The Rollingwood City Council is considering the purchase of a Vale Street property to house the city’s Police Department.
Council members plan to discuss the matter when they meet Thursday at 3 p.m.
Mayor Michael Dyson said the city is contemplating transforming the property into a new, standalone police station. Rollingwood’s Police Department recently moved back into its original refurbished headquarters adjacent to City Hall after being temporarily located in a trailer.
“One of the things that we’re not getting right now is the visual presence of a (police department) as it’s tucked in the center of our city,” Dyson said.
Rollingwood, which encompasses 1 square mile, lies adjacent to Austin’s city borders.
The agenda item comes just more than a year after Daniel Ragette, co-owner of the for-profit company Harmony Haus, began controversial negotiations with the then-owner of the property to convert the site into a sober living home. However, the half-acre parcel, which includes a 4,700-square-foot home and outdoor pool area, was instead sold last May to Rock Odyssey, LLC, an investment group led by Gary W. Keller. Keller, a Rollingwood resident, is the CEO of real estate company Keller Williams.
Keller’s group initially purchased the property to serve as a showcase home featuring technology advancements, or a “Keller Williams home of the future,” Dyson said. Their plans changed and, although the home was not listed on the open market, the team had an interested buyer, he said. Not wanting to lose the opportunity for the parcel, Dyson said he began discussing the possibility of the city purchasing the property and using it for a municipal purpose.
“We have an interest (in the property) because we are landlocked, and we have very little municipal property,” Dyson said.
The transaction, if approved by the City Council, would include a charitable contribution from Keller since the city probably isn’t in a financial position to pay the market value for the property, Dyson said. The Travis County Appraisal District valued the parcel at $1.9 million for this taxable year.
The draft agreement states the sale is being conducted “as is.”
Dyson said he personally polled about 30 households in the area and received responses showing a strong favor for the police station to be located on the tract. Should the council approve the measure this week, it is unclear whether the new station would involve tearing down the existing structure or renovating it. Dyson said that decision depends on what the cost analysis at the time provides.
A rider to the draft real estate sales agreement “requires the unconditional approval of the purchase contract by the City Council in order for it to be binding,” City Administrator Amber Lewis said.
Also on Thursday’s meeting agenda is a discussion of the issuance of tax notes that could be used to finance the Vale Street property purchase or fund infrastructure improvements required by a settlement agreement between the city and a resident family, or both. As a city, Dyson said that Rollingwood has never issued tax notes.
Due to COVID-19 considerations, the meeting will be held virtually but the public may watch the session live and have the opportunity to comment via:
— audio device at https://meetings.ipvideotalk.com/181716507
— dialing 617-315- 8088 or toll free at 888-330-2489, and, when prompted, enter Meeting ID: 181716507
— telephone by calling in as provided by the agenda and as permitted by the presiding officer during the meeting
— written questions or comments submitted at least two hours before the meeting.
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