TIRZ board agrees to split $50,000 contribution to help launch citywide comprehensive plan update

San Angelo’s TIRZ board voted to contribute $50,000 — $25,000 from the North fund and $25,000 from the South fund — to help secure a $900,000 budget needed to contract the citywide comprehensive plan update.

Aaron Benoit, Director of Planning and Development Services, said the city already has $800,000 committed and expects a $300,000 grant from the Texas Land Office; the additional $50,000 would move the program to the required $900,000 to proceed with the consultant contract. "I am asking this board to consider a $50,000, 25,000 from the North, and 25,000 from the South," Aaron told the board.

Brandon Kane, the selected consultant with Olson, said the comprehensive plan will be broad and implementation-focused, covering thoroughfare planning, economic strategy and targeted focus areas such as downtown/TIRZ corridors. "We want to make sure we provide an implementation tool at the end of the day that can be utilized not only by boards and commissions like you all, but also the city council and staff to be able to move that forward," Kane said.

Board members debated equity and fund balance concerns — one member voiced objection to pulling the money exclusively from the North fund because the South has more near-term activity — and discussed outreach and program messaging to encourage North-side participation in future rounds. After discussion the motion to split the $50,000 50/50 carried by voice vote. Staff indicated the item will go to the appropriate council body for final allocation and scheduling.

The funding is for a planning study (not a private project) and staff emphasized the comprehensive plan will identify long-term capital, housing and infrastructure priorities and produce an implementation playbook for the next decade.