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| | 1. | | Call to order.
Minutes note: The meeting was called to order at 6:12 p.m. | | | |
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| | 2. | | Roll call.
Minutes note: Present 5 - Rath, Hinton, Dotson, Fisher, and Duckworth
Excused 2 - Lewis and Hill | | | |
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| | 3. | | Review and approval of the previous meeting minutes.
Minutes note: The meeting minutes from January 30, 2020 were approved without objection. | | | |
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| | 4. | | Discussion, updates, or review of Granville Development District RFPs, projects, programs, initiatives, events, or activities.
Minutes note: a. Opportunity Zones
David Misky, Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee (RACM), gave a PowerPoint overview presentation relative to RACM; tools for economic development; capital stack; local redevelopment financing tools; Opportunity Zone's (OZ) origin; Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZ); OZ capital gain deferral, reduction, and reinvestment into Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF); QOZ tax incentive benefits; OZ readily identifiable investment types; QOF; takeaways for real estate developers, municipalities, and investors; and further contact information or resources.
The federal program rewards investment in designated economically challenged communities by providing favorable treatment of the investor's capital gains taxes. The City of Milwaukee is an ideal location to maximize the benefits of Opportunity Zone investments. The Opportunity Zone program provides federal tax incentives to encourage investors to put their capital to work in low-income neighborhoods. It provides the following: a temporary tax deferral for capital gains reinvested in an Opportunity Fund, a step-up in basis for capital gains reinvested in an Opportunity Fund, and a permanent exclusion from taxable income of capital gains from the sale or exchange of an investment in a qualified opportunity zone fund, if the investment is held for at least 10 years. Real estate and businesses located within the Opportunity Zones in Milwaukee are eligible for investment.
The Granville Development District is in an Opportunity Zone. Investment in distressed neighborhoods has been challenging due to the return on investment (ROI) in these neighborhoods not being beneficial to investors. Foundations, which typically are not as concerned with ROI, are needed to support investors in distressed neighborhoods. The City has 12 Opportunity Zone projects, but only 2 have realized the funds. The program and fund process is a complex, long process. The program works only for some. Across the nation, only a few Opportunity Funds have been realized. Further information can be found online at https://city.milwaukee.gov/DCD/CityRealEstate/OpportunityZones#.XmJhEPR7kdU.
Further details of the PowerPoint presentation can be found within Common Council File Number 191568.
b. Milwaukee County parks and trails
Jessica Wineberg, Milwaukee County Parks Trails Coordinator, gave a PowerPoint presentation on trail types, the Oak Leaf Trail, signage, assets and opportunity, Kohl Park, current conditions, current trails, proposed trails, the Trails Network Plan, future goals, partnerships, and resources contact information.
Trail types include winter, water, hiking, mountain biking, and optimized trails. New mapping of parks and trails are being done. A goal is to eventually have the Menomonee Line and Zip Line of the Oak Leaf Trail to meet up. There are more than 700 arrow signs and 29 map kiosks currently on the trails. There is signage planning and coordination underway with the City for further signage wayfinding and destinations. Community outreach will be done. There are further park and trail assets and opportunities that the general public may not be aware of. More promotion of these unknown assets will be done. Kohl Park is an example and has been improved to have a hiking trail. There have been flooding issues with trails that are being addressed. A grant application has been made to extend the Oak Leaf Trail to Kohl Park, and results of the application will be known soon. Future goals include expanding the trails network plan, addressing equity issues and balance access across neighborhoods, reducing on-street miles, enhancing or making new signage, and protecting natural areas while providing public access. There are no funds in place yet for expanding trails. Community input, including from the advisory committee, is needed on finding ideal trail extensions.
There were inquiries regarding impact on animals, bike trails, and sponsorship opportunities.
Ms. Wineberg replied. Her office is proceeding with caution to have a hard balance between preserving natural habitat areas and providing more outdoor access for people. Some natural areas may not necessary be great habitats for animals due to pollution or railways in those areas. The trails are for multi-use and can have bikes on them. She will come back in the future to convey the results of the Oak Leaf Trail expansion application. There are sponsorship opportunities for signage. She is working on creating an adopt-a-trail program.
