The Aberdeen City Council will introduce an ordinance Monday creating a new subclass of real property in Aberdeen for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), which would be taxed at a different, lower rate than other properties in the city to serve as incentive to attract sustainable, military-related development to the city.
In an effort to attract commercial development as it relates to the U.S. Army’s Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) that is occurring at Aberdeen Proving Ground and to promote sustainable development which can be partially achieved when buildings are built to LEED certifications, the mayor and city council are proposing to use tax policy to induce building developers to build to LEED (or approved equivalent) certification.
In order to qualify for the new LEED tax subclass, a property must fulfill the following requirments:
– The improvements are an office building. The office building may include on its first floor ancillary and clearly subordinate uses such as banks, restaurants, coffee shops, gyms and similar types of commercial uses.
– The office building must have a minimum of 50,000 square feet of gross floor area.
– The office building must have been granted a Use and Occupancy Permit by the City of Aberdeen on or after January 1, 2011.
– The office building must have and maintain a LEED Silver designation or, in the discretion of the City, a similar designation from a comparable entity that rates buildings for energy efficiency.
Also during its Monday night meeting, the city council will hold a public hearing on the Operating and Capital Budgets, Fiscal Year 2012 (July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012). The FY 2012 General Fund Budget is based on an annual real property tax rate of $0.6800 per $100 of assessed value and an annual personal property tax rate of $1.70 per $100 of assessed value. The FY 2012 Water Use Rate will be a minimum charge of $14.50 for the first 3,500 gallons or less and $4.38 per each additional 1,000 gallons. The Sanitary Sewer Use Rate will be a minimum charge of $17.02 for the first 3,500 gallons or less of metered water and $4.85 per each additional 1,000 gallons of metered water.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Aberdeen City Hall.
The full agenda is listed below:
CITY OF ABERDEEN COUNCIL AGENDA
Council ChambersMay 9, 2011
Call to Order – Roll Call
Opening Prayer – Chaplain (LTC) Harry Rauch, APG
Pledge of Allegiance – Councilwoman Elliott
Approval of Minutes: Council Meeting, April 25, 2011
PRESENTATIONS: None
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Ordinance No. 11-O-04, Budget FY 2011-2012
Constant Yield Tax Rate FY 2011-2012
PUBLIC COMMENT: No more than five (5) minutes shall be given to any individual speaking unless the Council determines otherwise.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION:
LEED Office Building Tax Subclass (For Introduction)
Ordinance No. 11-O-06, City of Aberdeen Comprehensive Plan 2011 (For Introduction)
BUSINESS OF THE CITY:
Unfinished Business
New Business
Business from Director of Planning & Community Development
Business from Chief of Police
Business from Director of Finance
Business from Director of Public Works
LED Light and Law Street Contract
Business from City Manager
BUSINESS OF COUNCIL:
1. Business from the City Council
2. Business from the Mayor
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Next Council Work Session: Monday, May 16, 2011 at 4:00 p.m.
Next Council Meeting: Monday, May 23, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
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