Next Monday, the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen will decide whether or not taxpayer money should be used to extend Rice Road.
The resolution, which sets up a public-private partnership between the city and Crestwood and Cornerstone, would extend Rice Road by up to 1.6 miles from its intersection with Derryberry Lane.
It will cost the city no more than $2 million, and also Crestwood will deed the city 24.8 acres of property adjacent to the project, south of Rutherford Creek. Crestwood, which owns land along Rice Road, will develop land in the future along the route.
The resolution says that the project must be completed within three years of its passing.
The city would pay for the road’s utilities, including a 12-inch water line and 18-inch gravity sewer line, with costs not to exceed $2 million. Crestwood and Cornerstone will pay for construction, roadway lighting and right-of-way acquisition.
However, the question is why should the city pay for something that, in time, developers will do for free?
It could happen within five to six years without government lifting a finger.
“As much as I would like to have this road completed, and I’m always for the public-private partnership, I think the development will take care of itself over time and the city would not have to pay a penny for this road,” alderman Amy Wurth said. “The road doesn’t come in the next year, but it may come in the next five or six years without the city getting involved. When we approved the mixed-use development on Rice Road, part of that was to build that portion of the road, and I’m not so convinced that the right thing to do would be to be a part of that process.”
However, Alderman Jonathan Duda said that the land deed is a selling point.
“With a public-private partnership, what we’re doing is leveraging our participation to get a project that would potentially or never be done and completed. That whole premise is why I think we should at least evaluate the request,” Duda said. “Rice Road fronts two subdivisions, 30 acres of which was given to the city and that’s a portion of Rice Road
Duda also said that in similar situations in the past the city has done similar things, such as with Reserve Blvd and Commonwealth Drive.
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