Can someone post the memo the village released yesterday at the meeting? Copies were passed out but I do not have one. It would be good for all to read it.
TJS
Riverside Info » About Riverside
Statement from the Village Board
(9 posts)-
Posted Tuesday May 22, 2007 12:41 #
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I can tell you one thing it didn't contain - an apology to Mike T and his neighbor for all the stress they put them through. Not even a simple "we're sorry." Ego rules, I guess. But not today, and not in Riverside.
Posted Tuesday May 22, 2007 12:49 # -
Interestingly enough, the press release that Jack read last night is nowhere to be found on the village website -- not even in the "news" section.
Even more intriguing is the fact that all of the links to the CBD workshops and the TIF documents are gone from the home page and are not listed in the "Downloadable Documents and Forms" section. It seems that the only way to find those documents is do a search on "TIF."
Posted Tuesday May 22, 2007 15:12 # -
I question when this matter was discussed and the consensus reached to drop the TIF. It certainly was not at an open meeting. The Trustees are not supposed to discuus such issues or vote at any other time. This was an important decision, actually two important decisions, the one to stop making payments to KMA and the other to evaluate the numbers from the new TIF boundaries and then drop it. This little exercise in futility cost the Village over $100,000 and now we don't even know how the new numbers were conveyed to the Board, what they are, and/or how the decision was reached, who voted for or against dropping it - NOTHING. Perhaps an explanation will be forthcoming, but don't hold your breath.
Posted Tuesday May 22, 2007 17:14 # -
http://www.riverside.il.us/vertical/Sites/%7B42F3B77D-FE50-43B3-96BF-EB06D8EB0A86%7D/uploads/%7B73D95643-9A0B-440C-950B-9FB2FDBA74EC%7D.PDF
or http://tinyurl.com/2t72usPRESS RELEASE
Riverside Announces TIF Consideration to CeaseAnalysis shows marginal value with recent modifications.
May 21, 2007: Village Manager Kathleen Rush recommended today that the Village of Riverside not proceed with efforts to establish a Tax Increment Finance District covering its Central Business District and adjacent residential properties. The Village had proposed this economic development tool to stimulate investment in this area. The plan called for the Village to use the resulting growth and increased revenue to address aging infrastructure improvements and provide much-needed dollars to promote reinvestment in the area and economic development.
After a delay in the process to address resident concerns identified through a series of workshops, a number of significant adjustments to the proposal were considered by Village Trustees. When these adjustments were factored in by TIF consultants, the value of the proposed tax increment was projected to have marginal value. Additional EAV reduction resulted when the Class L tax status was awarded by the Village Board to the Arcade building. Anticipated givebacks to the local schools promoted by residents opposed to the TIF further diminish the potential value of the undertaking.
Over the past two years, village officials and residents have worked diligently to identify and plan for needed improvements in our Central Business District. The Village has worked to gather information to help make good and purposeful decisions about land use and other issues surrounding these efforts. “It is clear,— says President Wiaduck, “while Riverside is unique in many ways, we share in the difficulties faced by communities everywhere. No set of issues generates more controversy and divisiveness for a community than those surrounding revitalization and development; and, decision making in regards to how and who will pay for it, is far more difficult yet.—
President Wiaduck stated he is truly disappointed with this outcome as it demonstrates reluctance on the part of the community to address the long-standing decreased growth in the tax base of the area. Many village officials believe delaying improvements will result in further decline in property value in the Central Business District. This will continue to shift more of the tax burden of the area to individual single-family property owners. This is troublesome for all of our taxing districts. Options are minimal and typically, come down to reaching into the pockets of each and every resident; not a popular position for any elected official. Further, the inability to foster an environment for reinvestment and development sends a negative message to current owners and potential investors as well as prospective homeowners that the community is less than willing to work for the rehabilitation and preservation of its business district.
Regardless if we could not reach consensus about TIF, I am proud to be part of a community that considers all options, controversial or not. We have learned much, and the products of our work remain valuable and well worth the journey.
The Village Board will not act on the proposed contract extension with Kane McKenna and Associates. The Economic Development Commission will consider other economic development tools and opportunities to support needed improvements to the Central Business District in the future.
Posted Tuesday May 22, 2007 22:42 # -
When these adjustments were factored in by TIF consultants, the value of the proposed tax increment was projected to have marginal value.
So, KMA factored in the changes (remove the Arcade building, remove some other land/buildings, make the schools whole) and they determined there was no money left? Isn't that what we've been saying all along, once you make the schools whole (however you do that legally) there isn't anything left?
And, I thought "Phase I" mentioned at the 5/7 meeting was to spend more money with KMA to determine precisely this, if after the modifications to the plan would the plan still be viable. Was there enough information without digging into the EAV and refreshing the numbers to determine that the TIF was not viable? Like, KMA looked at it and said "no way" or did they do some more analysis? I thought Phase I of the "refresh" was $15K or $20K or $25K or something? Maybe KMA did not need to do that much work since they could tell by looking at an overview that the plan as modified was not viable?
