Lincoln proactive on Prudhomme’s

By Tristan Marks
NewsNow

The Town of Lincoln has added community improvement grants to its Prudhomme’s Landing wishlist.

The Town’s Planning & Economic Development committee heard a staff pitch for a community improvement plan (CIP) for the Prudhomme’s Landing development at its Monday meeting.

The CIP proposes creating a system of Tax Increment Grants (TIG) to be awarded to developers who plan for and meet exacting standards set by the Town.

This was pitched as a way to “meet specific objectives” for new high-density, commercial and mixed-use buildings.
Being a TIG, the money awarded to the developer would come from the portion of the taxes gained from having the higher standards met.

However, not all of council was on-board with the pitch.

Coun. Adam Russell said the proposal “raised a number of red flags” for him. He said that CIPs tend to be for improving existing areas, not new, “blank slate” developments.

Coun. Dianne Rintjema also said she was “uncomfortable” with the idea, pointing out there are no existing case studies of a CIP being applied to a new development on which to base the program.

Both Mayor Sandra Easton and Coun. JD Pachereva spoke in favour of the proposal.

Pachereva said he would like to see the CIP go even further.

“I want more,” he said.