Further details of the PowerPoint presentation can be found within Common Council File Number 191568.
c. DCD Commercial Corridor grants
Terence Acquah, Department of City Development Commercial Corridor Team, gave an update. There is a prospective daycare at the strip mall where TruCannaBliss is located that is applying for a signage grant. There is a prospective lessee at the same strip mall planning to do wedding events. The Granville Connection will be starting construction soon with the hope to be open in time for the Democratic National Convention. Presently, all businesses at the Granville Connection strip, including the China Buffet, are closed. There is a new BP gas station being developed near the Granville Connection.
Members said that saturating the business strips with daycares and having a new BP gas station are desirable.
Members inquired for further daycare information, businesses having to come before the committee to get approval, update on Northridge, and getting notification or having the ability to provide input on businesses applying for licenses, zoning changes, and zoning exemptions.
Mr. Acquah further commented. Further information on daycares could be obtained from the business licensing or occupancy permit office. He will go back to tell the daycare business about the advisory committee's opposition. Private businesses and private property owners are entitled to operate or install operations as long as they meet existing legal regulations and parameters, such as existing zoning. If they need further approval on any aspect, they will have to get those approvals from the proper approval bodies or offices, such as the Licenses Division, Board of Zoning Appeals, or the Common Council. Perhaps the committee should invite these City departments to attend a future meeting to provide more information on processes, to explore how the committee can be a part of those processes, and to get notification. He is not aware of any new updates to the Northridge Mall site, and David Misky would be the contact to provide an update. The committee can acquire various notifications through the City's E-notification system.
Mr. Lee added that the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances details many processes and notification requirements for various business processes including licensing, zoning, zoning appeals, and occupancy permits.
d. Other
Harvey Goldstein, representing White Lotus Group, gave a new update to the Fletcher School site redevelopment project. There have been changes to the project, elevations, and site plan. The main school building will now only have one additional story added on top instead of multiple stories for apartment units. The site plan now includes a larger west side footprint that will contain about 60 rental town homes throughout. All housing units will be at mid-tier rental costs and are meant to be transitional housing.
Members had concerns with and questioned community outreach on the proposed project, homeownership opportunities, visibility of the project due to being hidden inside the neighborhood, equitable access to housing such as for single fathers with children, management company, and project timeline.
Mr. Goldstein responded. Scheduling a community meeting on the project will be done and is being coordinated with the local alderperson. There will be promotion done for the new development. There will be open and non-discriminatory access to housing. The management company is experienced. The financing requirements only allows for rental units. The project timeline entails approval of design by DIRT, street vacation process for 96th Street (60 days), rezoning of the site (60-90 days), and possible closing by July. WHEDA tax credits, if awarded, will be in April.
Chair Hinton said that there must be a cohesive ecosystem in the neighborhood before the project develops further, that community outreach should be done as soon as possible, that there should be a balance of low income housing and protection of homeownership, and for more information on the progress of the project as it goes through its timeline.
Member Duckworth moved to recommend that a community meeting be conducted as soon as possible concerning the project. Member Dotson seconded. There were no objections. | | | |
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| | 5. | | Discussion on vision and goals of the committee.
Minutes note: Concerning the district, members advocated for homeownership as opposed to oversaturation of rental property, opposing class segregation, providing pantries and other resources to assist starving and struggling families and children, more healthy places to eat, increasing public transportation, and adding more accessible recreational and play spaces, parks, facilities, and activities.
Further discussion was held for the next meeting. | | | |
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| | 6. | | Announcements.
Minutes note: There were no announcements. | | | |
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| | 7. | | Agenda items for the next meeting.
Minutes note: Agenda items to be determined. Possible items to include discussion with City offices on licensing, zoning, zoning appeals, public safety, and homeownership incentive programs both general and specific to the district. Other possible items to include an overview of the Social Development Commission, its operations, resources, and activities both broad and specific to the district; updates on the Fletcher school site project, County parks and trails, Granville Connection, and Northridge Mall site; and discussion with local homeowners associations. | | | |
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| | 8. | | Set next meeting date, time, and location.
Minutes note: To be determined offline for the end of March or in April and within the district preferably. Good Hope Library is a preferred venue option subject to its opening. | | | |
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| | 9. | | Adjournment.
Minutes note: Meeting adjourned at 7:48 p.m.
Chris Lee, Staff Assistant
Council Records Section
City Clerk's Office | | | |
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