(KNOX) –The Grand Forks City Council voted 5-2 to approve the 20 year, 90 percent PILOT for the Ray Richards Golf Course Redevelopment Program. The golf course is located on property owned by the University of North Dakota.
City Council members Dana Sande, Ken Vein, Mike Fridolfs, Danny Weigel and Tricia Berg voted in favor, while Rebecca Osowski and Angela Salentiny voted against the proposal.
The council’s decision is the final vote that is needed to go forward with the project that will create 169 apartments and a Toptracer golf driving range.
The approval also comes with an updated development agreement, which has financial lookbacks starting at five years of the PILOT, and a lesser initial internal rate of return that requires the tax exemption percentage to change from 9.75 percent to 7.75 percent.
City Attorney Dan Gaustad explains when construction is expected to start.
Gaustad also says the next step is for the developers to obtain permits, and that if any major changes were to be made, they would need city approval.
Before the vote was taken, the council heard public comments from residents and small businesses owners. Andrew Krauseneck is the owner of Albatross Indoor Golf Club, and he says this PILOT will be unfair competition for small businesses like his.
Krauseneck also says that this PILOT violates North Dakota Century Code statutes.
All three of Grand Forks’ taxing entities needed to approve the PILOT in order for the project to go through. The County Commission and the School Board both voted to approve the PILOT last month.
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!
