THE FUTURE of Franklin County’s 136 acres, the East Moon Property, is looking brighter. The property located on Highway 64 has remained undeveloped and unappealing to developers due to the lack of wastewater and road access, yet its biggest asset is the large size and CSX Rail bordering the property. In the past, funding for an extension of wastewater to the property required a property tax increase, but a tax increase for the project is no longer necessary due to the availability of funds through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dedicated to water, wastewater and broadband projects.
On March 1, Franklin County Industrial Development Board Director/Recruiter Kelli Riley presented to the Franklin County Finance Committee the wastewater project proposal totaling $4.315 million. The committee unanimously approved the funding for the wastewater extension project and sent it on to the Franklin County Commission for final approval. On March 21, the county commissioners heard the motion to approve the financing of the county’s portion of the project, $4.315 million.
Riley explained the need to the commissioners and stated, “This is an active investment. We currently are not receiving property tax on this property as it is owned by the county. We extend the wastewater, develop the property, and we begin receiving property tax, along with sales tax. This investment is not just for the East Moon Property and industrial use but also for residential and commercial use for future developments on the east side of Highway 64. This investment will continue to grow.”
Upon completion of the presentation, the vote in favor of the project was unanimous, and the county commission approved payment of $4.315 million from its ARPA funds. The total cost of the project is $10.675 million. The City of Winchester will be completing their own wastewater improvement throughout the City. The City’s portion is $6.36 million. The allocation for the funding of the City’s portion is still in process.
Pat Sanders, Winchester’s community development coordinator, explained that Winchester has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years. The City’s 40-year growth plan it utilized has been exhausted in only four years resulting in the need for additional work on the City’s wastewater infrastructure.
Sanders said, “The city is going to have to make some upgrades to its system. The city and Winchester Utilities System are still reviewing the funds available from its ARPA funds and determining how much it’s going to cost. If there’s not enough to cover it, that may mean putting into place a system that’s going to require some form of impact fees for future developments in order to recoup some of the money that won’t be covered. We still have a couple hurdles to clear, but we are on the same page.”
Once the remaining funding is in place, the last issue will be supply chain demands. Due to the ongoing supply chain issues, completion time cannot be guaranteed and is expected to take at least 28 months.
The development of the county’s East Moon Property is closer than ever to becoming an income-producing asset. -GN
