Urban Renewal Dis - DowntownMEMORANDUM
January 16, 2002
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Resolution of Necessity for an Amended and Restated Urban Renewal
Plan for the Downtown Dubuque Urban Renewal District
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 and the Dubuque
Museum of Art. Economic Development Director Bill Baum is recommending expansion
of the district to assist the rehabilitation of the former Walsh Store property by Heartland
Financial Services, and establishment of a public headng for April 1, 2002, to consider
the amended and restated Urban Renewal Plan. The proposed amendment would
extend the boundaries northward to 14th Street, with the same east-west boundaries as
the existing district, being Central Avenue on the east, and Locust Street on the west.
This expansion also includes the properties between the Walsh Building and the
existing boundary along 9th Street, which will support the efforts of the Vision Downtown
Plan to provide incentives for reinvestment and new housing opportunities in the
downtown area. Private development in the district would have access to the Tax
Increment Financing-supported Downtown Rehabilitation Loan Program that offers a
deferred Iow-interest rate and incentives for new jobs and housing.
concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
MCVM/jh
Attachment
CC:
Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
William Baum, Economic Development Director
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
Januaw 11, 2002
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
William Baum, Economic Development Director
Resolution of Necessity for an Amended and Restated Urban
Renewal Plan for the Downtown Dubuque 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 Downtown
Dubuque Urban Renewal District is both necessary and appropriate; and 2) sets a
public hearing on the proposed amendment for April 1, 2002.
The proposed expansion of this district would extend the boundaries of the district to
include much of the Vision Downtown study area (see attached map). The proposed
expansion will also provide redevelopment tools to assist the proposed rehabilitation of
the former Walsh Store that has been proposed by Heartland Financial USA.
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 and the Dubuque
Museum of Art.
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 Iow and moderate income families, including
single or multifamily housing." The expansion area will be designated as an economic
development area. See attached map.
Discussion
The expansion of the District is proposed, in part, to assist the rehabilitation of the
former Walsh Store property by Heartland Financial USA. The proposed amendment
would extend the boundaries northward to 14th Street to include that property. Inclusion
in the District will allow the Walsh Store rehabilitation project to access the tools and
incentives available to urban renewal district properties, including tax increment
financing and the Downtown Rehabilitation Loan Program.
The expansion area also supports the efforts of the Vision Downtown plan to provide
incentives for reinvestment and new housing opportunities in the downtown area.
Private development in the District would have access to the TIF-supported Downtown
Rehabilitation Loan Program that offers a deferred Iow-interest rate and incentives for
new jobs and housing.
The attached Resolution directs staff to prepare an amended and restated Urban
Renewal Plan and to forward the amendment 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 amendment prior to the requi, red public hearing on the urban renewal plan,
but they cannot block adoption of the plan.
City Council public hearing on the amended and restated Urban Renewal Plan will be
scheduled for April 1, 2002. 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 Downtown Dubuque Urban
Renewal District to expand the boundaries ofthe District. The amendment will provide
additional tools to encourage reinvestment and redevelopment activities throughout the
District and will support, specifically, the proposed former Walsh Store rehabilitation
and reuse project and, more generally, the overall Vision Downtown efforts.
Action Step
The action step for the City Council is to adopt the Resolution of Necessity attached to
this memorandum.
attachments
Prepared by: Pamela Myhre
Economic Development Planner
F:\USERS\Pmyhre\WPDOCS\U R\DOWNTOWN\Necrnemo02.dwn.doc
MAP 1
Expansion of
Downtown
Urban Renewal
District
RESOLUTION NO. 30-02
A RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY FINDING THAT THE EXPANSION OF THE
DOWNTOWN DUBUQUE URBAN RENEWAL DISTRICT IS AN AREA
MEETING THE DEFINITIONS OF BLIGHT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AND THAT DEVELOPMENT OF SAID AREA IS NECESSARY IN THE
INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA.
