Above all, the city wants high-density housing — apartments, condos, townhouses — aimed at a middle- to upper-middle class population. Inevitably, children will live in those housing complexes, and those children will need education.

"You're going to send us a lot of kids under this RDA, and if you take all the money, it makes it difficult for the district to educate them," said Richard Tranter, Murray superintendent.

The school district proposes that the RDA give it nearly $3 million over a 15-year period to offset the cost of educating children from the development; the RDA has thus far offered $1.5 million. The compromise amount will be determined in talks between school board members and RDA officials, including Keith Snarr, Murray's economic development director.

Three Murray school board members sit on a committee that approves the RDA budget and plan — their block of votes on the eight-member committee is a strong voice for the school district that city leaders should pay attention to, Tranter said.

The city completed its blight study earlier this year. The next step for the RDA is to adopt a budget and plan. The committee of representatives from taxing entities in Murray will meet Tuesday to consider the budget and plan, and the school board will meet again on Aug. 10 to consider its position on the budget. A public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13 on the plan and budget.

Jim Brass, a city councilman who chairs the RDA board, said Fireclay will revitalize Murray with its mix of housing and shops, and the development can be an example of appropriate RDA use for other communities.

"I'd like to see a unique community over there that we can look back at, point to, and say, 'This is the good that can come with the RDA,' " Brass said. "It's not just running people out of their homes so we can build a large superstore. It's taking a challenged piece of property and making it better — making it into a nice community."

Keith Snarr, who is not immediately related to Mayor Dan Snarr, sees the Fireclay area as an investment for Murray. "You work together to encourage this area to redevelop, and if you do that you're going to have a bigger pie at the end of the day," Keith Snarr said.

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E-mail: kswinyard@desnews.com