WEDC report details TIF activity to Windham Town Council

By Ed Pierce

The Windham Economic Development Corporation has issued a report updating the Windham Town Council about the status of the town’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Program and estimated fund balances.

The Windham Town Council has received a
report from the Windham Economic 
Development Corporation updating the  
status of Tax Increment Financing fund
balances at the end of the last fiscal year
and municipal valuations for TIF districts.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

By definition, TIFs are flexible finance tools that allow municipalities to use new property taxes to fund public and private projects within a defined geographic district. Any portion of the new taxes may be used to finance public or private projects for a specific period of time.

Both the total acreage and the amount of acreage in individual TIF’s are limited. A single TIF cannot exceed 2 percent of the town’s total municipal acreage, and the total of all acreage, with certain exclusions, cannot exceed 5 percent. Currently, 476.28 acres of the total of 35,572 acres or 1.34 percent of Windham are in TIF Districts. With 5 percent of the total municipal acreage of 1,779 acres, the town could place up to an additional 1,302.72 acres into TIF Districts, provided that, under state law, no more than 711.44 acres are in any one district.

Here are fund balances and valuations from the WEDC report which was issued to the town in November:

Windham’s 2000 Pipeline TIF District runs through June 30, 2030, and was extended in 2015. It is a development program for Route 302 roadway, intersection, sidewalk and sewer engineering and construction, GIS system, environmental study, and economic development administration. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $718,344 based upon current municipal valuation of $10 million.

The 2006 Roosevelt Promenade TIF District expires in 2036 following Windham Town Council action and approval of a 15-year extension in March 2021. The district consists of 37.39 acres including the Home Depot and Lowe’s parcels in Windham. It is a development program funding costs for a local transportation study, growth study, public infrastructure study and WEDC staffing as well as infrastructure improvements including roadway and intersection improvements in the district, roadway and intersection improvements on Route 302, wastewater facilities’ engineering and construction in the district, and wastewater facilities engineering and construction on Route 302. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $490,502.

The 2014 New Marblehead Manor Affordable Housing Development District expires in 2044. The district consists of 3.7 acres consisting of one phase of New Marblehead Manor. The Development Program consists of a Credit Enhancement Agreement with Avesta New Marblehead. Its unaudited Fund Balance was $0.00, and its Current Municipal Valuation is $2,157,900.

The 2015 Gateway North A TIF District runs through June 30, 2045 after an extension in 2023. The district consists of 99.77 acres of various parcels in the North Windham commercial district. The development program includes making roadway and intersection improvements in the district, roadway and intersection improvements on Route 302, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in the district, and utility services relocation either above or underground in the district. As of June 30, its Fund Balance was $265,666 with current valuation of $19,597,041.

The 2019 Gateway North B TIF District runs through June 30, 2048. The district consists of 42.81 acres of various parcels in the North Windham commercial district. Its development program includes roadway and intersection improvements in the district, roadway and intersection improvements on Route 302, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in the district and streetscape improvements in and/or adjacent to the district and on Route 302. Its Fund Balance as of June 30, 2024 was $359,284, and its current Municipal Valuation is $26,269,900.

Established in 2021, the Boody’s Corner TIF District runs through June 30, 2051. The district consists of 16.31 acres improved as the Cross Insurance/Bangor Savings Bank building and apartments on Dusty Rhoades Lane in Windham. The development program includes making roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in North Windham, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in and serving the district, streetscape improvements in and/or adjacent to the district and on Varney Mill Road, and transit improvements. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $368,293 and its Current Municipal Valuation is $13,560,600.

2021’s SWFS Depot Street Apartments TIF District runs through June 30, 2051. The district consists of 0.35 acres so improved as a municipal fire station and 2.08 acres improved as the Depot Street Apartments in the South Windham Village for a total of 2.43 acres. The development Program includes roadway and intersection improvements in South Windham Village, roadway and intersection improvements on River Road, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in SW Village, and streetscape improvements in and/or adjacent to the SW Village and on River Road. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $185,061 and its Current Municipal Valuation is $2,548,200.

The 2022 Enterprise Development A TIF District runs through June 30, 2052. The district consists of 67.13 acres improved as commercial buildings and parcels in the Quarry Ridge Business Park and adjacent to Route 302 in Windham. The Development Program includes roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in North Windham, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in and serving the district, streetscape improvements in and/or adjacent to the district and on Route 302 and transit improvements. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $65,059 and its Current Municipal Valuation is $4,495,600.

2023 Boody’s Corner B TIF District runs through June 30, 2053. The district consists of 14.06 acres improved as the Badger Run Apartments (1.79 acres), 55 Tandberg Trail Apartments (0.3 acres), commercial land currently improved as a mobile home park on Robin Lane (9.49 acres), and a portion of 718 Roosevelt Trail improved as a municipal fire station (2.48 acres) in Windham. The development program includes roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, wastewater facilities engineering and construction in and serving the district, utility services relocation either above or underground in North Windham, and transit improvements. Its Fund Balance as of June 30, 2024 was $42,110 and its Current Municipal Valuation is $7,904,200.

2023’s South Windham Industrial Zone TIF District runs through June 30, 2053. The district consists of 62.99 acres improved as commercial buildings and parcels on or adjacent to Gambo Road in the South Windham Industrial Zone. The development program includes roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in South Windham, streetscape improvements in and/or adjacent to the district and in South Windham, transit improvements, Windham Economic Development Corporation administration and the design and development of economic development facilities including maker space, co-working space, and shared commercial kitchen space in Windham. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was $10,568 and Current Municipal Valuation is $2,076,200.

