Tuesday, July 22, 2008

County approves $177,000 grant for Saddle Creek growth

By Eric C. Deines

A Harrisburg warehousing and distribution company was given a $177,132 incentive grant from Cabarrus County for an expansion of its facility.

Saddle Creek plans to make an $11 million investment in real estate and equipment at its facility on Saddle Creek Court.

The 300,000-square-foot expansion may create 31 full-time jobs, with an average wage of $16 per hour.

The Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners approved the industrial grant 4-1 on Monday.

Commissioner Coy Privette cast the opposing vote.

“I am philosophically opposed to corporate welfare,” Privette said. “And this is corporate welfare.”

Privette said with county residents seeing increased property values after the last revaluation, it was troubling to him to return property tax money to a corporation.

Ryan McDaniels, with Cabarrus Economic Development, said Saddle Creek will receive an 85 percent return on the taxes it pays in full over a three-year period on the new property investment.

Over those three years, the county will receive $31,258 net revenue from the expansion. After the three years, Saddle Creek will pay full property taxes with no return.

McDaniels said of the 31 full-time positions created by the expansion, 29 will be hourly and two will be salaried.

Saddle Creek was founded in Florida in 1966 and has facilities in eight states, from California to Georgia.

Saddle Creek has had its facility in Harrisburg since 2002 and employs 145 people.

Also at the meeting, County Attorney Richard Koch said a judge has taken a lawsuit against the county’s adequate public facilities ordinance “under advisement” with a decision expected.

In April, Lanvale Properties, developers of 50-acre subdivision Calais at Red Bridge, filed a suit against Cabarrus County, asking for a declaratory judgement from the court over the validity of the county’s ordinance. The ordinance places several requirements on developers as a way to help pay for county costs associated residential growth.

In May, the Cabarrus County Building Industry Association joined the suit.

• Contact Eric C. Deines: 704-789-9141.