I attended the EDC meeting of Jan 4, 2007 and I am encouraged with their responsiveness to the TIF issues and with their recommendation to the Village Board. I strongly encourage the Village Board to follow their lead. I suggest the final version of their resolution be posted on this web site.
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EDC Resolution from Jan 4 Mtg
(50 posts)-
Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 10:48 #
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The only report we have here is that they unanimously approved of the TIF. Is there something further we should know?
Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 10:53 # -
Pending the posting of the Resolution (perhaps it will be on the Village website), as I understand it, the EDC Resolution supporting the TIF included the following conditions:
- There should be no use of eminent domain for residential properties;
- Central School and Hauser Jr High should be added to the TIF District;
- Any expenditure on Swan pond should be limited to repairing the wall and steps and to drainage improvements.
- The Board should clarify the priorities of the TOD plan.I understand and support the condition to add the schools to the TIF so that TIF revenues can be spent on the schools. They have also recommended that the TIF not be approved without the support of the Joint Review Board. This is significant in that I believe the Village legally can do the TIF without the support of the Joint Review Board. So if this Resolution is agreed to by the Village Board, this clause will give the school districts full control to make sure they get whatever they need. If the Board agrees, any concerns about the impact on the schools should be directed to the school board rather than the Village Board. If the school board supports TIF unconditionally and then comes back to the taxpayers for more money, they would have some explaining to do.
The wild card right now seems to be the last bullet point in the EDC Resolution - The Plan. Given the purview of the EDC it is appropriate for them to limit their recommendation to a general recommendation rather than make specific recommendations on what the plan should contain. The plan as written has a very good "menu of items" but needs to clarify its priorities and to specify redevelopment areas. I think there would be broad agreement on which properties the Village would consider for replacement, which properties would be suitable for restoration, and which properties should be preserved. I see no reason not to specify this in the plan.
In regards to priorities, the Action Matrix in Section 6 of the TOD plan appears to be the primary concern. I get the impression that the priorities listed in this matrix are not commonly shared by the community. I for one do not agree with some of these priorities and would like the opportunity to argue for some changes.
Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 11:00 # -
I am pleasantly surprised to see the recommendations on Swan Pond and Eminent Domain.
Tell me, do you not have a concern that the B2 zoning and variances in combination with the TIF could lead to an undesirable level of development?
Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 11:04 # -
Doug - thank you for your comments and your previous postings as well as the postings of others on this website played a large part in our resolution. I will inquire as to how we can get that posted here. At a minimum, I assume the Village will post it and this website could link to it.
The EDC unanimously approved a resolution of qualified support for the TIF. One Commissioner was not present. There were some changes made to the resolution as a result of the public comment at the meeting and those changes are being verified. When the final version is available, it will be posted, hopefully today still.
Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 11:09 # -
Catherine,
I believe we have the means to address those concerns on a case-by-case basis. I see nothing inherent in the TIF or the B-2 Zoning that would lead me to be concerned. Any project seeking variations or any project seeking TIF dollars would be subject to public review. We as a community need to address those concerns as they arise.
But to not use TIF because future Boards might grant undesirable variations seems counter productive. There are often unintended consequences to any action of this type but in this case, especially with the EDC's conditions, I believe Riverside can control and respond to any and all such consquences. Dealing with unintended consequences will also be enhanced significantly by adding the specificity and prioritization to the TOD plan as recommended by the EDC and noted in my last post.
Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 11:39 # -
I hope you are right Doug, if this all were to go through. I can only point to VC as a disappointing precedent in this regard. Better would be to modify the B2 zoning: Geneva has 2 TIF districts in visible historic areas, one near their riverfront. They keep development to 2 stories, 3 in one case, and have strict ordinances governing appearance. In this way, they draw in businesses AND people who shop there specifically BECAUSE of the low-scale, historic and charming ambience. They keep the big ugly stuff on Randall Road.
Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 11:44 # -
Catherine -
We need to get back to one of the original purpose of this site and discuss different plans for the CBD. When I started reading about the TIF process I was not for or against Riverside implementing a TIF plan to help establish a robust and dynamic CBD and rid the town of what I see as a frail and stagnant CBD. Robust and dynamic does not mean a Dick's Sporting Goods and a In-N-Out Burger at the corner of East Avenue and Forest Avenue but businesses that the residents of Riverside will want to regularly patronize and bring in the out of town visitor as well. (Please note that I would love an In-N-Out Burger within our town limits, like at the NW corner of Harlem and Ogden).
I am convinced that the TIF will be good for Riverside. I trust the present leadership in Riverside to make the correct decisions on development in Riverside. I also believe in the future we will again elect people who will understand what Riverside needs to prosper and will do no harm to that which makes Riverside special.
Catherine, I truly believe that you feel that you are looking out for what is best for Riverside. I commend that.
But are you thinking about what is best for you or all Riverside residents as our Trustees must?
What plan is better than using a TIF? Convince me that another plan is best and I will stand with you at the next Village Trustee meeting.
Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 16:12 # -
Excuse me Collins; the purpose of this site is to discuss concerns with the TIF, that is why it was started. Not to discuss the CBD. It was started in part by women who did not want their school's funding played around with by a TIF.
What makes you think anybody here except people who agree with you or the TIF want ANYTHING done to the CBD, or even think there should BE a CBD. I would rather have the ratty lowrise buildings that are there than risk that behemoth freak now on Olmsted's long common be replicated heaven knows how many times.
I am not interested in what you think will happen to downtown; I am interested only in what the law allows to happen there.
Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 19:13 # -
Mr. Collins - You might like to patronize an In-and-Out Burger but I doubt if you'd like the smell from it wafting blocks over your home and neighbors. That has what has happened with several of them in California.
That aside - there are many people who MISTRUST the present Board because of how they have handled previous development issues. They screwed up with Delaplaine Crossing and had to refund more than $40,000 of fees that should have been Village funds. They gave the variance for the fourth story on that oversize and ugly structure that is rising in the center of town. They tout the TOD Study as though it were a legitimate planning document, and refuse to answer why there are buildings specified in parkland. Now they fouled up the deal that was underway with the Arcade developers, and there is a possibility that that building could be in jeopardy of being removed.
They may be good, intelligent, caring people, but they haven't exhibited any ability at managing development. That's why so many people in the Village don't want them to have a revenue stream at their disposal with which to lure developers to bring more of the same. You may trust them to make what you think are sound decisions, but many, many others do not.
You ask Catherine to recommend a better plan. That isn't her task, that is the part of the Village Board, and they haven't done that. Hence the growing concern over where this TIF process could lead.
Posted Friday Jan 5, 2007 20:06 #
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