This is the list of things Brad Murphy explained were necessary for approval of the Edgewater Building. This is one part of a several part post that starts here.
PROJECT REVIEW PROCESS [Notes in pink/purple are mine]
Brad Murphy, the Secretary of the Plan Commission and head of the Planning Unit for the City of Madison introduced Rebecca Cnare, the acting Preservation Planner for the City of Madison and Matt Tucker the Zoning Administrator. He explained that all the review process have standards by which they make decisions and explained there is document with there requirements on the planning website.
Murphy explained the approvals needed for the project and provided a handout. Here is the information from that handout and his presentation:
1. Certificate of Appropriateness required using the standards in the Mansion Hill Historic district outlined in MGO 33.19(10). Murphy explained that the certificate of appropriateness is determined by the Landmarks Commission and without it, the project cannot move forward. He said that the decision could be appealed to the Common Council. The next meeting of the Landmarks Commission is September 14th at 4:45. [They had to move the location of the meeting because the room was too small and they moved it to another room that was still too small, so you will want to check the location of the meeting.]
2. Planned Unit Development (PUD) Zoning Map requires the property to be rezoned from OR (Office Residential District) and R6H (residential histuoric district) to a PUD which needs both a General Development Plan (GDP) and Specific Implementation Plan (SIP). He showed a map with the zoning for the area. The standards for a zoning map amendment (MGO 28.12(1)) and PUD (MGO 28.07(6))are important to look at and in the previously mentioned document. It needs to be reviewed by the Urban Design Commission (scheduled to meet September 2, 16 and October 7), the Plan Commission (October 19) and the Common Council on November 3. [That might change if the project is delayed at any point or if the Certificate of Appropriateness needs to be appealed.]
3. Conditional Use Permit for Waterfront Development. Murphy explained that they would look at the setbacks of 5 properties to the left and right of the development to determine the setback required for development on that property. The standards for Waterfront Development are found in MGO 28.04(19). That number still needs to be calculated by staff. A conditional use would be considered with the zoning decision currently scheduled for the Plan Commission on October 19. That meetings starts at 5:30 and is in Council Chambers (Room 201 City County Building). This is a final decision made by the Plan Commission but may be appealed to the Common Council.
4. After the Waterfront Development calculations are done, the may require a Variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals. The hand out says this is a likely requirement. An application has not yet been submitted for this, so there is no date set. This is also a decision made solely by the Zoning Board of Appeals and I believe can also be appealed to the Common Council.
5. Conditional Use Permit for Encroachments Above the Capital View Preservation Height Limit.
This approval is needed because the mechanicals for the building and the elevator are above the Capital View limit. That state and local law is not in the handout. This conditional use would also be considered by the Plan Commission on October 19.
6. Amendment of the 1965 Ordinance Vacating the End of Wisconsin Avenue. This allows the City to vacate the street and offer to sell it to the two property owners on each side of the Hotel and then Landmark X/Hammes will need to purchase the property from each of those entities (Korb and National Guardian Life). This ordinance will be considered with the Zoning and Conditional Uses which is all scheduled for the Plan Commission on October 19 and the Council on November 3.
7. Encroachment Agreement (Approved by Privilege in Streets Committee) and/or Lease for Private Improvements Located in the Wisconsin Avenue Public Right of Way/Change of Street Grade for Wisconsin Avenue (Common Council Approval). This is needed for the structured parking and the access to the hotel. Wisconsin Avenue will need to be regraded.
8. Tax Incremental Financing Development Agreement. Board of Estimates and the Common Council would approve this. [It will also be considered in the 2010 budget which is currently in the budget for $6M in the Planning Department and I didn’t see it on the Engineering side, but I will need to look at that closer.]
9. Tax Incremental District Boundary Amendment. (Common Council Approval) There also needs to be an amendment to the TIF district since the project is currently not in the TIF district. [I think they have until September of next year to get that approval, but the City has to start working on it much earlier as it needs approval from the Joint Board of Review and the State.]
10. Development Agreement Related to all Improvements Within the Public Right-of-Way (Common Council Approval)
11. Management Agreement for Wisconsin Avenue Right-of-Way and Existing Easements regarding the waterfront and rooftop.
