The Liberty Community Infrastructure Financing Authority, Delaware County, Ohio (the Authority) is a “community authority” created pursuant to Chapter 349 of the Ohio Revised Code (the Act). On August 1, 2000, Triangle Real Estate (the Developer) filed a petition (the Petition) for creation of the Authority with the Board of County Commissioners of Delaware County, Ohio. The Petition, which may be subject to amendment or change, allows the Authority to finance the costs of publicly owned and operated community facilities with assessed Community Development Charges. In accordance with the Act, the Petition was accepted by the County Commissioners’ Resolution No. 00-748 and approved September 11, 2000. By its Resolution, the County Commissioners determined that the new community district would be conducive to the public health, safety, convenience and welfare, and that it was intended to result in the development of a new community as described in the Act. The Authority thereby organized as a body corporate and politic in the State. On November 18, 2002, the County Commissioners, by their resolution amended the Petition to add certain territory to the area comprising the Authority. On December 17, 2003, the Authority, the City of Powell and the Developer agreed, by a First Amendment to the Pre-Annexation Agreement, to adding land to the District. This application was filed with the Delaware County Commissioners on March 29, 2004. The properties were added on April 29, 2004.
At December 31, 2009, the Authority is comprised of approximately 1,579 acres of land located in Southern Delaware County, Ohio. In accordance with the Act and the Petition, the Authority can levy a community development charge up to 10.25 mills on the assessed value of the land and improvements within the District. The need and amount of the charge is determined annually by the Board of Trustees of the Authority.
The Authority can levy an annual community development charge up to 10.25 mills on the assessed value of all property within the developed property. The charge is currently levied at 10.25 mills. Charge revenue recognized represents the amount levied on April 1 and October 1 of the current year.
Charge assessments are levied October 1 on the assessed values as of September 30 (the lien date), and on April 1 for the assessed values as of March 31 (the lien date). The assessed value is established by state law at 35% of the current market value, the sales price, or the permit value, which ever is the highest. Market values are determined by the Authority based on the County Auditor’s appraisal, lot values, or a calculated cost for occupied homes that have not yet been appraised by the County Auditor. The permit values are supplied on a monthly basis from the City of Powell or the Delaware County Building Department.
The Pre-annexation agreement with the City of Powell permits the Authority to retain a sufficient amount of the development charge to cover the interest expense on the Community Facilities Developer Bonds, Series 2002. The remaining balance is paid to the City of Powell.
The assessed value of real property upon which the October, 2009 and 2008 community development charges were based was $186,020,751 and $183,105,204, respectively.
