I have a question about Saturday's workshop, which I was not able to attend. I understand they took written questions from attendees. Were these questions answered at some point during the workshop, or were they collected for contemplation at a later date?
Thanks,
Mark D. Shevitz
They were collected by Diane Kemp. Usage unknown. I have tried to post some of my questions here.
Perhaps others would want to do the same. Perhaps Diane could post the question on another link....if someone knows her to ask.
Here is one document that came out of wkshop 1.
it says...
Riverside Community Workshops 2007
Planning Elements: Priorities for spending money
Note: In Workshop I 01.27.07, the group wanted clearer definition and consolidation of elements. This is a first pass for review.
.
here is another one
wkshp1-cmnts-and questions-012707.htm
Mike, something seems wrong with the HTML format of these links...could you copy and post them in a different forum or provide a different link.
product1
Riverside Community Workshops 2007
Planning Elements: Priorities for spending money
Note:
In Workshop I 01.27.07, the group wanted clearer definition and consolidation of elements.
This is a first pass for review. \dk
Priority: No.of Teams: Date:
Quality of Life High 3 01.27.07
Quality of Life Natural Resources*
Quality of Life Historic Preservation High 1 01.27.07
Quality of Life Community Character High 3 01.27.07
Quality of Life Community Facilities*
Quality of Life Housing*
Quality of Life Commercial
Governance
Governance Fiscal Responsibility High 3 01.27.07
Governance Fiscal Responsibility Revenue
Governance Fiscal Responsibility Expenditures
Governance Services
Governance Services Social Services
Governance Services Safety + Security High
Governance Administration Public Input Process*
Governance Infrastructure* High 3 01.27.07
Governance Infrastructure* Streets
Governance Infrastructure* Utilities
Economic Development* High 2 01.27.07
Economic Development* Land Use* High 1 01.27.07
Economic Development* Land Use Residential
Economic Development* Land Use Commercial
Economic Development* Land Use Open Space*
Economic Development* Transportation* High 1 01.27.07
Economic Development* Transportation* Pedestrians
Economic Development* Transportation* Bicyclists
Economic Development* Transportation* Vehicles
Economic Development* Transportation* Transit
* Elements required in a comprehensive plan
product 2
WORKSHOP I: Comments Questions Suggestions 01.27.07
Thank you to all who offered these insightful comments and questions!
KEY: ECON Economic Development: Land Use (residential, commercial, open space) + Transportation (ped, bike, car, transit)
GOV Governance: Administration, Fiscal Responsibility (revenues vs. expenditures), Public input process, Services, Infrastructure)
QOL Quality of Life: Character, Natural Resources, Historic Preservation, Community Facilities, Housing,
ECON Land Biz Can we confirm that we want \ can get ONLY neighborhood goods and services to survive in Riverside? DK 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz Do we want people to come to Riverside? Visitors, tourists, etc. TJ 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz If Riverside can support 80-90k SF of retail: What mix? Who will recruit these businesses? Who manage them for the good of the CDB? DK 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz Look at Harlem and Ogden harder—¦for economic development DK 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz Olmsted DID envision a downtown area unlike the information on Mr. Wilson's slide JR 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz The Village is not friendly to local businesses and gives themo encouragement and sets up obstacles -- how will this change? ?? 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz What businesses have we lost and why? ?? 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz What's the desired $/F for the CDB? Where is it now? JM 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz If Riverside is a HOT market, why do we need to assist developers with a TIF? They should make the streetscape improvements, we prescribe, for their properties. DK 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz If Riverside is so "desirable" as URS says, where are thse interested parties and their businesses?..Why can't they come in and work with Riverside to achieve OUR goals? TO 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz What B2 requirements were waived or changed for The Village Center project and the other building projects? ?? 01.27.07
ECON Land Biz Why do we always look to other communities that are not at all like ours? -- we have no big land space [to develop] -- and are unique - we're not Oak Park, etc. ?? 01.27.07
ECON Land Res In the TOD plan, why must residential zones (R-3) be included with B-2 zone in defining the CDB? ?? 01.27.07
ECON Land Res Has anyone calculated the increased costs of police, fire, and Village administration and other services that will arise from 100 new residences + a few dozen new businesses??? Ask theFire and Police Chhiefs. ?? 01.27.07
ECON Land Trans What will happen to the traffic at Long Common, Burlington, and Forest with the increases in the number of residents + cusstomers? ?? 01.27.07
ECON Land Trans What is the goal of a parking garage? Transit? Retail? Move existing street parking into better "organized" locations? TO 01.27.07
ECON Land Trans Why do we need a parking garage? Who will use it? Will we charge for parking to raise revenues? DK 01.27.07
GOV Admin Please explain the advantages + disadvantages of home rule vs. non-home rule? DK 01.27.07
GOV Fiscal Rev Financial model needed: The concept of a TIF is akin to a large scale caital project. One doesn't embark upon the projectwithout first building a financial model that brackets the likely outcomes for a variety of assumptions. I don't see theis step, and fear once it has been peformed, the TIF is a moot point. The issue is being debated on too much of a qualitative basis. DS 01.27.07
