Politics
Distillery District Council Approves Five-Year Capital Budget, Road and Utility Work Starts Spring 2027
The $68 million plan shifts property tax collections and service schedules for residents beginning with the 2027 billing cycle.
How we reported this
The Distillery District City Council voted 8-1 on July 7 to adopt the 2027-2031 capital improvement budget, which sets out $68 million for road resurfacing and water main replacements across eight wards.
The vote follows a June 12 public hearing where the Public Works Department presented updated cost estimates from its 2025 engineering study. Council members cited rising material prices and federal infrastructure matching requirements as the main drivers for acting now rather than deferring projects another year.
Residents in the eastern wards will receive mailed notices in August 2026 detailing temporary water shutoffs scheduled for March through May 2027. Property owners along the 12th Street corridor will see crews replace 4.2 miles of aging mains, with detours posted on city traffic apps two weeks in advance of each segment.
Budget figures and collection timeline
The adopted document projects an average annual increase of $47 on residential property tax bills starting with the January 2027 assessment, according to the city finance office report released July 6. Commercial parcels face a $112 average rise tied to the same utility line items.
Public Works will open bids for the first paving contracts in October 2026, with work crews mobilized by March 2027. The schedule calls for completion of all listed segments by December 2030, with quarterly progress reports posted on the department website.
City staff will hold two open houses in September to explain permit processes for driveway access during construction periods. Updated service maps and exact start dates for each block will be published after contract awards are finalized.