Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

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RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
3 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2020
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS [Abstract]  
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
NOTE 7 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Rangeview District

The Rangeview District is a quasi-municipal corporation and political subdivision of Colorado formed in 1986 for the purpose of providing water and wastewater service to the Lowry Range and other approved areas. The Rangeview District is governed by an elected board of directors. Eligible voters and persons eligible to serve as a director of the Rangeview District must own an interest in property within the boundaries of the Rangeview District. The Company owns certain rights and real property interests which encompass the current boundaries of the Rangeview District. On December 16, 2009, the Company entered into a Participation Agreement with the Rangeview District, whereby the Company agreed to provide funding to the Rangeview District in connection with the Rangeview District joining the South Metro Water Supply Authority (“SMWSA”). The Company provides funding pursuant to the Participation Agreement annually, which for fiscal 2021 and 2020 is an immaterial amount.

Through the WISE Financing Agreement, the Company agreed to fund the Rangeview District’s cost of participating in the regional water supply project known as the WISE partnership. During the three months ended November 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company through the Rangeview District, purchased an additional 166 and 0 acre-feet of WISE water for $0.3 million and $0. The cost of the water to the members is based on the water rates charged by Aurora Water and can be adjusted each January 1. As of January 1, 2020, WISE water was $5.77 per thousand gallons and such rate will remain in effect through calendar 2021. In addition, the Company pays certain system operational and construction costs. If a WISE member, including the Rangeview District, does not need its WISE water each year or a member needs additional water, the members can trade and/or buy and sell water amongst themselves.

To date, the Company has capitalized the funding provided pursuant to the WISE Financing Agreement because the funding has been provided to purchase capacity in the WISE infrastructure. The Company’s total investment in the WISE assets as of November 30, 2020, is $6.1 million.

In 1995, the Company extended a loan to the Rangeview District. The loan provided for borrowings of up to $250,000, is unsecured, and bears interest based on the prevailing prime rate plus 2% (5.25% at November 30, 2020). The maturity date of the loan is December 31, 2020, at which time it will automatically renew for another 12 month term. In January 2014, the Rangeview District and the Company entered into a funding agreement that allows the Company to continue to provide funding to the Rangeview District for day-to-day operations and accrue the funding into a note that bears interest at a rate of 8% per annum and remains in full force and effect for so long as the 2014 Amended and Restated Lease Agreement remains in effect. Of the November 30, 2020 balance in Notes receivable - related parties, $1.1 million includes borrowings by the Rangeview District of $0.7 million and accrued interest of $0.4 million. Of the August 31, 2020 balance in Notes receivable - related parties, $1.1 million includes borrowings by the Rangeview District of $0.6 million and accrued interest of $0.5 million.

Sky Ranch Community Authority Board

Sky Ranch Metropolitan District Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 5 (collectively, the “Sky Ranch Districts”) and the Sky Ranch CAB are quasi-municipal corporations and political subdivisions of Colorado formed for the purpose of providing service to the Company’s Sky Ranch property. The current members of the board of directors of each of the Rangeview District, the Sky Ranch Districts and the Sky Ranch CAB consist of three employees of the Company and one independent board member. Pursuant to that certain Community Authority Board Establishment Agreement, as the same may be amended from time to time, Sky Ranch Metropolitan District Nos. 1 and 5 formed the Sky Ranch CAB to, among other things, design, construct, finance, operate and maintain certain public improvements for the benefit of the property within the boundaries and/or service area of the Sky Ranch Districts. In order for the public improvements to be constructed and/or acquired, it is necessary for each Sky Ranch District, directly or through the Sky Ranch CAB, to be able to fund the improvements and pay its ongoing operations and maintenance expenses related to the provision of services that benefit the property.

The Company and the Sky Ranch CAB entered into a Facilities Funding and Acquisition Agreement (the “FFAA”) effective November 2017, obligating the company to advance funding to the Sky Ranch CAB for specified public improvements constructed from 2018 to 2023. All amounts owed under the FFAA bear interest at a rate of 6% per annum. Due to the uncertainty of collecting the interest (because payment is contingent on the issuance of bonds), interest income is not recognized on the amounts owed by the Sky Ranch CAB until the bonds are issued. Due to this contingency, interest is deferred until the point in time when bonds are issued. At that point, the accrued interest will be recognized. The Sky Ranch CAB agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to issue bonds to reimburse the Company subject to certain limitations. In addition, the Sky Ranch CAB agrees to utilize any available moneys not otherwise pledged to payment of debt, used for operation and maintenance expenses, or otherwise encumbered, to reimburse the Company. Any advances not paid or reimbursed by the Sky Ranch CAB by December 31, 2058, shall be deemed forever discharged and satisfied in full.

As of November 30, 2020, the balance of the Company’s advances for improvements, including interest, net of costs reimbursed in November 2019, to the Sky Ranch CAB totaled $21.1 million, of which $0.3 million is included in Accrued liabilities, $19.3 million was expensed through Land development construction costs and $1.5 million of interest, which has not yet been recognized. The advances have been used by the Sky Ranch CAB to pay for construction of public improvements. The Company submits specific costs for reimbursement to the Sky Ranch CAB.  Based on the specific costs being reimbursed by the Sky Ranch CAB, the Company records those costs that have been previously expensed in cost of sales as other income and those costs that remain capitalized as land development inventory costs as a reduction of the related land development inventory costs held in Land development inventories. Any reimbursable costs repaid after all capitalized expenses and lot revenues have been fully recognized are recorded as Other income. The Company expects the Sky Ranch CAB to fully reimburse all amounts owed either through future bond issuances or remittance of property taxes.

Refer to Note 2 – Revenue Recognition for a summary of reimbursable costs incurred to date, payments made from the Sky Ranch CAB and any outstanding reimbursable amounts.

In September 2018, effective as of November 13, 2017, the Company entered into an Operation Funding Agreement with the Sky Ranch CAB obligating the Company to advance funding to the Sky Ranch CAB for operation and maintenance expenses for the 2018 and 2019 calendar years. All payments are subject to annual appropriations by the Sky Ranch CAB in its absolute discretion.  The advances by the Company accrue interest at the rate of 6% per annum from the date of the advance. As of the November 30, 2020 and August 31, 2020,  the balances included in Notes receivable – related parties, related to the Operation Funding Agreement are immaterial.