Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District_South Bluff Street Subarea_InitiateMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Dubuque
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2007
SUBJECT: Resolution of Necessity for an Amended and Restated Urban Renewal
Plan for the Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District
DATE: January 11, 2011
Economic Director David Heiar is recommending a Resolution of Necessity that: 1) finds
that the amendment of the Urban Renewal Plan for the Greater Downtown Urban
Renewal District is both necessary and appropriate; and 2) set a public hearing on the
proposed amendment for March 7, 2011.
The proposed amendment of this district would expand the district to include the South
Bluff Street Subarea.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
MCVM:Iw
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
David Heiar, Economic Development Director
MioIIael C. Van Milligen
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
DATE: January 11, 2011
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: David J. Heiar, Economic Development Directo
Dubuque
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All- AmeicaIX
2007
SUBJECT: Resolution of Necessity for an Amended and Restated Urban
Renewal Plan for the Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District
Introduction
This memorandum presents for City Council consideration a Resolution of Necessity
that: 1) finds that the amendment of the Urban Renewal Plan for the Greater
Downtown Urban Renewal District is both necessary and appropriate; and 2) sets a
public hearing on the proposed amendment for March 7, 2011.
The proposed amendment of this district would expand the district to include the South
Bluff Street Subarea (See Attached Map).
Background
The Downtown Dubuque Urban Renewal District was originally established in 1967. It
has been amended and restated on several occasions over the years to expand the
boundaries to include the Old Main area, the Iowa Inn property, Dubuque Museum of
Art, Historic Federal Building, Locust Street Parking Ramp, the Carnegie -Stout Public
Library, the South Main area, the Warehouse District, the South Port area, the Cable
Car area and the Bluff Street area. On April 19 2004, the Downtown Dubuque Urban
Renewal was merged with the Ice Harbor Urban Renewal District. By combining the
two districts, both public and private development efforts have benefited from greater
flexibility in the use of tax increment financing in the larger district.
Before a municipality can exercise the authority conferred by Chapter 403 "Urban
Renewal" of the Iowa Code, a Resolution of Necessity must be adopted finding that the
area being considered for urban renewal district designation is either a slum, blighted or
economic development area and that the rehabilitation, conservation, redevelopment,
development, or a combination thereof, of the area is necessary in the interest of the
public health, safety or welfare of the residents of the city.
The Iowa Code defines a blighted area as, "an area of a municipality within which the
local governing body of the municipality determines that the presence of a substantial
number of slum, deteriorated, or deteriorating structures; defective or inadequate street
layout; faulty lot layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility, or usefulness;
unsanitary or unsafe conditions; deterioration of site or other improvements; diversity of
ownership, tax or special assessment delinquency exceeding the fair value of the land;
defective or unusual conditions of title; or the existence of conditions which endanger
life or property by fire and other causes; or any combination of these factors;
substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of a municipality, retards the provision
of housing accommodations, or constitutes an economic or social liability and is a
menace to the public health, safety, or welfare in its present condition and use ". An
economic development area is defined as, "an area of a municipality designated by the
local governing body as appropriate for commercial and industrial enterprises or
housing and residential development for low and moderate income families, including
single or multifamily housing." The Bluff Street Subarea will be designated as a
blighted area.
Discussion
The amendment to the Urban Renewal Plan will expand the district to include the South
Bluff Street area. This amendment will give this area access to the tools and incentives
available to urban renewal district properties, including tax increment financing, the
Downtown Rehabilitation Loan Program, and the Housing Incentive Program.
The attached Resolution directs staff to prepare an Amended and Restated Urban
Renewal Plan and to forward the Plan to the Long Range Planning Commission for
their review and comment. This is required by Chapter 403 along with a consultation
process that involves all affected taxing entities. Those taxing entities, the County,
School Board and community college, have an opportunity to comment on the
proposed Plan prior to the required public hearing on the Urban Renewal Plan, but they
cannot block adoption of the plan. This expansion will encourage continued investment
within the downtown area.
A City Council public hearing on the amended and restated Urban Renewal Plan will be
scheduled for March 7, 2011. The public notice will be published four to twenty days
before the meeting to allow for the appropriate publication requirements. This will allow
time for preparation of the plan, review and comment period by the Long Range
Planning Commission and the consultation process with the taxing entities.
Recommendation
I recommend the City Council adopt the attached Resolution of Necessity that begins
the process of amending the Urban Renewal Plan for the Greater Downtown Urban
Renewal District to expand the district to include the Bluff Street Subarea.
The amendment will provide additional tools to encourage reinvestment and
redevelopment activities throughout the District and will support the revitalization within
the area.
Action Step
The action step for the City Council is to adopt the Resolution of Necessity attached to
this memorandum.