I guess it's a moot point now, but I still think it's interesting.
Posted Tuesday May 22, 2007 22:57 # -
We know why the TIF died, the fact that it is dead is all that matters.
Well said, Robling, except that I think the phrase and reality of "comprehensive planning" is itself as divisive as the Village Center. Weren't you involved in that? (Also, no one here needs to be told by you that we need to be for something; we already are.) Why not start on small projects everyone can agree on.
The new revenue stream was always to come from massive condo development, not from increased sales tax on businesses. The Long Term Finance Committee will have ideas about cutting the budget and alternative revenue sources, and their work will be very important.
However, we know that what nearly ALL, probably all, residents want is the beautification of downtown and also, the attraction of small businesses in the normal way.
A good place to start, I think, is the beautification of downtown. Does the village not own the parkways there as in the rest of the village? Why can we not hire (having blown so much dough on "consultants", an Olmsted-knowledgeable landscape architect (the one we were going to hire under the revised TIF) to design plantings for all the parkways in the Central Business District. One design would serve to visually unify it. Despite some people's perceptions to the contrary, Olmsted is not without color. There are very numerous native northern Illinois wild species that could be planted that have plenty of color and interest. The plantings identified as village-appropriate by the Forestry department are these:
Perennials, Grasses and Groundcovers
Wild Ginger Asarum canadense
Black Snakeroot Actaea simplex
Wild Nodding Onion Allium cernuum
Lead Plant Amorpha canescens
Rue Anemone Anemonella thalictroides
Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
Jack-in-the-Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum
Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata
New Jersey Tea Ceanothus americanus
Virgin's Bower Clematis virginiana
Tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
Shooting Star Dodecatheon meadia
Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
Purple Love Grass Eragrostis spectabilis
Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium
Bottle Gentian Gentiana andrewsii
Wild Geranium Geranium maculatum
Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
Blue Flag Iris Iris shrevei
Royal Blazingstar, Rough Gayfeather Liatris aspera
Meadow Blazingstar Liatris ligulistylus
Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalisBlue Cardinal Flower Lobelia siphilitica
Virginia Blue Bells Mertensia virginica
Pale Beard Tongue Penstemon grandiflorus
Purple Prairie Clover Petalostemum purpureum
Prairie Phlox Phlox
Yellow Coneflower Ratibida pinnata
Wild Petunia Ruellia humilis
Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
Royal Catchfly Silene regia
Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis
Foamflower Tiarella cordifolia
Purple Trillium Trillium erectum
White Trillium Trillium grandiflorum
Wake Robin Trillium luteum
Bell-Wort, Big Merrybells Uvularia grandiflora
Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
Common Ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
Culver's Root Veronicastrum virginicum
Bird's Foot Viola pedata
Golden Alexander Zizia aureaOnce the design is made, we could implement the planting.
No one objects to beauty, even if it is as Olmsted set forth. Next, we can try to persuade Mr Kafka to take off those brown boardings from his buildings on Burlington. There could also be the prospect of an appropriate awning scheme. We could approach business owners about sharing their parking space. First American Bank comes to mind.Finally, we can market doing business in Riverside the old-fashioned way, by getting the word out. We have the NIU study showing what the people want: FOOD. Take-out food, restaurant, or grocery (a niche store.) Existing business show that the market is there for anyone who wants to meet the needs and wants of the residents.
Posted Wednesday May 23, 2007 11:27 # -
Catherine - several members of the LAC planted last week the island in the center of town. It was volunteer labor and the Village Forester, Mike Collins, who rototilled it and got it ready for planting and will water it. About 150 plants went in, newspaper down to keep the weeds out and moisture in, and mulched. With a modest budget for plants and some additional volunteer labor that could be done all around the CBD. Go ask Katy to allocate some of the thousands she is going to get back from Kane McKenna toward that and it will get done. Imagine all the awnings, plants and street furniture we could have had to make the place more "vibrant" if it hadn't been squandered on KMA, etc. Sure, let's have the LAC people who know the plants lay it out and let's do it. I donate $100. to start it off. Maybe the Chamber and the EDC will chip in.
Posted Wednesday May 23, 2007 12:11 # -
Spanty: OK. I think with the support of the LAC, the Olmsted Society, Mike Collins and volunteers, and the trustees (it was Candice Grace who supported retaining an Olmsted-knowledgeable designer and plantings for the CBD), we could do this.
Business payoffs: more attractive to pedestrians, and the right plantings if we ever get architectural tourists here. Plus it would identify, mark off, and unify the CBD.
Since the plantings are all native northern Illinois species, it cannot be expensive. Plus, we have the labor. Making an overall, unifying design is not an unimportant matter I think. You have to plan for all season interest, just for starters. And the design goes from parcel to parcel. I think this would be worth having a professional to design.
Posted Wednesday May 23, 2007 12:58 #
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