Appleton Common Council District 6 Update for June 12, 2023
Greetings District 6 Neighbors,
I hope everyone is enjoying this bit of cooler weather and the much-needed RAIN! I really wished for gloves when I went out for an early morning walk yesterday, but I won’t complain.
At the Common Council meeting last Wednesday, we approved the development agreement for the Fox Commons project. During the week we found out that, in addition to Mosaic Family Health buying approximately 35,000 square feet in the development, Prevea Health and Lawrence University would be major tenants. There will be approximately 60 apartment style units that will house about 190 junior and senior level students who want to live off-campus. The developer is working with the existing tenants, particularly retail tenants on the first floor, about remaining. I spoke to a member of the team, who is enthusiastic about the kind of space they will create on the first floor. I am hopeful that, with the many people working, visiting and living in the space, we can look forward to several new retail and restaurant options.
As discussed in previous updates, the city will be giving up the current dance studio space, having signed a lease to move those studios to the Northland Mall.
A number of you called or wrote with questions about the development, and I’m going to share a couple of those here:
- Parking – while the agreement calls for the developer to be able to purchase up to 280 monthly parking passes (most in the Yellow ramp, I would assume), there was a question about parking for patients who may have limited mobility. While Mayor Woodford replied to my question at the meeting by saying basically that the city would not be involved in decisions that private entities make about parking, but that there were options being considered, Dr. Lee Vogel, the medical director of Mosaic Family Health, approached me after the meeting to assure me that the patient’s parking needs were being addressed.
- Security – the building management and tenants are responsible for determining their own security needs. The current owner of the building employs private security, and the new owners may do so as well. The Appleton Police and Fire Departments are of course ultimately responsible for public safety here as they are throughout our city.
- TIF Financing – specifically the difference between the project value ($33.6 million) and the assessed value ($17.6 million). Mosaic Family Health will OWN the approximately 35,000 square feet designated “Condominium Unit 2”. As Mosaic is a tax-exempt non-profit, that amount of the project will not be on the tax rolls and is not part of the assessed value. The tax increment value will still be $15.3 million, or the difference between the taxable value at project completion and the current assessed value. The city will participate with “pay as you go” TIF support, investing 90% of the increment value, not to exceed $4,357,550. Dr. Vogel also noted that Mosaic currently has a PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) with the city on their current property and that negotiations are taking place for a new agreement. She also noted that Mosaic will be vacating a valuable piece of property on the bluff that will go back on the tax rolls. At last report, U.S. Venture still has plans for a headquarters building on the bluff site.
I am hopeful that this development will turn what is currently a pretty empty space I walk through on my way into City Hall into a vibrant hub that will be the gateway from downtown to the College North neighborhood.
Speaking of the College North neighborhood, I attended the groundbreaking for the RISE apartments this afternoon. This development in the 300 and 400 block of N. Oneida St., will have 40 apartment and 8 townhomes. All of the townhomes and 35 of the apartments will have rents restricted to provide affordable housing. The project is using Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority tax credits, along with TIF funds and a $1,000,000 grant of the ARPA funds allocated by the city for affordable housing. Construction is scheduled to be completed next year.
Moving to this week’s committee agendas:
CEA Review Committee – Monday, June 12, 4:00 p.m.
The committee will be reviewing a request to purchase a fire truck (sole source from Pierce Manufacturing) for ($1,062,900). The lead time on this vehicle is 38-41 months. Ordering now will lock in the price, but payment will not be required until delivery. The sole source is in order to standardize the vehicles across the fleet – we already have three nearly identical vehicles.
They will also be asked to approve a letter of intent for purchasing an asphalt paver from Fabick Cat. The letter of intent would lock in the price and get the vehicle on time for the 2025 construction season. The purchase order will be issued after the adoption of the 2024 budget.
Municipal Services Committee – Monday, June 12, 4:30 p.m.
The committee is expected to receive bids for two paving marking contracts at the meeting. The bids were to have been opened on June 8.
They will be voting on parking and traffic changes on N. Roemer Rd., Homestead Dr. and Linwood Avenue, and S. Driscoll Avenue.
There are also a number of parking and traffic changes proposed as part of the Bluff Site street reconstruction (including 100S Oneida, 100N/100S Morrison, 100N/100S/200S
Durkee, & 100W/100E/200E Lawrence). Details can be found on the agenda attachment.
In more parking news, the College Avenue reconfiguration will result in the creation of one more parking spot on the south side closest to Drew Street.
Information items will include the Bird E-Scooter report, Parking Revenue Report and the Inspections Division Summary Comparison Report.
Finance Committee – Monday, June 12, 5:30 p.m.
