A briefer than usual rundown on Cliff Fisher’s “accidentally removed house”, Burr Oaks Senior Neighborhood Development, Amending TID 39 (Stoughton Rd), Creating Northside TIF District #40, Ooops – UW trying to destroy important cultural landscape, and controversial Pellitterri (of failure to file lobbying reports when applying for TIF fame) project . . . The meeting was 4.5 hours and I was doing other things around the house . . . so its not as complete as usual . . .
DID CLIFF FISHER AND ATTY BUCK SWEENEY LIE?
Remember the “ooops, I didn’t mean to” removal of a house (without the necessary permits) owned by Cliff Fisher. The approval of this project required proof of financing before the house permits to move the house was issued. According to the staff report, it was Condition 33 in the approval letter dated August 7, 2008. Why was “proof of financing” a condition of approval? Simple, about 5 or 6 months earlier, there was news of foreclosure (February 5, 2008 Foreclosure?) and then a receiver was appointed for Metropolitan Place II (March 15, 2008 – Receiver appointed) and so folks were worried that he’d start the project (move one house and demolish two more) and then not be able to finish it.
At the plan commission last time, Attorney Buck Sweeney stated that everything was fine and moving forward and financing was in place and then Metropolitan Place happened. He stated:
We had financing approved, we were working with Tom Geier, and then Metropolitan issue came up and the economy went south . . .
Cliff Fisher said the same thing tonight:
I also, had, all my financing, pretty much all lined up, until Metropolitan Place kind of put me into a bind there.
Pssst, guys, Metropolitan Place was in receivership in March 2008, this project was approved 8/5/2008. Metropolitan Place was the reason the condition was put on the project in the first place. Nice revisionist history. Is there any penalty for perjury in front of Plan Commission? Shouldn’t a complaint be filed with the state bar? This is absurd.
Anyways, there’s no proof of financing, but the house is removed from the foundation and ready to be moved. What to do? Hands tied, no good options, they approved it. Here’s a few gems from the meeting.
– Cliff Fisher tells the commission that the house can’t be moved in the winter time, so it had to be approved before winter.
– George Hank, in charge of the City’s Building Inspection Unit says that the King House was in a snow storm.
– Cliff Fisher tells the commission that the house cannot be put back on the foundation without moving the house to another location.
– George Hank says that they can just move the house up higher, install the foundation and then put the house down on it. He says it would require a $25 – 30K bond for the city.
Heifitz talks about his comments about “wiggle room” at the last meeting. He says the words were harsh, but he still thinks the wiggle room has been fully allotted. Next time this applicant has a project, there may be a credibility gap and he urges them to fill it.
At this point, I’m not sure how he can fill the credibility gap. But I guess he could try. He could start by having his lobbyists fill out their lobbyist registration forms. Ahem . . . please . . . so I don’t have to file a complaint. Anyone else want to take this one on?
BURR OAKS SENIOR HOUSING
Talking, talking, talking talking, Bruer talking . . . a few comments, plan approved. No one there in opposition.
TID 39 EXPANSION
This is the Industrial TIF for the city. Cnare asked if there were reasons/upcoming TIF requests coming up and if there was money for all of it. Gromacki says that in TID 39 there are no large requests that would prevent council from doing other projects. He says the investments are modest $200,000 – $300,000 with the notable exception of Biolink which was $2M.
Cnare asks about projects removed from the plan. Gromacki says that growth is slow, so they had to make cuts until the value catches up with the project. Cnare asked why they chose to cut the park and ride instead of the quiet zones. Gromacki says its a tough call. Cnare asks about the Biolink project and how soon we will know if we got the money from Economic Development Administration. Olinger says that they asked for more information and are reviewing it. Hope to hear by the end of this year. Really? I thought this was a rush job last winter/spring . . . that was months ago . . .
Sundquist asks how our TIFs are doing because they are failing around the state. Gromacki says we’ve never had any fail. But, we project the numbers based on near term development that will happen soon. Also, we have a 50% policy that only 50% of the increment generated by the project goes to the project to give us cushion in case we run into trouble. Just today he said it was reported that there are two districts, one in Appleton and one in Manasha that gave 100% of the increment and they are failing. He says that he just got news from the comptroller that there are some districts in the city where the properties are increasing in value at a slower pace and even tho they are producing increment, its not reaching the projections we had. Because we have a cushion, we’re still operating in the black.
Heifitz asks what happens if the funds don’t come from EDA for Biolink. Olinger says we’d have to take another look at it. There isn’t enough increment in the district to cover that. He asked if that happens if they can do the infrastructure costs. Gromacki says it depends upon how the district is doing.
Compton says that they are doing an amendment because we closed TID 24, this is a viable, profitable TIF district. This is our only industrial TID and we haven’t utilized it to its highest potential. This amendment is because when the TID closed there was an agreement to do construction on Femrite Rd. They need to amend it to construct the road. They are amending it instead of using the “half-mile” rule. This will complete Stoughton Rd to the Interstate. BioAg and everything else is already in TID 39. It passed.
TID 40 CREATION
That is largely infrastructure projects. Nothing that would create more of a log jam than we already have. At least that was what was answered when Cnare was asking questions about TID 39. Registrations were as follows: John Brigham is in support representing Penn Group LLC & Chad Gephart representing CAG Development was neither in support or against. Does this mean that they are the next TIF requests coming? No discussion, it passed.
OOPS, SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL LANDSCAPE
I feel kinda dumb for not realizing all the historical significance with this project. My guess is I’m not the only one who had this slip by them. One of the buildings to be removed is eligible to be on the National Registry of Historic Places and the building being modified is eligible to be on the National Registry of Historic Places. The surprise for the evening is that the landscaping itself is historic and so significant the Department of Landscape Architecture wrote a letter with their concerns. The landscape was designed over 100 years ago. In 1898 it was designed by O. C. Simons. The gentleman who attended the plan commission was very disappointed he missed the Landmarks Commission. The matter was referred to the Urban Design Commission. (I have no idea why they didn’t re-refer to Landmarks)
PELLITTERRI
Ugh, this project looks like it is a mess . . . 17 registrants, neighbors didn’t know about the project, 6 of the immediate neighbors don’t live in the city so not notified and no representation, sign posted where no one could see it, Veridian Homes buyers none too happy about this project being more heavy industrial, smell, noise, wetlands, (they agreed to no idling trucks when asked), staff have concerns about the placement of the project in relation to the neighbors, flooding issues, concern about who will buy homes by this project, concern about traffic, why put trash facility in the middle of three neighborhoods? . . . I couldn’t really listen much more . . . but Compton was there to speak. She is neither for nor against. She says plan commission should hear everything and decide. Staff did send out notices and did include Town of Blooming Grove. She did have a neighborhood meeting. She says she contacted people in Lost Creek and Quinn Ranch and heard from no one. . . . oh dear lord . . . she just said something about raping people and charging them for it . . . sigh . . .can’t really listen to more . . . this has been going on for about two hours and I didn’t listen to it all and I’m sure I missed some important points. In short, they referred for another 2 weeks for staff to investigate how to move the building further away from the neighbors . . .
BUSINESS BY MEMBERS
Basford raised an important point, he said that as the meeting was going on, someone was sitting behind him and trying to lobby him while he was trying to listen to public testimony on one of the items. He asked staff to talk to that person and make sure that in the future the seats were reserved for alders and staff.
