Clearview Library wants $3M, 10% of sales tax from King Soopers in exchange for Windsor land

The town of Windsor wants to build a new King Soopers for their growing community, but the price tag for the land they want is now expected to be much greater than the town once hoped. 

According to a draft of a sale offer from the Clearview Library, the property at the northwest corner of Main St. and Highway 257 will cost the town just over $3 million and 10% of sales tax generated from the property for a decade. The draft will be voted on by the Clearview Library Board of Trustees in an upcoming meeting before being presented to the town as an official counteroffer. 

The town of Windsor initially wanted to purchase the same property for $1.75 million, with no offer to share tax revenue generated by a future grocery store. 

Clearview Library District serves communities like Windsor, Greeley and Severance. They purchased the property in 2016 in hope of building the region's next library or cultural center.  

With rapid growth in the southern and eastern parts of Windsor, the town was seeking to build a third grocer in the community. The already-existing King Soopers and Safeway are two of the largest tax revenue generators in the town, with King Soopers being the top.  

However, regular overcrowding and long lines at the King Soopers have pushed the town to try and add an additional grocer. 

As previously reported by CBS News Colorado's Dillon Thomas, the town found 17% of their residents shop in neighboring communities all to avoid the congestion at Windsor's current grocers. To combat that, the town wants to build a third grocer on the eastern edge of town to attract shoppers to new developments. The third grocer would be along Main St., like the other two, just a couple miles to the east.

The town offered $1.75 million for the property, also offering to help the Clearview Library find a new property for the library to build its future location.  

In the counteroffer draft, Clearview is expected to not only ask for $3 million for the property. But, the draft will also ask for 10% of all sales tax generated on the property for the next decade. 

The draft also would give the library first right of refusal if the town were to try and sell the property to any other company other than King Soopers' parent company for the first three years.  

The draft also states construction of the future King Soopers must begin within 18 months of the sale or else the library would be allowed to purchase the property back for the $3,010,872. 

While many in the community have been asking for a new grocer in the community, many have expressed disapproval of the town's efforts to place the store on the library's property. While some said they wanted the library in that very spot, others said their disagreement was rooted in wanting the grocery store located on the southern edge of town rather than along the same road as the current grocers.  

The property has served as an investment for the district, as noted by members of the board. However, in two recent elections voters have rejected initiatives that would help fund the future project. 

The board is expected to officially vote on either approving or rejecting the sale offer to the town in a meeting later this week.