City staff urges patience on big-site deals; says utilities and time matter

TJ gave the authority a long-view perspective on marketing city-owned property, emphasizing that major prospects can take years to materialize and that utility readiness is decisive in converting online interest into firm proposals.

"It took over 11 years to get them interested. This is not a sprint," TJ said, urging the authority to view site marketing as a long-term investment and noting that utilities and completed planning documents matter to serious developers. He told the board the city’s listing for the site had about 2,000 initial views but only a handful of engaged conversations without confirmed utility extensions.

TJ outlined a range of potential market outcomes—from modular business-park concepts to mass-timber opportunities—while cautioning that large timber projects require significant capital and longer timelines. Staff suggested more targeted outreach and continued preparation of utility plans to improve prospects.