Whereas, the City Council of the City of Dubuque has determined that the further
expansion of the Downtown Dubuque Urban Renewal District will provide
redevelopment opportunities which will further the purposes and objectives of the
Downtown Dubuque Urban Renewal Plan; and
Whereas, the City Council has found that the proposed expansion area meets
the definition of an economic development 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 described area, which is proposed to be added to
the Downtown Dubuque Urban Renewal District, is an economic development area as
defined by Chapter 403 of the Iowa Code and is appropriate for an urban renewal
project, to wit:
Commencing as a point of reference at the intersection of the centerline of 9th
Street with Locust Street, said point being the point of beginning: thence
northwesterly along the centerline of Locust Street to the centerline of 14th Street;
thence northeasterly along the centerline of 14th Street to the centerline of
Central Avenue; thence southeasterly along the centerline of Central Avenue to
the centerline of 10~ Street; thence southwesterly along the northerly boundary
of the existing Downtown Dubuque Urban Renewal District to the point of
beginning, containing 30 acres more or less, all located in Section 25, Township
89 North, Range 2 East, 5th P.M., Dubuque County, Iowa and including any
adjoining public right-of-way (hereinafter, the "Expansion Area").
Section 2. That the development of the 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 Downtown Dubuque Urban
Renewal District, to forward said Plan 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 heating on
the adoption of an Amended and Restated Urban Renewal Plan for the Downtown
Dubuque Urban Renewal District to be held on April 1, 2002 at 6:30 p.m. in the
Carnegie-Stout Public Library Auditorium, 11th and Bluff Streets, Dubuque, Iowa 52001
and that said notice shall generally identify the area covered by the Amended and
Restated Plan and the general scope of the Amended and Restated Plan and the
activities planned for such areas.
Section 5. That the City Clerk is further directed to send by ordinary mail a copy
of said 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.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 21st day of January, 2002.
ATTEST
Jeanne F. Schneider, City Clerk
F:~USERS'~PmyhreWVPDOCS~UR~,DOWNTOWN~IEC RES02.DVVN.doc
Ann E. Michalski, Mayor Pro-Tern
RESOLUTION NO. -02
A RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY FINDING THAT THE EXPANSION OF THE
DOWNTOWN DUBUQUE URBAN RENEWAL DISTRICT IS AN AREA
MEETING THE DEFINITIONS OF BLIGHT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AND THAT DEVELOPMENT OF SAID AREA IS NECESSARY IN THE
INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA.
Whereas, the City Council of the City of Dubuque has determined that the further
expansion of the Downtown Dubuque Urban Renewal District will provide
redevelopment opportunities which will further the purposes and objectives of the
Downtown Dubuque Urban Renewal Plan; and
Whereas, the City Council has found that the proposed expansion area meets
the definition of an economic development 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 described area, which is proposed to be added to
the Downtown Dubuque Urban Renewal District, is an economic development area as
defined by Chapter 403 of the Iowa Code and is appropriate for an urban renewal
project, to wit:
Commencing as a point of reference at the intersection of the centerline of 9th
Street with Locust Street, said point being the point of beginning: thence
northwesterly along the centerline of Locust Street to the centerline of 14th Street;
thence northeasterly along the centerline of 14th Street to the centerline of
Central Avenue; thence southeasterly along the centerline of Central Avenue to
the centerline of 10th Street; thence southwesterly along the northerly boundary
of the existing Downtown Dubuque Urban Renewal District to the point of
beginning, containing 30 acres more or less, all located in Section 25, Township
89 North, Range 2 East, 5th P.M., Dubuque County, Iowa and including any
adjoining public right-of-way (hereinafter, the "Expansion Area").
Section 2. That the development of the 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 Downtown Dubuque Urban
Renewal District, to forward said Plan 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 an Amended and Restated Urban Renewal Plan for the Downtown
Dubuque Urban Renewal District to be held on April 1, 2002 at 6:30 p.m. in the
Carnegie-Stout Public Library Auditorium, 11th and Bluff Streets, Dubuque, Iowa 52001
and that said notice shall generally identify the area covered by the Amended and
Restated Plan and the general scope of the Amended and Restated Plan and the
activities planned for such areas.
Section 5. That the City Clerk is further directed to send by ordinary mail a copy
of said 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.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 21st day of January, 2002.
ATTEST:
Terrance M. Duggan, Mayor
Jeanne F. Schneider, City Clerk
F:\USERS\Pmyh re\WPDOCS\UR~OWNTOWN'~NECRES02.DWN.doc