SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Declare as surplus one City of Clearwater Gas System fee-simple owned real property 7240 US Hwy 19 N Pasco County, FL, as further defined by Parcel 32-25-16-0040-00C00-0040 within Section 32, Township 25 South, Range 16 East; now deemed a justifiable growth surplus necessity with said Property being publicly posted for sale to the highest qualified Bidder.
Body
SUMMARY:
In July 1994, the City Council approved Resolution 94-54, authorizing Clearwater Gas System (CGS) to expand its distribution utility into Pasco County. Following this approval, CGS identified and purchased a one-acre parcel on September 22, 1995, for $275,000 to support the expansion.
This property, now vacant, previously housed a remote operations building with a warehouse facility dedicated to Pasco expansion field operations. However, during the 2008 recession, the Pasco office was closed, and all Pasco-based employees were relocated to CGS’s main facility in Clearwater, as economic conditions did not support further gas expansion at that time.
Since 2008, CGS has operated solely out of the main administration/operations facility in Clearwater. However, to meet the growing energy demands of the Pasco market, including the rapidly developing residential and commercial areas along the Suncoast Parkway, State Road 52 and 54, CGS would like to sell off this property and eventually purchase another remote facility that is located closer to where CGS is growing its customer base.
To support this effort, CGS established a Capital Improvement Project, which may be utilized to fund a new remote facility. The current appraised value of the surplus land is $650,000. Given its increased value and distance to where CGS is experiencing growth, repurposing this parcel is no longer a viable option.
City staff have reviewed and support the designation of this property as surplus.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT: N/A
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS: N/A
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
High Performing Government: 1.3, 1.5
