Cassella, Safford seeks input on how to make new home development easier

Safford City Manager solicits input from developers, builders and Realtors on how the city can improve when it comes to new home starts, during the City of Safford Spotlight on Development at the Safford Library Annex on Thursday, July 18, 2024. - David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central

SAFFORD — Safford City Manager John Cassella said he received exactly what he was hoping for at the city’s second Spotlight event Thursday morning at the Safford Library Annex — honest feedback from the people who do business with the city.

Spotlight on Development invited developers, builders, Realtors and those in the financial sector to tell city staff what the city is doing that may not be helping encourage new home development.

“I want you to build,” Cassella said. “I want you to build, I want you to build, that’s the point and that’s why we’re here. So I appreciate your feedback.”

Early questions from the audience focused on fees the city charges for development, including impact fees, capacity fees and fees for meters, especially the high cost of placing individual meters in multi-family development.

Cassella explained the city has to collect enough to cover not only new development but replacement costs as systems are expanded to handle the additional homes.

He also said state law puts limits on what the city can do to offset costs for developers; however, the city has been investigating Community Facilities Districts, which are taxing districts on new development that pays for infrastructure, and the homeowners pay back the bonding in smaller amounts over a longer period of time.

The city is offering developers rebates if they install energy-efficient natural gas appliances in new homes; however, there were questions on whether a developer has to have a city utilities account in order to qualify for the rebate.

There was also discussion about access to capital being an impediment to development, which led to the question on whether payment of development fees could be delayed until homes are sold. But there was no answer on who would pay if a developer defaults or goes bankrupt before the sale.

Cassella said the city will be using new software to conduct more data analysis this year, which he said should help in attracting development from outside Graham County.

“If we’re going to take the word outside of the Valley that we’re here, we need to do it like we know what we’re doing,” he said.

Cassella added that the city would soon engage in a rate study, as the last one is five-years old. And Jaime Embick, Community Development and Planning director, said the city will soon begin an update of the general plan, and she encouraged everyone involved in the housing market to take part.

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