Edgewater Round Up

Here’s some of the stuff that has come flying out in the past couple days.

DOCUMENTS
TIF Staff Report
Engineers Report
Public Access Agreement
Mansion Hill Steering Committee Report
Staff Power Point Presentation from the TIF Briefing for Council
TID Analysis, When will it close scenarios?

IF YOU GO TONIGHT
The meeting is in room 201 of the City County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd and starts at 6:30. Three of the items are public hearing items and public hearings start at 6:45.

There’s a summary of the items on the agenda here. The shorter story is that there are 5 items to vote on tonight.
– #3 The Land Use/PUD – 5 minutes to speak, needs 15 votes
– #4 Ignore, its the old appeal of the Landmarks issue
– #5 The Conditional Use – 5 minutes to speak, needs 14 votes to overturn Plan Commmission approval.
– #6 The Landmarks Appeal – 5 minutes to speak, needs 14 votes to overturn Landmarks rejection
– #22 The TIF – 3 minutes to speak
– #64 Changes to 1965 Ordinance – 3 minutes to speak

When you get there, you will see many, many forms.
blue = wish to speak
pink = do not wish to speak
tan = available to answer questions
green = you need to speak early due to health, transportation or childcare issues

The forms won’t be out until 6:00, there is a council rule that requires that. There is also no time limit as to when you have to have them in, as long as you get them in before they finish public testimony.

Fill out the appropriate form then stand around, the chairs will likely all be taken! The will likely need overflow sound and video for tonight, but they likely won’t have it, so you may be stuck in the hallway.

Rumor has it, they are going to limit testimony on all items to 5 minutes. Expect a debate about that if they try and more whining about how they don’t want to hear from the public.

PROGRESSIVE DANE CHINES IN
They think the TIF deal stinks.

CAP TIMES THINKS IT STINKS
Economically and civicly. Good, its about time they don’t take the Mayor’s side on everything. I particularly care about the second portion. They feel so strongly they editorialized twice.

LUKAS THINKS IT STINKS
He focuses on the TIF too.

WSJ OF COURSE, CAN’T BE BOTHERED BY THE DETAILS
They just want it. Laws and policies and finances be damned.

ERIK POULSON PREDICTS WHAT WILL HAPPEN
He’s probably pretty dead on in his predictions, I disagree here and there, but not much.

HOTELIERS QUESTION THE NUMBERS
Glad they covered this.

SCONZ REPORTS ON MEETING THAT HE LEFT
He left after a hour and a half hour, I hope he watched the rest of it at home. Attending 1/3 of a meeting and reporting on it is for the television media, not a blogger! However, he does get cred for bringing up this issue.
[Note: I made an error, thanks to the Sconz for keeping me honest! And my apologies to Nick as well.]

KUDOS TO CITY CHANNEL
This story kind of cracked me up – was there a grand conspiracy, or is everyone just tired and used up?

WHO’S DOCUMENTS ARE BEST
This part of the debate is driving me crazy, you can’t even tell what information is right and what is just smoke and mirrors.

HOLY PAID LOBBYISTS!
More than one alder, in fact, more than two, in fact, more than three have mentioned to me that there is an overwhelming number of emails coming in to their inboxes supporting the Edgewater . . . and many of them are coming from Cogdell Spencer Erdman, Stark and Hausman Insurance and their all coming form their work emails . . . so if they are being paid to lobby the council on their work time, are they lobbyists? And what interests do these companies have in the project? What are they getting out of it?

Here’s the email alert that went out at least to some . . .

From: Judy Alberts [mailto:judy@theedgewater.com]
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 12:34 PM
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Subject: I need your help quickly, please…
Importance: High

Hello all….

I wouldn’t normally ask you for this….but it is DOWN TO THE WIRE FOR THE EDGEWATER REDEVELOPMENT project….tomorrow, on my birthday, the City Alders will decide if the project will happen. The Edgewater is an icon in the community and my livelihood. You have been a friend or colleague in my past, and I just please ask you to consider writing a quick email note in favor of the project to the alders at the email address below. There are many reasons as to why I believe the expansion would be so great but the reason that is most important to me is because I need our hotel to be wheelchair accessible to the lake!

I was just informed that only 64 people have sent emails in support of the project and 49 against to the alders. Can you please help?

Anything you can do to get people to act and register in support with the alders would be very much appreciated. We need people to contact the alders today!

Thanks for your help.

allalders@cityofmadison.com

Yours in Hospitality,

Judy Alberts
Director of Marketing
The Edgewater

But people working in the companies got the emails from their bosses asking them to send them in . . . do those companies then have to register as lobbyists if they have an interest in the project and are getting paid? Who’s going to sell the condos, who’s doing the design work, who do they purchase their insurance from, etc etc etc.

This is the boilerplate language that is being sent in:

Dear Alders –
It was with great excitement that I support the proposed Edgewater redevelopment by the Hammes Company. Edgewater has always been known as the premier hotel in Madison. Restoring it to its former glory will make a significant contribution to the vitality of Downtown Madison and will be a terrific asset to both the City of Madison and the University of Wisconsin.
I strongly urge you to support this wonderful project and grant the Hammes Company approval on Tuesday.
Other key comments:

* I look forward to the enhanced access to Lake Mendota and the public open spaces which the development will provide. Right now to gain access to the lake, I must experience James Madison Park (where there are virtually no amenities available) or embrace all the students at the Memorial Union.
* This has been a long, exhaustive and contentious process. I fear that if this project is not approved that it will discourage other developers from bringing projects forward in the City of Madison.
* This project will generate more than 700 construction jobs, and over 200 hotel jobs when unemployment is at an all time high.
* I support the developers plans to protect and enhance the architectural history of the deteriorating 1940’s building.
* This project will generate additional tax revenues for the city from out of town guests by attracting business, convention, leisure, and University tourists to Madison.
* The Hammes Company ensures a clear vision for the Edgewater, at what I feel is the right time, with the right developer.