The Daviess County Council is considering land use and other measures to aide the development of the county should Interstate 69 attract new businesses as is expected.

Economic Development Corporation Director Ron Arnold suggested the county consider creating a Tax Increment Financing district in the area between the Washington city limits and the U.S. 50 Bypass. The proposed area stretches from the White River (excluding Maysville) as far east as CR 350E, around the east side of the city, and as far north as CR 450N, encompassing the Daviess County Airport.

A TIFF district takes property tax money from new development to build infrastructure within the district. It does not apply to or raise the rates of residential property or existing businesses, said Arnold. And, it makes the area more attractive for development.

For example, said Arnold, if the TIFF district had been in place before the Wal-Mart Supercenter was built, the additional property tax money from the increased value of that property would now go into a separate fund, and a TIFF board would use it for improvements in the area. Any TIFF money not used by the end of a fiscal year may be rolled into the county’s general fund, he added.

“If you don’t have (a TIFF district), some projects will pass you by,” said Arnold.

Washington Mayor Larry Haag told the council the city is now receiving interest from businesses that would not have considered operating in the city before the city council created a TIFF district this year.

“Without that, they would not be looking at us today,” said Haag.

The council will take the TIFF district suggestions under advisement.

Chamber of Commerce Director Charles Selby asked that the council approve a public hearing about land use issues.

He said the county needs to consider implementing land use regulations to control business growth along the I-69 corridor in coming years.

“I’m sure we don’t want things like strip clubs popping up in the middle of our Amish community,” he said.

County-wide land use regulations can also help protect agricultural land, existing businesses and homeowners. For example, said Selby, regulations can keep houses from being built where sewer service is not practical or where they are too close to a confined feeding operation.

Commissioners are already working on a land use plan having to do with buildings in flood plains as part of their application for the National Flood Insurance program, and businessman Eric Lane, who was in the audience at the meeting, suggested both projects could be combined to create a practical and efficient plan for the whole county.

Another audience member pointed out that I-69 will pass within a mile of North Daviess school, and land use controls need to be in place there to protect the school and students.

Councilman Ken Solliday said he has been against anything resembling countywide zoning in the past, “but with advances being made, this is probably something we need to come to terms with. We don’t want a bunch of stuff we can’t control.”