The 2024 Boody’s Corner C TIF District runs through June 30, 2054. The district consists of 72.60 acres of commercial property on Franklin Drive, Tandberg Trail, Turning Leaf Drive, and along Route 302 in Windham. The development program includes roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in North Windham, and wastewater facilities engineering and construction in and serving the district. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was not available. Its Current Municipal Valuation is $8,275,700.

2024’s Gateway South TIF District runs through June 30, 2054. The district consists of 40.85 acres of commercial property on First Light Drive, and along Route 302 in Windham. The development program includes roadway, intersection, and sidewalk improvements in the district, wastewater facilities engineering and construction connecting to the district, Commercial Façade improvement programming and transit improvements. As of June 30, 2024, its Fund Balance was not available. Its Current Municipal Valuation is $542,200.

For 2025, new TIF Districts in Windham will include 2025 Anglers Road Senior Affordable Housing Development and Tax Increment Financing District and the 2025 Andrew School South Windham TIF District. <

Windham could add two new districts later this spring

A map is shown of possible new districts that
could be approved by the Windham Town
Council later this spring. Under consideration
and discussed during a public forum on March 3
are new districts including a Windham Residential
District and a Windham Center District,
COURTESY IMAGE

By Ed Pierce

Based upon recommendations from the town’s Long Range Planning Committee developed following a public webinar on March 3, the Windham Town Council could vote later this spring on a proposal to add two new zoning districts.

During the March 3 rezoning webinar conducted on Zoom, Windham residents were asked to comment on creating a new Village Residential District and a Windham Center District. The Windham Long Range Planning Committee is charged with implementation of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and mapping out where growth and changes are desired and where they are not desired is a central component of comprehensive planning.  

“The Future Land Use Map in the plan shows the general areas of Windham that should be targeted for growth and those that are important to the community to keep at low development levels,” said Amanda L. Lessard, Windham Planning Director. “Windham Center is one of the identified growth areas and is described in the plan as an area serving as the civic core of the community and as such, more walkable, connected residential development should be encouraged in this area.” 

Lessard said that the Windham Center Growth Area is mostly currently zoned as Farm District and Farm Residential District and these rural areas are zones that the town wants to direct growth away from.  

“A specific Comp Plan goal is to amend local ordinances to clearly define the desired scale, intensity, and location of future development using the descriptions provided in the Future Land Use Plan,” Lessard said. “Additionally, state law requires that a municipal zoning ordinance must be pursuant to and consistent with a comprehensive plan adopted by the municipal legislative body.”

She said that the LRPC reviewed the current zoning in other growth areas and determined that based on the existing lot sizes and land uses in the area and the Vision for Windham described in the comprehensive plan that Windham Center is different from other growth areas and should have its own zoning standards that are distinct on either side of the Pleasant River.

Another aspect of changes the council may be asked to approve are refining affordable housing standards, Lessard said.

“One of the Comp Plan goals is to encourage the development of affordable/workforce housing in Growth Areas,” she said. “The proposed standards would apply in the zoning districts that align with growth areas shown on the future land use map: Commercial 1 (C1) and Commercial 2 (C2) in the North Windham Growth Area, Medium-Density Residential (RM) in the Residential Growth Area, Village Commercial (VC) in the South Windham Growth Area, and the proposed Windham Center (WC) District in the Windham Center Growth Area.”

Lessard said that the proposed standards would allow for increases in residential density and height and decrease lot size, frontage and setbacks for developments that are served by public water and meet federal Median Family Income standards for affordability. 

“The affordability of the units must also be maintained for 10 years for ownership units, or 30 years for rental units,” she said.

Under the proposal that the council could take up would be the Village Residential District, to the west of the Pleasant River which could be intended to be a residential area with a limited number of small businesses. 

“The proposed zone slightly reduces minimum lot sizes and road frontages to allow for more residential development that is consistent with the older subdivision developments in the area,” Lessard said. “The Windham Center District, to the east of the Pleasant River, is intended to be the primarily residential civic village with a mixture of uses intended to complement the cultural, public, and institutional uses with other small business that meet local neighborhood needs.”

This proposed zone further reduces minimum lot sizes and road frontages (to be the same as the Town’s current Medium-Density Residential zone and proposes to allow additional commercial uses that are limited in size, Lessard said. 

“Both districts are proposed to require pitched rooflines, all new streets must be public streets, and new development on existing public streets must provide sidewalks along the frontage of the lot,” she said.  

It will be several months before Windham town councilors could vote on the rezoning proposal as there is a process to follow.

“The LRPC will consider revisions to the proposal based on public input and make a recommendation to the Windham Town Council,” Lessard said. “The Land Use Ordinance specifies the process for amendments, so the Council will forward the proposal to the Planning Board for review and recommendation.”

As part of the process, a public hearing will be held as part of the Windham Planning Board’s review.  The board’s recommendation will be sent back to the Windham Town Council for discussion and a public hearing before a vote is held.      

Windham’s Comprehensive Plan Update was adopted in June 2017 and included numerous policy and implementation strategies to achieve the vision for Windham in the next 10-plus years. 

“These were distilled into the 4 Big Things, one of which was ‘Change the game for Windham’s Growth Areas: North Windham, Windham Center, South Windham.,’” Lessard said. “This zoning change would expand the range of options available in Windham by allowing for different types and scales of neighborhood development and provide more options for people to choose from when considering Windham for a home or a place to start or expand a business.” <