During their Dec. 14 meeting, Cascade County Commissioners will consider tax abatement requests that have already been approved by the city.
The Montana Department of Revenue has asked the county whether it concurs with the abatements since the adjustment will impact county mills.
The commission will consider the request from STSA Partners LLC for a 5-year abatement that the city already approved.
Developers requesting tax abatements for three projects
In the abatement, the developers get a tax break on the new property taxes generated from the expansion and based on the current tax rate, estimated costs of remodeling and the post-construction appraisal value, the estimated loss of city tax revenue over five years would be $28,000, city staff said when the request went before the City Commission in August 2020.
Commissioners will consider two requests from Big Sky Select Properties for two of their projects, the Milwaukee Station and Northern Lofts apartments.
The commission is being asked to concur with the abatement already approved by the City Commission in August 2020.
The Northern Lofts project renovated the two previously unused floors above the Mighty Mo brewery at 412 Central Ave. into 18 market rate apartments and developers estimated that the improvements cost $1.8 million.
Last year, the commission approved a 5-year abatement that would reduce city tax revenue by $50,450 but staff recommended approval of the request since the project will have a positive long-term impact on the downtown and the city’s tax base.
County Commissioners will also consider an abatement for the Milwaukee Station project that includes adding 83 market rate apartments in a $16 million project.
The project is also planned to have five small restaurants and a common dining area; coffee bar; crossfit gym; and a lower level parking garage in a building that will be lightly attached to the existing Milwaukee Station Depot building located at 101 River Drive N.
The City Commission approved a 5-year tax abatement with an estimated loss of $459,690 in city taxes, but staff recommended approval of the abatement since the project “significantly contributes to the goals and policies of the Growth Policy by developing and enhancing an undeveloped, vacant property within the city and supporting residential and commercial development that will enhance the Missouri River,” according to the staff report.
County Commissioners are also considering a tax abatement for improvements at 16 5th St. S., which is now occupied by The Refinery.
The owners, John and Lisa Semansky, did about $160,000 worth of improvements and the City Commission approved the abatement in November 2020.
