Farmington project on track

FARMINGTON — On muddy land with healthy weeds, about 120 acres are being primed for development in this Davis County city.

Housing is planned, retail and business offices. It's to be centered around the Farmington commuter rail station and is touted as a future "showcase" for transit-oriented development in Utah and the United States.

Think The Gateway in Salt Lake City, but more.

As of Friday, construction is the next step for developers of this land — one of the largest redevelopment agency (RDA) projects in Davis County. A taxing entity committee voted 5-3 to approve an $18.5 million budget for the development.

That money will come from property taxes generated from the project and reinvested into the project for 20 years. The money would have otherwise gone to entities like school districts, the state and city.

Farmington schools would have received roughly 57 percent, or about $10.5 million of the budgeted dollars.

Developer Rich Haws called Friday's decision "great news," giving a thumbs-up as he watched the vote from the Farmington City Council chambers.

"We are very appreciative of the city and county support," said Haws, president of the Haws Co. and part of a development team, Stonehenge Development Partners, planning the project.

"If it wasn't for a political position, I believe even the school district would have voted in our favor," he continued. "Even the school district saw the benefit."

The three dissenters were representatives from the Davis County School District and the state school board.

"I look at this project and I see there are significant advantages it will bring to the area," said Bruce Williams, assistant superintendent/

business administrator for the Davis school district. "Philosophically, I don't agree with RDA funding when it comes to the school district."

During the recent legislative session, lawmakers debated whether cities were misusing their RDA powers, stealing money from schools to subsidize developers. They passed legislation that put a one-year stop to any RDA projects used for retail development.

In June, the state will study the use and scope of RDA powers. An audit of RDA projects will also begin in June.