Monday, January 24, 2011

Public Hearing - North Monona Drive Redevelopment Plan

The Monona Community Development Authority (CDA) is holding a public hearing this Tuesday night, January 25, 2011 at 6:30 PM at the library on the North Monona Drive Redevelopment Plan.

Details on the meeting:: (CDA) Meeting:
The agenda.
The draft plan.

The plan describes the need for redevelopment and for city assistance:
Monona Drive is the City’s most visible street for both residents and commuters...Reconstruction of the street...will address the deteriorating infrastructure that the corridor has experienced for some time. However, a number of underutilized and blighted properties exist along Monona Drive that are both a detriment to the community’s appearance and its tax base.
Redevelopment efforts often necessitate local government involvement on some level. When government involvement is in the form of financial assistance, taxpayers sometimes question why the redevelopment effort should be supported with public dollars...[B]lighted and underutilized property, if not addressed, contributes to higher property taxes for all taxpayers. There are three main reasons why this occurs:


  • Blighted or underutilized property does not generate enough tax revenue to cover the cost of public services being provided to the property;
  • Tax revenue is not realized because the property is not developed to its full potential; and
  • The value of and reinvestment in adjacent property is suppressed, causing the loss of additional tax revenue to the City. 
 
The CDA will also be considering Round Two Loan Requests under the Renew Monona Loan Program, getting a report from City Administrator on the Status of Demolition of City Owned Buildings in the North Part of Monona Drive, discussing the Redevelopment of the site of the former Johns' Mobile Home Park, and reviewing the City Debt Policy.

Sounds like an interesting meeting - and long if all these items are covered.


Date: Tuesday - 01/25/2011
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Monona Public Library, 1000 Nichols Rd., Community Media Room

3 comments:

  1. "Public" hearing? How is it public if the public gets such little advance notice? I don't recall seeing anything in last week's Herald about this.

    Did anyone else who reads this blog get notified in another fashion -- a more timely fashion -- than reading it on a blog the day before?

    This doesn't feel like democracy.

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  2. There is a story on the Herald Independent website dated January 12 - nearly two weeks in advance of the meeting.

    http://herald-independent.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=52&ArticleID=2166

    The draft plan was on the Plan Commission agenda on January 10.

    http://www.mymonona.com/pages/city_government/committees/doc_includes/export_file.php?id=698

    The plan will also have to go before the city council - probably on Feb. 7 and again on Feb. 22.

    By the way, you ask if others 'got notice' about this plan. The city posts agendas in accordance with the Open Meetings Law, but generally doesn't send out notices to individuals about meetings.

    In nearly all cases, residents who want to stay informed about local government have to take initiative and seek out the information. That's not always easy to do, but it is far easier now than it was even 6 or 8 years ago.

    I am also pushing for the city to develop an email newsletter distribution (similar to what Park & Rec does now) for all city departments.

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  3. Thanks Doug. Now if the school district would see this as a priority too. . .

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