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| | 4. | | Discussion, update, or review on Granville Development District RFPs, listings, projects, programs, initiatives or other aspects.
Minutes note: a. 7930 W. Clinton Ave. zoning change and development (juvenile correctional facility)
Appearing for Department of Corrections:
Secretary Kevin A. Carr
Paulina Gutierrez, Legislative Director
Lance Horozewski, Assistant Administration for Juvenile Corrections.
Appearing for the project design team:
Courtney Cooper, BWBR
Mark Ludgatis, BWBR
The DOC and design team made a power point presentation about the juvenile correctional facility project regarding project overview, design approach, floor plan, site plan, aerial view, outdoor recreation, perimeter security, landscaping, site preparation, site constraints, site access, security and traffic, and signage as follows:
The proposal was to build a new state-of-the-art secured youth correctional facility. They operated 37 security facilities around the state and have not found any evidence that their facilities have decreased property values or increase crime in those neighborhoods. Despite the stigma with this type of facility, they were committed to being good neighbor and maintain good operations for the facility. The Lincoln Hills youth correctional facility was an isolated and problematic one. Majority of the youths there were from Milwaukee, and the facility was far (3.5 hours away) from Milwaukee. Locating youths to a Milwaukee-based facility would help to reduce recidivism, bring detainees closer to families to maintain relationships, and bring them closer to resources. Due to issues and challenges with Lincoln Hills, there was legislation and movement to close facilities like Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools and to develop better, smaller facilities instead. The goals was to transition those facilities from a punitive correctional model into an evidence-based treatment facility with smaller staff youth ratios. DOC has now acquired the necessary fund and State support to install a new facility at 7930 W. Clinton Ave. The location fulfilled their criteria of sufficient acreage, proximity, nearby transportation options, accessibility, nearby workforce, and local community resources. There has been public engagement over the past several months. There were two public meetings in the neighborhood, which also included state representatives, led by Senator Lena Taylor. The DOC facilitated three community input sessions at the Milwaukee Safety Academy. Changes have been made to the project plan based on public input. These changes reflected their commitment to public safety and helping Milwaukee area youth. Improvements from the project would include enhancing street lighting on Clinton Ave., increasing the height of the secured wall, installing gardening areas for the youths at the site perimeters, and including more walkable areas and bike parking. The project would be west of Abundant Faith Church of Integrity.
There would be better youth engagement with professionals including youth counselors, behavioral health professionals, teachers, medical providers, and other community trained staff. The facility aesthetics would resemble an education environment rather than a correctional institution but still have a maximum security infrastructure to protect youth, staff, and the public. The project would consist of a single story building with a space at the roof level for mechanical equipment, 32 bedrooms, space for education, career and vocational instruction, treatment programming, indoor recreation, visitation, health services, and food service.
Elements of the site design included secure outdoor recreation yards, a perimeter road for vehicles (patrol, maintenance, emergency), surface parking with about 100 stalls at the south side for staff and visitors, truck loading area at the west side opposite from the main entrance and public part of the site, paved accessible walkways from the sidewalks on Clinton Ave. to the main building entrances for guests, and bike parking at the main and secondary entrances. The interior and exterior of the facility would incorporate light color, natural looking materials, and strategic minimal use of secure fencing to create the look of an educational environment. The outdoor recreational yards would allow the youths to engage in a variety of social and recreational activities: basketball courts, walking paths, and gardening spaces. The yards would be at the back of the facility to provide separation from the public areas for security and privacy purposes. There would be a continuous 16 feet perimeter wall, intermittent openings to provide limited views to the outside, and 6 feet decorative steel fencing along the property line. Many areas would have landscaping and green infrastructure (trees and vegetation) to soften the facility appearance and exceed the requirements of City ordinance. There would be a storm water basin at the south with plantings. All existing buildings, paving and other site features would be demolished prior to project construction, except the power line tower and poles at the south corner. The project would be contained within a triangular geometry (due to a number of restraints) with a 25-foot setback around the perimeter of the site. Retaining walls would be built to provide a flat slope for the site and storm water drainage.
The site would have one access point off the cul de sac on Clinton Ave. Traffic would be less than the traffic from the previous emissions testing center there. The facility would be a 24-hour operation. All guests would undergo security checks. Security access inside would be controlled at the public lobby. The secure perimeter road portion would be limited to maintenance patrol and emergency vehicles and controlled by motorized gates with intercom communication. There would be video monitoring of all areas of the site. Most of vehicular traffic would occur during staff shift changes (twice a day). Other traffic would be less frequent. Family visitation would occur at separate times for different groups of youth on a regular schedule and require visitation sign-up ahead of time. All visitors would have to be pre-approved and undergo background checks. Youth would never come and go from the facility on their own. Movement of youth to and from the facility would be infrequent and under escort. Admissions and discharges would occur only a few times per month, and stays would be longer term. Youth would only be able to leave the facility for medical appointments or court hearings while in custody. Several daily visits were anticipated for other problems such as volunteers for religious services and legal counsel. Delivery vehicles would occur once or twice a day for food, trash, and recycling purposes. All other deliveries for goods and services would be scheduled in advance with security checks. Necessary lighting throughout the site would be provided for safety and security including the parking lot and perimeter roads. Street lighting along Clinton Ave going out into 76th St. would be upgraded to increase lighting levels. There would be a monument sign at the site entrance identifying the facility and signage at the main entrance.
