McKenzie Meadows annexation problematic

The McKenzie Meadows Village (MMV) 30-acre annexation agreement was approved by a council vote that included three members supported by a Political Action Committee funded in large part by the owners of MMV. Two councilors disclosed business and financial relationships with one or more of those owners.

Bill Merrill changed his vote in last-minute negotiations to get a better deal for the city. He was successful in getting language removed allowing commercial uses (think convenience store or fast food joint) and he got the word "assisted" into the agreement.

All of the public rhetoric has been about this wonderful assisted living facility yet the phrase "assisted living" was not in the final draft agreement presented to the council nor was there an age limit on 80 new residential lots included in the project.

Councilor Sharlene Weed tried to get the term "assisted living facility" defined but was not successful. The word "assisted" got into the agreement but the size and scope of that part of the project remains undefined.

Currently there are approximately 220 residential lots within the city limits where construction has started that are now bank owned or otherwise unable to be completed. These are the lots we see in the projects around town where construction has stopped.

The council chamber was packed with real estate professionals supporting the annexation. How is this explained to people, including current clients, harmed by the reality of actions that devalue the existing inventory and to all of us who will be forced to look at the blight of stalled construction projects for years to come?

It's going to take a long time to build out 300 lots. The city has issued six permits year-to-date for new home construction. In a Nugget article dated October 28, 2008, MMV developer Bill Willitts said: "In our current economy no one is suggesting we add more residential or industrial land (to our city)." Time will confirm the wisdom of this statement of just over a year ago. MMV will further devalue all real estate by adding to an oversupply of buildable land. At the current rate of construction, it will take 50 years to build out this inventory. Worse yet, there's another 600 lots approved but not started.

How can anyone represent MMV as a senior housing campus when there is no senior requirement on the 80 residential lots, no definition of independent and assisted-living facility, and last-minute negotiations were required to remove commercial uses from the legal agreement binding on the city and MMV property owners?

If, as has been represented, the MMV property owners have discounted the price of the 6 acres designated for independent and assisted living by 75 percent of today's market value then they are essentially giving this part of the 30 acres away to make the other 24 acres marketable at a much higher price than otherwise possible. The rhetoric about seniors and this wonderful facility appears to be a political smokescreen to get public support for the annexation when the real financial incentive is the 80 residential lots that go with it.

What is the next developer going to do? Give away five acres for a dog park and facility to feed and care for starving puppies, or a public swimming pool that gives free hot dogs and ice cream to kids on hot summer days?

The refusal to include in the agreement language that guarantees a master planned senior community consistent with the public rhetoric is problematic for some of us. It's nice to talk about great ideas, but unless it's in the enforceable agreement it's only talk.