The property located at 412 S. Brule is the residential lot that’s getting the boost. The Commission sold the now vacate lot to Damon Wheelhouse through the sealed bid process for a little more than $31,000. When the City acquired the lot from Hughes County, it had a condemnable structure on it. The City cleared the lot and readied it for sale.
Pierre Mayor Steve Harding calls this a success story.
“We had a nuisance property that hadn’t been generating taxes in years,” said Harding. “Now it’s generating tax revenue and will likely open up new housing opportunities in the near future.”
With the sale of the lot, the City will recoup its project costs. Any remaining balance will be split among three local governments. The public school district receives approximately 60% of the balance and 60% of ongoing property tax. The remaining 40% of the balance and tax revenue is split between the City and Hughes County.
At the meeting tonight, the Commission also amended the City’s landscape ordinance to make it more flexible.
They reduced the minimum width of necessary public right-of-way greenspace from 15 feet to ten feet. Previously, that greenspace needed to be located in the boulevard; now an equivalent amount of greenspace can be situated elsewhere on the given lot.
The landscape ordinance only pertains to new commercial and multifamily development or to commercial or multifamily developments that are undergoing major renovations.
Mayor Harding says that he is pleased with this change as well.
“Our goal is to incorporate greenspace throughout the community without hindering development,” said Harding. “I think we’re striking the right balance with this change.”