Village sharpens focus on plans for new business park

The prospects of a new business park development in the Village of Fredonia took several steps forward last week.

Details of what property officials are eyeing have not been made public as the Village Board discussed the project in closed session.

Trustees took several actions in open session, however, including referring a letter of intent to purchase real estate to the village attorney for review.

At the same meeting, trustees approved paying Newmark Knight Frank another $25,000 as the second installment for acting as the village’s representative in researching and negotiating the purchase and development of property for a future business park.

Board members also authorized a wetlands delineation study for the prospective property, even though a deal to purchase has not been struck.

Village Public Works Director Roger Strohm said it is important to do the wetlands study before winter.

“This is necessary because you need to have established vegetation to perform a proper wetland delineation,” he said. “Once we get a hard frost, it becomes too difficult to identify plants.”

In the past, village officials have discussed likely locations for a business park would be north or south of the village or east of Highway 57. Selling points for the village, officials said, include having a railroad that runs through Fredonia and easy access to Highway 57, which links with I-43. 

Officials are also eager to interview engineering firms to begin design work on the business park and expect to start interviews with two firms that have submitted proposals, Strohm said.

The board approved hiring Ehlers Inc. as financial advisers to look into creating a tax incremental financing district, or TID, which temporarily diverts property tax revenue from a parcel to fund infrastructure improvements such as streets and sewers.