after remonstrance period
2024: Annexation effective (3 year delay)
2025: City tax rates abated 75%
2026: City tax rates abated 50%
2027: City tax rates abated 25%
2028: Full tax rate implementation (Payable 2029)
After annexation, there will be one year to provide non-capital services such as Police services and protection, fire protection, residential trash collection, road maintenance (snow plowing), building services.
After annexation, there will be three years to provide capital services including road construction, water facilities, sewer facilities, sidewalk replacement program, etc.
Utility hook up fees will be waived for six months after annexation and new west developments will be given a five year roll-up of tax rates and services in exchange for voluntarily petitioning for annexation.
Woods said transparency in the entire process has been an important element and goal and one reason there were several public meetings. These meetings resulted in subsequent modifications and adopted changes.