Town homes: To Grow or Not To Grow is No Longer the Question

You’ve probably been watching the progress of the building project between the old Mathews Horse Barn and the city administration building on Centennial in West Fork: from the leveling of the site through framing and drying in and roofing on one building and then two. Four units in each building. Eight units. Because I was interested in the transformation of the horse barn, I decided to check into that venture, and then I walked over to ask about the town homes project as well. 

The town homes are approximately 1247 square-foot three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath energy efficient units.  Both the owner and contractor emphasized the energy efficiency of the all-electric units. They were persistent in noting the quality of living that well constructed, energy efficient homes will provide and the savings for the families who choose to live here. 

Kent Tomlinson, Consumer Program Coordinator for SWEPCO, has good things to say about this construction project. The builders are taking advantage of SWEPCO incentives with the installation of 

ENERGY STAR® certified 16 seer heat pumps, water heaters, smart thermostats, and LED lighting.  “The construction team is committed to their goal of keeping energy costs down for the tenants of the single-family and multi-family homes. It’s rare to find landlords and contractors putting this much thought and effort into the financial implications for the residents,” Tomlinson said.   

In addition, the units have energy-efficient windows and more than sufficient insulation. "We do a caulk/foam and seal and then bat insulation and sound insulation between interior walls for more livability," the builder said. 

This is what the units look like. 

Facing the building, a covered entryway is on the left of each unit with a hallway leading to the living room, kitchen, and dining area.  Modern appliances – a stove, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, and washer and dryer - will be supplied.  There are quartz counters throughout with tile backsplash in the kitchen, and luxury vinyl flooring.   There is a half-bath under the stairs that lead to the second floor.  A door in the downstairs hallway opens to a single car garage that is outfitted with a plug for an electric vehicle.  Parking for two additional cars per unit is available.  

At the top of the stairs there are two bedrooms, a linen closet, a hall bath, and the laundry area. Down the hall, there is a master bedroom with raised ceilings, two closets, and a spacious bath with a ceramic tiled shower. The large window in the master bedroom faces Centennial and the view of the hills west of town. 

The exterior has hardy board siding with a brick skirt.  There are architectural shingles on the roof and a metal roof over the front stoops.

This is what the town homes will mean to the community.

West Fork will continue to grow, so we need housing.  

The builder has valued the project at $700,000 when complete. Mayor Heith Caudle discussed ways that the revenue from the project will affect West Fork financially. 

“The appraised value of the property when we sold it was $30,000,” Caudle said. “For a property tax comparison, based on the 5 mils the City receives from property taxes, the property tax potential to the City was $30 per year before development and will be $700 per year after development. The school is in an even better situation with their millage rate of 41.6. They previously were receiving $250 per year, but with the property upgrades the school should receive an estimated $5,824 per year from property taxes alone.

“In addition, the City will benefit from the installation of eight water and sewer taps. Initial installation will be $12,000 in revenue with an expected yearly revenue for services of $9,600,” Mayor Caudle explained. 

Mayor Caudle notes that the townhomes are a new housing option in West Fork, and hopes that we will continue to see development diversity.  “In the past we seem to have had only duplexes or ‘ranch style’ single family homes.”

There is not a truly effective way to estimate the sales tax but “with the potential of eight new families in West Fork, we will surely see some additional sales tax revenues,” Mayor Caudle said. 

The townhomes are only one part of the total development at this location along Centennial.  It is likely the city will have two additional water and sewer services and the potential for an additional family at the newly-renovated horse barn and apartment. 

Superintendent John Karnes sees growth as a positive.  “Any new family that moves into our district is a winning proposition for us.  At the very minimum, our district’s assessed valuation (real property, personal property and utilities) will go up, which will help out our school district financially.  If there are any children that move into these homes and attend our schools, that will be a much needed added bonus. Our district desperately needs housing that young families can afford, so I am ecstatic that we have the new town homes being built and other new properties coming,” Karnes said.  

But we need to be sure we have a plan. 

City attorney Tom Kieklak pointed out that “it is important that the people who live in and care about West Fork work together to try to arrive at a set of qualities and characteristics that are worth perpetuating and can be used as a guide in making decisions about growth.”

From the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, I learned that "energy efficiency is the use of less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result. Energy efficient homes and buildings use less energy to heat, cool, and run appliances and electronics. Energy efficiency is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to combat climate change and reduce energy costs for consumers... ." 

A building project that costs less to heat, cool, and operate, that helps combat climate change, and that addresses the comfort and economy for its residents seems to be a good way to add housing in a growing

For more information about these town homes, contact Blue Dog Realty and Property Management.