F: \USERS \Eton Dev \Urban Renewal \Greater Downtown UR District\2011.1 Amendment\20110111 Necessary Memo.doc
RESOLUTION NO. 21 -11
A RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY FINDING THAT CERTAIN AREAS
ADJACENT TO THE GREATER DOWNTOWN URBAN RENEWAL DISTRICT
MEET THE DEFINITION OF A BLIGHTED AREA UNDER THE URBAN
RENEWAL LAW, AND THAT DEVELOPMENT OF SAID AREAS IS
NECESSARY IN THE INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF
DUBUQUE, IOWA.
Whereas, the City Council of the City of Dubuque has heretofore, by Resolution
No. 269 -10 adopted on July 19, 2010, approved the Amended and Restated Urban
Renewal Plan for the Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District (a merger of the
Downtown Dubuque and Ice Harbor Urban Renewal Districts) (the "District ") in order to
provide redevelopment opportunities which will further the purposes and objectives of
the foregoing Urban Renewal Plan; and
Whereas, the City Council has found that certain areas adjacent to the District
meet the definition of a blighted area as found in Chapter 403 "Urban Renewal" of the
Iowa Code; and
Whereas, Chapter 403 of the Iowa Code requires that before urban renewal
authority may be exercised, a City Council must adopt a resolution of necessity finding
that the area in question is a slum, blighted or economic development area, and that so
designating such area is necessary in the interest of the public health, safety or welfare
of the residents of the municipality.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. That the following generally described area, which is proposed to be
added to the Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District, is a blighted area as defined
by Chapter 403 of the Iowa Code and is appropriate for an urban renewal project, to
wit:
South Bluff Street Subarea
Commencing as a point of reference at the intersection of the centerlines
of Emmett Street and Bluff Street in the City of Dubuque, Dubuque
County, Iowa, said point being the point of beginning; thence
southeasterly along the centerline of Bluff Street to a point of intersection
with the centerline W. First Street; thence southwesterly along the
centerline W. First Street to the centerline of Bluff Street; thence
southwesterly along the centerline of Bluff Street to a point of intersection
with the centerline Dodge Street; thence southwesterly along the
centerline Dodge Street to a point of intersection with the easterly line of
Lot 3 of City Lot 694 extended southeasterly; thence northwesterly along
the easterly line of said Lot 3 of City Lot 694 and Lot 1 -1 and 2 -1 of City
Lot 694 to the southwest corner of Lot 1 -2 of City Lot 694; thence
northeasterly along said southerly line of said Lot 1 -2 of City Lot 694 to
the southeast corner of said Lot; thence northwesterly along said easterly
line of Lot 1 -2 of City Lot 694 to a point of intersection with the southerly
line of Lot 12 of Saint Raphael's Addition; thence northeasterly along said
southerly line of said Lot 12 and extension thereof to the centerline of St.
Mary's Street; thence northwesterly along the centerline of St. Mary's
Street to a point of intersection with the centerline of Emmett St.; thence
northeasterly along the centerline of Emmett St. to centerline of Bluff
Street, said point being point of beginning.
Section 2. That the development of the above - described expansion area is
necessary and appropriate to facilitate the proper growth and development of the
community in accordance with sound planning and local community objectives.
Section 3. That the City Manager is authorized and directed to prepare an
Amended and Restated Urban Renewal Plan for the Greater Downtown Urban Renewal
District for the purpose of including the above - described areas in the District, to forward
said amendment to the City's Long Range Planning Commission for review and
comment, and to begin the consultation process required by law with affected taxing
entities.
Section 4. That the City Clerk is directed to publish notice of a public hearing on
the adoption of the proposed Amended and Restated Urban Renewal Plan for the
Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District to be held on March 7, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in
the Historic Federal Building, 350 West 6th Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001 and that said
notice shall generally identify the areas covered by the Amended and Restated Plan,
the areas proposed to be added to the District, and the general scope of the urban
renewal activities planned for such areas, and that said notice shall be published and
available to the public not less than four days nor more than twenty days before the
date of said meeting. A copy of the notice of public hearing shall be sent by ordinary
mail to the affected taxing entities.
Section 5. That the City Clerk is further directed to send by ordinary mail a copy
of said Plan and notice of public hearing to the Dubuque Community School District, the
County Board of Supervisors and the Northeast Iowa Community College, as the
affected taxing entities.
ATT - ST:
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 18 day of Janu -ry, 2011.
anne F. Schneider, City Clerk
Roy D. Buol, Mayor
F: \USERS \Econ Dev \Urban Renewal \Greater Downtown UR District\2011.1 Amendment\20110118 Necessary Resolution.doc
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Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District
Version 2011.1
" Attachment A
/1 inch = 900 feet
District Subareas
Bluff Street Subarea
Cable Car Subarea
Ice Harbor Subarea A
Ice Harbor Subarea B
Ice Harbor Subarea C
Old Main Subarea
South Bluff Subarea
South Main Subarea
South Port Subarea
Town Clock Subarea
Upper Main Subarea
Warehouse Subarea
A