The Olde Town Metropolitan District anticipates various public improvements as the town council approved an Amended and Restated Service Plan and an Intergovernmental Agreement to update a nearly 20-year-old service plan for operation and maintenance needs. 

The district encompasses about 13 acres of commercial property at the corner of Mainstreet and Jordan, also known as The Shops at Olde Town. 

A service plan was approved by the town in 2004, which prohibited the district from maintaining public improvements without approval. Also, there was no operation and maintenance mill levy cap for the district. 

In the absence of an owners association within the community, roadway and landscape maintenance and repairs were coordinated through the prior developer. 

The repairs that have been seen in the area were at a minimal level, said Karlie Ogden, an associate with Icenogle Seaver Pogue. 

“There hasn’t been a coordinated effort to fund or support the operation and maintenance of especially those internal roads and the drainage facilities within that,” said Ogden. 

By approving the amended service plan and intergovernmental agreement, the district will have the authority to operate and maintain certain roadways and landscaping improvements that aren’t dedicated to the town or another public entity. 

Additionally, the maximum debt service mill levy will remain at the 57 mills - subject to adjustment. A mill levy is  a property tax rate.

There will also be an introduction of an operation and maintenance mill levy cap of 10 mills and the district will be limited in the fees it is able to impose.

While there are no improvement plans in the works, said Ogden, the district does anticipate renovations and replacements of existing roadways, detention ponds and stormwater management, curbs and sidewalks and landscaping. 

As members of the public have brought up concerns about the maintenance of the area, the council are supportive of the update.

“I’m happy the metro district has stepped up,” said Councilmember John Diak. “I think these funds will go a long way towards remedying those issues and concerns that people have brought to us.”