Before we move to action items, the committee will get a presentation from our portfolio manager at U.S. Bank about the city’s investment performance.
We have a request for a change order to the Telulah Park Pavilion repair project. The project cost increased $15,000, but the cost of another project was less than budgeted so budget will be adjusted between the projects.
We’ll be asked to approve the awarding of a contract for the Compressed Air System Improvements project at the water treatment facility (Rohde Brothers, $195,470 including contingency). The accompany budget adjustment is from the Lake Station Intake Consulting Project.
Parks and Recreation Committee – Monday, June 12, 6:30 p.m.
The committee will be voting on a resolution (I was a co-sponsor) calling for Appleton to join the Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition. The Coalition has as its mission statement: The Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition provides a coordinated voice for local governments that are pursuing clean energy and climate change solutions in the state. The Coalition provides a platform for members to collaborate on overcoming barriers to decarbonization, accelerating local climate change solutions and ensuring the benefits of the clean energy economy are distributed to everyone throughout the state. Local governments and elected officials – as both large electricity users and policy making entities -- have a unique perspective on the threats and challenges that climate change poses, a perspective that is often overlooked in the policy debates.
This resolution was submitted at the request of the Project and Resiliency Manager and the Advisory Council on Sustainability and Climate Resilience. There is no cost for membership.
They will also be discussing the resolution to have the Ellen Kort Peace Park observe No Mow May. Nothing in the resolution discusses whether this would be permanent so it should be an interesting discussion.
The information items include a review of the May Revenue and Expense Report for Reid Golf Course, a recreation summer update and a parks project update.
Utilities Committee – Tuesday, June 13, 4:30 p.m.
This will actually be the first meeting for the Utilities Committee in the new council year. They will take care of the administrative duties such as electing a Vice Chair along with their normal business.
This business includes the anticipated award of the contract for Spot Repairs, Protruding Tap and Mineral Deposit Removal – the bids were to be opened today.
They will also vote on approving the Electronic Compliance Maintenance Annual
Report (eCMAR) for 2022 and the accompanying resolution.
Information items include an update on the polymer incident at the end of 2022 and an update on Aquahawk signups. (This is a great program, by the way, which could save you $$$ https://www.appleton.org/residents/water/customer-portal )
Board of Health – Wednesday, June 14, 7:00 a.m.
The Board has no action items, but will hear a number of information items, including the Q1 report, the June Newsletter, new noise variances granted and a prohibited animal declaration. The prohibited animal declaration comes after a dog previously designated as dangerous was allowed out without a muzzle as prescribed in the dangerous animal declaration. Sadly, the dog was confined but never claimed by either owner.
Appleton Redevelopment Authority – Wednesday, June 14, 9:00 a.m.
ARA will take up the releases from prior development agreements for City Center, one of which was also voted on by the Common Council last week.
City Plan Commission – Wednesday, June 14, 3:30 p.m.
The Commission will be taking up the application for a special use permit for Stone Arch Brewpub (1004 S. Olde Oneida St.) to expand their facility into the third floor of the building for use as an event space with alcohol sales and consumption.
They will also be looking at an application for a special use permit for the Maritime Tavern (W. Wisconsin and N. Division) to create an outdoor patio with alcohol sales and consumption.
Finally, we’ll be looking at rezoning and changes to the Comprehensive Plan for the property at 313, 315, and 319 W. College to be rezoned from Public Institution to Central Business District. This is property currently owned by Lawrence University.
Safety and Licensing Committee – Wednesday, June 14, 5:30 p.m.
There are a few interesting items along with the usual license applications and renewals. Core’s Lounge at 1350 W. College Avenue is applying for an alcohol license. You may recall that they lost their license a year ago for excessive violations.
A number of local fire departments are proposing a shared equipment agreement (Appleton, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Neenah, Grand Chute, Green Bay, Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue)
We also have a request to approve an agreement between the City of Appleton and Wisconsin Emergency Management for Hazardous Materials Response for Northeast Wisconsin.
One item that I personally am grateful to see is an application for a liquor license for a new restaurant located in the former River Tyme Bistro space. I was a loyal River Tyme customer, and I mourned its closing, both for the food and atmosphere and for the amazing location and patio overlooking the river. I look forward to seeing what “Wild River Café” is all about.
Community and Economic Development Committee – Wednesday, June 14, 6:30 p.m.
The only action item on the agenda is approval of the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for the Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) program. This is basically a report documenting the uses and outcomes from the various block grant funding sources. You can read the full report attached to the meeting minutes: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1101176&GUID=DDA1D771-042F-48CF-A0BD-35676760B9D7
The Human Resources and Information Technology Committee is not meeting this week.
Enjoy your week!
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