From: Douglas Hagerman Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2016 8:54 PM To: Lee, Chris; Marcoux, Rocky; Mayor Tom Barrett; Bauman, Robert; Mary Dettmann Subject: Letter to Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee re 1550 N. Prospect Ave. Attachments: Hagerman letter to ZND Committee.docx Douglas and Jane Tadych Hagerman 1522 North Prospect Ave, Unit 1803 Milwaukee, WI 53202 Honorable Members of the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee By email c/o Chris Lee Dear Members of the Committee, We are writing to express our concerns regarding the proposed change in zoning to the new Detailed Planned Development for a multi-family development at 1550 North Prospect Avenue. We respectfully request that you reject the proposed change. It is particularly distressing that City of Milwaukee is considering a proposal that is clearly contrary to the very purpose of its own zoning ordinance. As citizens, we trust our representatives to act in the best interest of the general welfare. We rely on you, who have expertise and experience, to make judgments backed up by evidence and in accordance with your ordinances. You are pledged to “Maintain safe pedestrian and vehicular circulation…prevent and control erosion, sedimentation, and other pollution…enhance the streetscape and pedestrian environment…maintain a compatible scale of development…and encourage reinvestment in established urban neighborhoods while protecting their unique characteristics…” (Milwaukee Zoning Code of Ordinances, section 295-103). Let’s consider how those pledges play out in the proposed development: * “Maintain safe pedestrian and vehicular circulation”: As you will recall, Prospect Avenue is one-way and is the main thoroughfare leading north out of downtown. There is a parking lane on each side of the street, a bike lane and two lanes of traffic. This is a major route for emergency personnel. We understand that due to the very heavy traffic and the lack of another route to the north shore, the City of Milwaukee has postponed the long overdue complete road repair of Prospect Avenue. The proposed development at 1550 will cause massive traffic snarls during construction. During the 20-month process, all materials, heavy equipment, trucking and workers will access the site from Prospect Avenue. Parking for this equipment will be on the street, possibly causing the loss of a lane of traffic. After construction is completed, every semi moving truck for this rental property, every delivery truck larger than a panel van, every guest over the two provided for with parking spots, will have nowhere to park. In addition, since there is no turn around on the property, pedestrians and bicyclists will be at risk from vehicles backing out on to Prospect Avenue. To date, there has been no study of the effect of this proposed construction on the traffic and parking on Prospect Avenue. We encourage you to require such studies, particularly in light of the fact that the streetcar extension will occupy one lane of Prospect Avenue in the near future. * “prevent and control erosion, sedimentation and other pollution”: The proposed construction will require significant alteration of the location and shape of the lakeside bluff with almost half of the building extending past the current crest of the bluff. The foot of the east edge of the building would be over 30 vertical feet below the top grade. That bluff is part of our city’s heritage and is about to be drastically altered with no geological or engineering studies to show that the massive and heavy proposed construction is safe in itself or for neighboring properties. There is also no erosion plan for the bluff. As you know, other properties on the bluff have had to engage in costly and unsightly bluff remediation projects. Wouldn’t it be wiser to require the studies before construction begins and the damage is done? This is a risky situation and it seems that your own good judgment would urge you to require studies and expert reports from the developer and adequate time to consider the reports once you receive them. We would also ask you to consider the issues of pollution from noise, light and vehicle exhaust fumes from the five stories of parking garage that will be exiting the building very near to 1522’s residential units. * “enhance the streetscape and pedestrian environment”: This building will dwarf all surrounding construction and loom over the streetscape. It will diminish the pleasant outlook rather than enhance it. Having the Goll Mansion crammed up against the street will not add to the streetscape experience. In addition, pedestrian traffic will be at risk from the back-out traffic leaving the 1550 site. * “maintain a compatible scale of development”: The City’s zoning standards suggest 112,000 square feet is the appropriate sized building for this lot. This proposal is over 360,000 square feet. The side setbacks are 3.5 feet for a 28 story building. If you look at the renderings, it is obvious that the proposed construction will stick out like a sore thumb. This is not an appropriate development for a modest .64 acre lot much of which is occupied by the mansion or is steep bluff. Please stick by your standards and limit development to 112,000 square feet. * “encourage reinvestment in established urban neighborhoods while protecting their unique characteristics”: Until now, all of the investors in this Prospect Avenue neighborhood have respected the unique characteristics of the neighborhood. These investors are the owners of the numerous historically-designated properties, the owners and tenants of the more size- appropriate rental buildings, and the owners in the various condominium developments. There are millions of dollars of investment money already in play with the existing developments. This reflects in a tax base for the city. 1522 alone pays $1.25 million annually in property taxes. It is appropriate to respect the investment of all of these citizens who have relied on the implicit promise of the City to obey its own ordinances. It is disrespectful to our neighborhood to allow traffic disasters, a claustrophobic streetscape and possible damage to the bluff and all of our neighboring properties (without any studies and without requiring adequate insurance by the developer) inasmuch as this proposed development runs afoul of the City’s ordinances. Therefore, we respectfully request that you fulfill your responsibilities to City residents and taxpayers by rejecting this proposed change in zoning for the new Detailed Planned Development for a multi-family residential development at 1550 North Prospect Avenue. Sincerely, Douglas and Jane Tadych Hagerman cc via email: Department of City Development Commissioner Rocky Marcoux Alderman Robert Bauman Mayor Tom Barrett Mary Ertl Dettmann