GOV Fiscal Rev I have no problem with the latest plan (TOD). Can we go forward without a TIF? ?? 01.27.07
GOV Fiscal Rev In the TIF proposal why must the boundaries include such a large area, residential and open space? DK 01.27.07
GOV Fiscal Rev How did the recent increase in sales tax impact the Village? How much more revenue have we captured? 01.27.07
GOV Fiscal Rev How would a increase of EAV for CBD impact overall Village revenues? EAV goes from 20,000 to 30,000—¦what does this mean in ealized revenues? TO 01.27.07
GOV Fiscal Rev Is there a feel for now-conscious residents that the near-total residential tax base mean that we ust pay directly for the quality of services/life in the Village? In contrast with say, North Riverside where the commercial tax base funds outrageously lavish services with very low tax on residents? JM 01.27.07
GOV Fiscal Rev Tax sales from zoo? Current real estate assessment categories penalize building owners for having storefront below & office above. )vs. residential) Assessments are Draconian (3x) CP 01.27.07
GOV Fiscal Rev What exactly is 'capped' with property taxes? Total levy? JM 01.27.07
GOV Fiscal Rev When do current bonds expire? ?? 01.27.07
GOV Infra What are the priority Village must-do infrastructure or facility projects (i.e. TIF or not) and how much will they cost? DK 01.27.07
GOV Process How can we participate in Visioning exercise when we don't have a budget? JR 01.27.07
GOV Serv Police and Fire are top priority, but are you being efficient? Really how much police support do we really need? % increase? Onflation only 4% ?? 01.27.07
GOV Fiscal Can we target a project and ask residents to tax themselves for that project only? E.g. Senior\family center; streetscape in business district 01.27.07
GOV Process At what point can we possibly agree on achieving tangible results? Having been a 13 year Village resident, a volunteer in the Our Town Project that explored TIF financing - unsuccessfully -- how do we get there? MW 01.27.07
GOV Process Is the Workshop I: Goals, issues and Opportunities available on line? CC 01.27.07
GOV Process How much was spent on consultant fees in 2005, 2006 and anticipated in 2007? Is there anyone on the Board that has the experience to do anything without spending money on consultants - Camiros was a waste of money --and afterall that not much their recommendations were followed - re:heights, etc. ?? 01.27.07
GOV Process How will information be communicated to the Trustees and how will it be acted upon? JR 01.27.07
GOV Process How will our responses be recorded? JR 01.27.07
GOV Process Is the Workshop I: Goals, issues and Opportunitiesavailable on line? CC 01.27.07
GOV Process Iy would be really helpful to ave the "digest" of goals, issues, opportunities s handouts to consider or on=line for download. 01.27.07
GOV Process These individual work sessions seem to be less then productive -- at least at my table. Drop this format. MG 01.27.07
GOV Process TIF: There has not been a willingness\openess to publicaly address pros and cons. All that comes through the Village are the pros. It has been one-sides. MG 01.27.07
GOV Process Village finances vs. 20 years of planning studies: Village expenses are greater than income viz. How are we paying for good ideas in all the various studies? Should these two issues be decoupled? Village services are a must, why not talk about higher taxes to address? Assess both issues individually on their own merits? TJ 01.27.07
GOV Process What assurance do we have that this exercise won't result in a TIF not matter the outcome? JR 01.27.07
GOV Process Why didn't we have these workshops before we started The Big Condo downtown? BP 01.27.07
GOV Process Why is public comment being stifled? JR 01.27.07
GOV Process Will these sessions be advisory only? If so, what effect will they have? JR 01.27.07
QOL Char Is there an obligation for the people of Riverside to share Olmsted's great achievement? Do we have a "right" to keep it to ourselves? TJ 01.27.07
QOL Char How strictly does a developer have to adhere to original architectural plans, especially visual details? ?? 01.27.07
QOL Char If we have control of building design -- certainly the building going up now -- don't reflect -- current home designs? [Unclear] ?? 01.27.07
QOL Hist What has the Village actually contributed to the Historic Commission -- since we have been declared an historic community - why is this not more important to our Village manager + Boafrd of Trustees? ?? 01.27.07
QOL Hist How can we capitalize on the "historic" aspect of Riverside? TO 01.27.07
Charlie ~
"The Village does generate a very modest and stagnant amount of revenue from sales tax collection. The current figure is $315,000. One of the goals of a TIF would be to increase that number."
Does that $315,000 include the 1% sales tax on retail that was passed in March? That sales tax will supposedly generate $170,000 each year - to be used on infrastructure. Can't some of that extra money be dedicated to infrastructure improvements in the CBD?
Elisa,
No it does not include that number. My understanding is that proceeds from that tax can by state law only be used on road improvements/maintainence. Thanks to the proceeds from this new tax, Riverside has been able to abandon the previously used practice of implementing a special assesment on home owners whenever the street they lived on needed to be rebuilt.
Thanks for clarifying!
Well actually, that was because it was a one block long street and, one of the Trustees lived on that street, and also voted on it, I believe. Incidentally, I think the contractor that did the street repair over near Blythe should get an award for "world's worst job." Anybody know why it is such a half ass job? Maybe Mike Hullihan could elaborate on it.
Spatny, thanks for your initial opinion that the presentation was worthwhile and informative; however the ensuing discussion here makes it sound as it it were more propaganda. Which was it?
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