City staff is recommending incentives be offered to encourage redevelopment within Abilene's core.

The core encompasses an area bounded by Vogel Avenue to the north, South 27th Street to the south, Treadaway Boulevard to the east and Willis Street to the west. The recommendation is included in a proposed "Infill Development Strategies" report scheduled to be discussed by the City Council during a workshop Thursday.

It is part of an effort to fill in 300 acres of vacant lots in the core of the city -- an effort some label as "infill" development and others call "redevelopment." Consultants who helped write the city's latest Comprehensive Land Use Plan used the term "infill" to encourage developers to build in areas where streets, utilities, curbs and sidewalks exist.

"The boundaries define the areas within which any infill incentives will apply, so they are important," said Jon James, the city's director of Planning and Development Services.

Council members, especially Anthony Williams, have expressed interest in redeveloping inner areas of Abilene.

According to the report, the city has two options in determining where redevelopment incentives should apply: Map a geographic area or establish a "criterion-based system where infill areas are defined by the presence of necessary infrastructure and availability of existing services."

"Staff is recommending the former approach, since it provides more predictability to the development community, is simpler to implement, and is more readily understandable to the general public," the report states.

James said the report is a recommendation for a comprehensive set of policy strategies for implementing the redevelopment goals of the city's Comprehensive Plan.

The report presents an overview of already-in-place strategies, such as existing building code and new extraterritorial jurisdiction standards, and also "lays out a rough timeline for initiating additional strategies that will be phased in over the next three years and beyond," James said.

"These include strategies such as building and planning fee reductions within the designated infill area, establishing a land bank, and considering Capital Improvement Program projects focused on infill areas," James said.

A land bank acquires unproductive and vacant lots where affordable housing can be constructed. City-run land banks typically purchase and maintain tax-foreclosed properties and put together parcels of land to be sold to developers.

Additionally, James said, it proposes other strategies, such as "various corridor overlay zoning districts and a state-authorized "neighborhood empowerment zone" to allow tax abatements and other development incentives.

In other business, the City Council is scheduled to consider:

n Approving a request from Stripes, LLC, agent Mike Choate to rezone property at the northeast corner of Loop 322 and E. Industrial Boulevard from agricultural open space to general commercial zoning.

n Awarding annual bids for bulk chemicals used for treatment at the city water treatment plants and Wastewater Treatment Plant.

n A first reading and setting an Oct. 23 public hearing on a request from CKWSM (Ronnie Smith Transmission) to rezone property at 4201 Bob-O-Link Drive from limited commercial to general commercial.

n A first reading and setting an Oct. 23 public hearing on a request from Lana Trigg to rezone property at 6149 Hartford St. from agricultural open space to rural residential.

n A first reading and setting an Oct. 23 public hearing on a request from the city of Abilene to abandon a partial alley right of way directly south of 6141 Hartford St.