Members inquired about public access at the main entrance, staffing of the facility, academic opportunities in addition to gardening, resources and services offerings (mental health, career development, financial literacy), anticipated population size, selection of youths in light of max capacity, consideration for a larger facility in Milwaukee, project timeline, length of stay, reintegration of youths back to the community, and engagement and partnership with the local business community.
The DOC team replied. The roads at the cul de sac up to the main entrance would be publicly accessible where not fenced off. Employment transfer opportunities would be given to current staff at Lincoln Hills but was not anticipated to be great. There would be local hiring opportunity, which would help reflect the diversity that the youths would better relate to. A full academic course of study (equivalent to normal schooling) would be ongoing and offered at the new facility. The facility would be an evidence-based treatment facility offering mental health resources and vocational training. The population at the new facility would be significantly reduced from 300-400 to a maximum of 32. There would be placement criteria developed to determine who would benefit being housed at the new facility. Act 185 allowed for State funding and grants to build a secure residential care centers for children in Racine and Milwaukee County, and those facilities would help manage the overall population as well. Also, there was expansion of the Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center from 29 to 93 beds with 20 reserved for females. A larger facility in Milwaukee was not supported by their science, which called for smaller, more residential-typed facilities to better positively impact and change behaviors of youths. They were not aware of any other facilities embracing the treatment and residential philosophy that had more than 32 beds. Next steps in project timeline would include City Plan Commission review on 12/12/22, Zoning and Neighborhoods Development review on 1/10/23, and Common Council vote on 1/17/23. There was a contingent offer to purchased based on the local process to be followed by State Building Commission approval to purchase the property, a design phase, and approval to construct. Construction completion, building occupancy, and full operations would be anticipated in 2025. The average length of stay for youths is 8-10 months from intake to discharge and about 12 months for girls. The new facility would better re-integrate youths and engage/establish relationships with local businesses, service providers, schools, and partners to assist youths before they leave. Discharge planning would start with intake. A primary focus was to successfully transition/reintegrate youths and prevent recidivism.
Member Duckworth said that buy-in and interest from the local community and businesses at the frontend was important, that she and the community may be concerned with the visibility of the development and youths, and that there should be less visibility to protect the privacy of everyone including those of the youths.
The DOC team commented. They would establish partners with the local community and businesses in due time. They have and will continue to pay attention to and hold meetings with the local business community. Concerning privacy there would be no residences nearby. There would be little public visibility to the community. Those publically closest would be warehouses, vacant lots, a data center, and real estate office. The facility would be at the end of a dead end road with little traffic and would be secluded unless there was purposeful travel there.
Members further questioned the purpose of stays at the new facility whether stays were transitory for reintegration into the community or to serve out full sentences, other site considerations such as the Northridge Mall site and the House of Corrections,
The DOC team replied. The facility would be tend to be the first stop for youths ordered by the court to get treatment who then may transition to lesser residential treatment centers or the community. Part of the design concept for the new facility was to remove stigma and maintain privacy of the youths and their families. Entry to the youth portion would be separate from the main entry. The security wall around the facility would also be a privacy wall for the youths. The lack of physical security aspects was intentional to increase a sense of dignity and make the facility more inviting. As previously mentioned there were other juvenile detention installations being built out in Racine and Wauwatosa. It would the wrong message philosophically to have a juvenile facility next to an adult House of Corrections facility telling youths where they would likely end up.
Chair Hinton commented. The proposed site was tucked away with little to no residences around the site. Important to his decision making was the impact on property values in the community, aesthetic enhancement of the community, positive contribution to the community like adding tax base, improving access to resources, and ability to reduce incarcerated persons. The facility was a new type of model to combat the ineffectiveness of prisons. He would like to see the capacity at the new facility increase to impact more youths. He was in support.
Public testimony in support:
Sharlen Moore, founding director of Urban Underground, testified in support of a smaller facility, instead of large prisons, that would better and more effectively help provide alternative treatment options, reduce prisons, reduce recidivism, and provide better local community support and services to incarcerated youths.
Ann McCullough, Strategic Consultant with the Youth Justice Wisconsin Initiative, testified in support. The new facility was a part of the DOC to improve conditions and services to incarcerated youths. Perhaps there should be community forums every year for the community to address any concerns about the new facility once it became operational. The size of the new facility was appropriate. Based on her experience, the new facility would better serve youths and provide to them a continuum of care from the local community.
Wendy Volz-Daniels, Chair of Felmers Chaney Advocacy Board, testified in support. They had organized a disparate group, including the ACLU, who opposed new prisons but were in support of the new facility based on its smaller size and intentions, as proposed. A new facility was proposed at their Felmers Chaney Center, but they helped to find other sites including the chosen one on Clinton Ave.
Member Dodds, Jr. moved to support the project in moving foward. Motion prevailed on a 2-0-1 vote. (Ayes - Hinton, Dodds, Jr; Abstention - Hill, Duckworth; Excused - Dotson).
b. Neighborhood conditions and concerns
Chair Hinton inquired about issues raised by members regarding Bellagio Soul Food Restaurant at 8665 W. Brown Deer Rd. and dumping at the vacant Walgreens near the Northridge Mall site.
Vice-chair Hill said that the Granville BID were working to address those issues. The City was informed of issues at Bellagio, Bellagio was going to address them, the sign at the curb was going to be removed but has not yet, Bellagio's licenses were going up for renewal soon, and Bellagio would have to come before the committee to gain the committee's support to renew the licenses. The old Walgreens property would be cleaned soon but no date has been given yet.
c. Other
No other discussion. | | | |
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Not available
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