Midcoast town planning tax deal to fund waterfront upgrades

The midcoast town of St. George aims to create a tax-increment finance district to help raise  funds for making infrastructure improvements related to sea level rise and rebuilding the section of the Port Clyde village that was destroyed in a fire last year.

The Select Board voted unanimously Monday night to authorize the town manager to work with the Midcoast Council of Governments to develop the district, which would allow the town to set aside property tax revenue to fund specific projects.

There is an ongoing project to rebuild Port Clyde after the devastating fire last year , and local officials have discussed the formation of a TIF district with a representative of the general store owned by the late Linda Bean , which was one of the structures that burned down, according to Select Board minutes from the last few months .

But officials did not indicate this week whose property taxes could help to fund the district, and they asserted that the arrangement would not be meant to help a single person or business, such as the Port Clyde General Store. Rather, they said it would provide benefits for the whole town.

“There may be some features of infrastructure that benefit those businesses more than others, but if it fits within the definition of the proposal, then that would be reasonable,” Select Board Chair Jane Conrad said at the meeting.

Conrad said the town manager’s duty will be to identify the location of the district and the uses for the money that it raises.

Officials also said the town will need to upgrade its waterfront areas to make sure they’re protected from sea level rise and storm damages. For example, they have already raised the public Port Clyde landing by three feet as part of a broader expansion project.

Conrad suggested the TIF district include both Port Clyde and an area near the Tenants Harbor landing, and that its revenue be used for flooding protections. Conrad also noted that some of the funds could be used for infrastructure improvements unrelated to sea level rise.

The town noted that the district must be established and voted on by the next revaluation in April 2027.

Jules Walkup is a Report for America corps member. Additional support for this reporting is provided by BDN readers.