By Kristin Rover
Sun staff

Amelia village council members approved a resolution to use tax increment financing funds during their July 31 meeting to continue to make improvements for the Kroger development.

“We want to do landscaping down there so we need to approve a resolution,” Mayor Todd Hart told council members during the meeting.

Hart said the resolution will authorize him to use a road improvement bond they set up to do landscaping near the Kroger development along state Route 125.

“This is all concentrated at the new intersection at Kroger,” Hart said about the funds.

He said the resolution allows them to spend up to $10,000 on the landscaping work.

“We don’t have to use the full amount of money,” Hart said.

According to Hart, the road improvement bond will be paid for by TIF funds.

The bond was also used to fund a road widening project near the Kroger development that was completed earlier this year.

Hart said the project widened the road by adding a left turn lane near the Tall Trees development on state Route 125, near the Kroger intersection.

The village established a TIF district for the Kroger property last year in order to complete infrastructure projects in the area.

Hart said the land Kroger was built on was appraised with no building on it, and will be appraised again after Kroger and other retailers are built.

Hart said a TIF district allows the village to use tax money from the increase in property value of the Kroger property to make improvements to the area.

“Tax goes to the village for improvements in and around the project,” Hart said.