SIDNEY — Two ordinances presented together that establishes tax increment financing (TIF) districts for the MSGA Development were adopted during Sidney City Council’s Monday evening meeting.

City Manager Mark Cundiff presented the companion ordinances that establish TIF districts for the MSGA Development Ltd. property, located north of Russell Road, west of state Route 29, and east of Interstate 75. They are associated with the Burr Oak Development.

The first ordinance pertains to the multi-family and commercial areas of the development, If developed, Cundiff said it will:

• Declare the improvement to certain parcels of real property with the city of Sidney to be a public purpose and exempt from real property taxes;

• Identify public infrastructure improvements that will directly benefit those parcels;

• Require the owners of those parcels (MSGA Development Ltd.) to make service payments in lieu of taxes;

• Establish a Public Improvement Tax Increment Equivalent Fund.

The companion ordinance pertains to parcels associated with the single-family residential development known as the Burr Oak Subdivision; it will:

• Create four incentive districts;

• Declare the improvement to real property within the incentive districts to be a public purpose and exempt from real property taxes;

• Identify public infrastructure improvements that will benefit or serve the parcels in the incentive districts;

• Require the owners of those parcels (MSGA Development Ltd.) to make service payments in lieu of taxes;

• Establish a Public Improvement Tax Increment Equivalent Fund and related accounts;

• Approve and authorize the negotiation, execution and delivery of a TIF agreement with MSGA Development Ltd.;

• Approve and authorize the negotiation, execution and delivery of a cooperative agreement between the city of Sidney, MSGA Development Ltd., and the issuers of any bonds to finance infrastructure.

City Council was also introduced to two ordinances to amend the traffic control map to prohibit parking along both sides of the access drive to the water treatment plant, and to amend a section of the codified ordinances relating to prohibited parking on streets or highways.

Public Works Director Jon Crusey said over the past year, water treatment plant staff has seen an increase in parking along the access drive for adjoining residential properties, access to the walkway, and for Orbison Park. This parking situation, he said, has caused congestion, creating difficulties for chemical deliveries as well as regular UPS/FedEx deliveries. Last winter, Crusey noted a semitrailer got stuck on Court Street due to vehicles parked on the entrance drive, which in turn resulted in snow not properly being cleared from the access drive.

In regard to the ordinance dealing with no-parking on certain streets or highways, Law Director Jeffrey Amick said vehicles bearing “historical license” plates are being parked on the public streets of the city in an apparent effort to prevent vehicular parking along such streets by others.

Cooperative efforts (among citizens) to eliminate this situation are deemed worthless to be pursued, Amick said. The effect of this ordinance, he said, would be to limit the use of the city’s streets to perpetuate such inconsiderate conduct, by limiting the times during which vehicles bearing historical license plates may be parked on the city’s streets. This ordinance was introduced as a way to respond to citizen complaints at previous council meetings about vehicles being parked on city streets that are not being moved, which prevents neighbors’ operational vehicles from parking on their street close to their homes.

Both of the ordinances introduced Monday will return to City Council for further consideration at its Sept. 27, 2021 meeting.