10-02-04 City Council Retreat Agenda

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. . . eligibility for a TNRCC exemption (if known); a map and legal description of the property; a time schedule for undertaking and completing the proposed improvements and a ten-year environmental and worker safety compliance history for all facilities located within the State of Texas and owned in whole or in part by applicants, as defined in Section 2(k). The applicant shall also include information pertaining to the reasons the abatement is necessary in order to have the project undertaken in Harris County, including information on the project's competitive siting. The applicant shall also include a certification of the current number of permanent full-time, part-time and contract employees of the applicant, by category, at the time of the application. In the event the project is to be located in a leased facility, the applicant shall provide with the application the name and address of the lessor and a copy of the lease, if executed, or option contract. In the case of modernization a statement of the assessed value of the facility, separately stated for real and personal property, shall be given for the tax year immediately preceding the application. The application form may require such financial and other information, as the County deems appropriate for evaluating the financial capacity and other factors of the applicant. (c) Upon receipt of a completed application, the Department of Management Services shall notify in writing and provide a copy of the application to the presiding officer of the governing body of each eligible taxing jurisdiction. (d) After receipt of an application for creation of a reinvestment zone and application for abatement, the County shall determine whether the application qualifies for an abatement under the terms of these guidelines and criteria. Such determination may be delegated to an employee or County department. If it is determined that an application qualifies for abatement, it shall be recommended to the Commissioners Court that the applicant be notified in writing that subject to a public hearing, if applicable, and approval of a contract by Commissioners Court, the project qualifies for abatement. (e) The County shall not establish a reinvestment zone or enter into an abatement agreement ifit finds that the request for the abatement was filed after the commencement of construction, alteration, or installation of improvements related to a proposed modernization, expansion or new facility. Property eligible for abatement includes only the new improvements that occur after the completion of an abatement agreement with Harris County or participating municipality. Section 4. PUBLIC HEARING, AND APPROVAL (a) The Commissioners Court may not adopt a resolution designating a reinvestment zone until it has held a public hearing at which interested persons are entitled to speak and present evidence for or against the designation. Notice of the hearing shall be clearly identified on the Commissioners Court agenda at least 13 days prior to the hearing. The presiding officers of eligible jurisdictions shall be notified in writing at least 7 days prior to the hearing. HARRIS COUNTY GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA FOR GRANTING TAX .ABATEMENT PAGE7