This is all I have for today, I got up late and thought I could work on it at work, but 20 minutes in, I can see that isn’t going to happen . . .
EDGEWATER
This article has several interesting points about the Edgewater appeal on Tuesday.
– Schumacher and Palm will be absent, meaning if 5 people don’t vote for the project, it won’t pass.
– Amy Supple seems to be saying they are going to argue the merits of the whole project (jobs), not speaking to the Landmark’s Ordinance (visually related area, hardship, etc. I’m working on a post for tomorrow that outlines what the legal issues are and what the council has to vote on.)
– Cnare says her district doesn’t really support the project, in contrast with the claims that the farther you get from the project, the more support there is.
– If Labor doesn’t settle with Hammes, they won’t show up in support on Tuesday.
Here’s another blogger speaking in support of the neighborhood. One against. Another opinion.
Dunn apparently hasn’t read the appeal ordinance. He says this about the ordinance:
When the City Council on Tuesday weighs whether to overturn a decision that blocks the $93 million Edgewater hotel redevelopment, it won’t be hamstrung by the narrow rules considered this week by the city’s Landmarks Commission, officials said.
In appealing the commission vote that the redevelopment fails a key compatibility test with surrounding buildings and environment — one of the first tests for the project – Robert Dunn, president of the Hammes Co., said the council should look at a host of advantages the project offers rather than the limited criteria the commission had to use in refusing a certificate of appropriateness for the project.
This, of course, ignores the language of the ordinance.
After a public hearing, the Council may, by favorable vote of
two-thirds (2/3) of its members, based on the standards contained in this ordinance, reverse or modify the decision of the Landmarks Commission if, after balancing the interest of the public in preserving the subject property and the interest of the owner in using it for his or her own purposes, the Council finds that, owing to special conditions pertaining to the specific piece of property, failure to grant the Certificate of Appropriateness will preclude any and all reasonable use of the property and/or will cause serious hardship for the owner, provided that any self-created hardship shall not be a basis for reversal or modification of the Landmark Commission’s decision.
PEOPLE’S HOUSING VISION
Please join us for our next People’s Housing Vision meeting at 5:30 p.m. on December 14 at the Central Library. We’ll be in one of the 2nd floor meeting rooms. At our last meeting, our discussion focused on the following:
* Proposals before the City Housing Committee to increase enforcement of Chapter 32 (Landlord/Tenant) of the Madison General Ordinances.
* The need for more quality case management services (obvious, right?), and what quality case management is and how such a definition can be incorporated in future case management funding requests;
* Establishing a security deposit loan program to help low income folks access quality housing and build their credit;
* The practice of public accommodations (like businesses on State St.) requiring a purchase for use of their restroom and how such a policy, besides being hostile to low income and homeless folks, appears to violate State law;
* The need for increased fair housing protection for people with service animals and/or emotional support animals and methods for accomplishing such protection; and
* The need for an expandable overflow shelter and how we can reach out to local shelter staff to assist in this effort.At this meeting, we plan to touch on some of the things we didn’t get to last time (e.g., New York’s tenant interim lease-apartment purchase program), get an update on legislative developments at the State level, and give ourselves some deadlines for drafting, publishing and taking action on the Vision.
This is hard work because there is such a great need and so much to do, but we’re making progress.
Let’s keep at it!
TALK ABOUT SHOOTING YOURSELF IN THE FOOT
Um, 21 layoffs?! Make me wonder who is teaching the labor unions how to negotiate. First Edgewater labor groups are way out front and spending money to support a project before they have an agreement, now the Sheriff’s pushed just a little too hard and may have a big sacrifice to pay.
ON-LINE AUCTION EXTENDED
Flash! Bidding has been extended to Monday, December 7 at 9pm CST!
On-Line Auction to Promote Sustainability Statewide and these Community Causes:
WYOU Community Access TV, Dane County TimeBank, Community Groundworks at Troy Gardens
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS FOOD DRIVE
From Jim at Cork & Bottle:
Gretchen, from the yoga co-op, proposed collecting non-perishable food items for the Goodman Food Pantry on Atwood Avenue. This would be a nice gesture
by our little business community. Anybody who would like to participate in
this food drive should contact me at the liquor store. Gretchen has said
that she would be willing to pick up any collected items weekly to drop off
at the pantry. I assume that we will continue to collect items until the end
of the year. Thanks, in advance, to all who participate.
