The future of the Cook Farm project is still hazy, even after a City Council work session Monday focused on the city's plans for the property.

A feasibility report by city engineer Jon Erichson "identified structural improvements to off-site infrastructure and internal infrastructure."

Off-site infrastructure improvements include $750,000 worth of sanitary sewer extensions and nearly $300,000 worth of improvements to the water system.

"The Cook Farm is very expensive because it requires a lot of improvements before we get to the site. You have to bring the infrastructure to the site and then build at the site," Erichson said.

He explained internal infrastructure can be developed in multiple ways to satisfy the needs of different developers. Internal infrastructure includes gas, water, electric, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, curb and gutter, streets, lighting and trails. These improvements would cost $500 per linear foot.

Erichson told the council it "needs to determine what it wants. You have to decide if you want to take the infrastructure up to the perimeter of the site or if you want to fully develop the lot."

He warned the dangers of installing infrastructure, especially sewer lines, before anyone showed interest in the site are that the lines may have to be moved when a company decides it wants to build on the property.

That would be expensive and inefficient, he said.

Council members had mixed feelings about what should be done. Council member Wayne Goodnature said "I think we should do this all the way, we should go ahead and put something in."

Council member-At-Large Dick Chaffee, however, said "we need to have somebody going in, first. We have to have somebody to wants to go in before we do any construction on the site."

In the end, council members agreed to wait for a summary of how much it would cost to get infrastructure to the site and how much it would cost to extend infrastructure into the site.

The issue will be discussed again at the next city council meeting.

Amanda L. Rohde can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at amanda.rohde@austindailyherald.com