The Mayor’s office and by extension the city, always puts out its bad news on Friday. And the later in the day, the better. That’s the way they try to bury news they don’t want people to pay attention to. So, Edgewater antics were in full swing last Friday as well as the CDA. So, I decided to just make it Monday news, when people are paying attention.
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PREVENTED FROM VOTING ON EDGEWATER ZONING ORDINANCE
Even tho they were asked to give input on the Zoning Code Rewrite and allowed to discuss it here, here and here. The Zoning Code Rewrite obviously covers all the issues they deal with and every case that comes before them. Seems odd that when one issue was plucked from the larger re-write for one particular situation, now they are not being allowed to comment give their input to the Council, even tho it was requested by council members. Here’s the memo from Michael May. I don’t think anyone was surprised by it. There was that little scene where Clear wondered aloud if this was ok and May said he’d have to think about it. (Read, try to figure out how to prevent them from discussing this.) This was sent:
Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 1:39 PM
ZONING CODE RE-WRITE COMMITTEE PREVENTED FROM VOTING ON EDGEWATER ZONING ORDINANCE
This one, was a much bigger surprise. Um, the committee doing the zoning code rewrite, who did not recommend this change, is not allowed to comment. Even tho Mark Clear has claimed this is just an issue that was going to be changed with the re-write and it was already discussed. If it was already discussed, what’s the big deal, why all the maneuvers to prevent them from looking at it? Here’s the email:
From: Roll, Rick
Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 2:58 PMSubject: Zoning Code Rewrite Advisory Committee Meeting – Cancellation of the January 26th, 2010 Meeting
Hello,
Based on advice of the City Attorney and in consultation with the chair of the Zoning Code Rewrite Advisory Committee, the Zoning Code Rewrite Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 26th at 5:00 p.m. at the Madison Senior Center has been cancelled. Please refer to the attached memorandum for more information. If you have questions please feel free to contact me.Thank you,
Rick Roll, AICP
Senior Planner
And here is the attached memo.
SOUTHSIDE LANDLORDS GET FINAL OFFER FOR THE CDA TO “STEAL” THEIR PROPERTY, WEDNESDAY DEADLINE
When we buy land in Cherokee Marsh from developer, we are willing to pay 10% above the appraised value. When we buy land from Southside landlords in a poor neighborhood, they get a “low ball” offer. Here’s what the State Journal is (Friday) reporting.
But some landlords are still unhappy, saying offers remain $181,600 short of the combined $2.3 million assessed value of the properties for 2009.
If they made the decision more than a week ago, why is it first coming out now . . . on bad news Friday. Must mean the city considers it bad news. This is why . . .
the CDA may put 4 minority landlords out of business and:
The CDA, which is handling the redevelopment, intends to acquire the properties through purchase or condemnation and has already awarded a project contract to Horizon Development Group.
Sounds like condemnation is going to have to happen. Check out how low the offers were originally.
The city first offered Lucille $480,000 for his properties, $273,600 less than the assessed value of $753,600. He got an independent appraisal showing the properties were worth more than that, and the city increased its offer to $648,000 and now to $688,000 — still $65,000 below the assessed value.
The city increased offers to landlords David Hammonds and Nedra Bobo, but an offer to Lue Thao stayed the same. Hammonds is $62,000 short of assessed value, Bobo $28,000 short, and Thao a total $26,000 short for two buildings.
Something just seems fishy here.
