Greater Downtown Urban Renewal DistrictTHE CITY OP
~~ ,~~
DT..TB ~ E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
MEMORANDUM
October 26, 2007
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution of Necessity for an Amended and Restated Urban Renewal
Plan for the Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District
Economic Development Director David Heiar recommend City Council approval of 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 December 17, 2007.
The amendments to the Urban Renewal Plan will expand the district to include the
Warehouse District and portions of property along South Main Street. These
amendments will give these areas access to the tools and incentives available to urban
renewal district properties, including tax increment financing and the Downtown
Rehabilitation Loan Program.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
V
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
David J. Heiar, Economic Development Director
THE CITY OF
DUB _ E
Masterpiece an the Mississippi
MEMORANDUM
October 24, 2007
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: David J. Heiar, Economic Development Director
SUBJECT: Resolution of Necessity for an Amended and Res ted 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 December 17t", 2007.
The proposed amendment of this district would expand the district to include the
Warehouse District and portions of property on South Main Street (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 Buildin~q, Locust Street Parking Ramp, and the Carnegie-Stout
Public Library. On April 19t , 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 expansion areas will be designated as slum and
blight areas.
On August 6, 2007 The City Council adopted the Warehouse District Revitalization
Strategy. One component of the strategy is to expand the Greater Downtown Urban
Renewal District to include the Warehouse District. This will allow the use of Tax
Increment Financing to assist with redevelopment, as well as make properties eligible
for the Downtown Rehabilitation Loan Program, Facade Grant Program, and the Design
Grant Program.
A Memorandum of Understanding was approved by resolution 463-07 by the City
Council on September 4, 2007 with Miller Development Group. The MOU states the
City will expand the Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District to include Miller's
property at 40-42 South Main.
Discussion
The amendments to the Urban Renewal Plan will expand the district to include the
Warehouse District and portions of property along South Main Street. These
amendments will give these areas access to the tools and incentives available to urban
renewal district properties, including tax increment financing and the Downtown
Rehabilitation Loan Program.
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 required 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 December 17th, 2007. The public notice will be published December 7,
2007 to allow for the appropriate reporting 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 Warehouse District and portions of
property on South Main Street.
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.
Attachments
F:\USERS1Adejong\Urban Renewal\Greater Downtown UR District12007.2 Amendment\20071023 Necessary Memo.doc
RESOLUTION NO. 538-07
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. 108-07 adopted on February 20, 2007, 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 and 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 areas, which are proposed to be added
to the Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District, are blighted areas and economic
development areas as defined by Chapter 403 of the Iowa Code and are appropriate for
an urban renewal project, to wit:
1) Warehouse Subarea
Commencing as a point of reference at the intersection of the centerlines of 11th
Street and Central Avenue in the City of Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa, said
point being the point of beginning; Thence northeasterly along the centerline of
11th Street to a point of intersection with the centerline of White Street;
Thence northwesterly along the centerline of White Street to a point of
intersection with the centerline of 12th Street; Thence northeasterly along the
centerline of 12th Street and extension thereof to a point of intersection with the
centerline of US Highways 151 and 61; Thence southwesterly along the
centerline of US Highways 151 and 61 to a point of intersection with the
centerline of 4th Street extended; Thence southwesterly along the centerline of
4th Street and extension thereof to a point of intersection with the centerline of
Central Avenue; Thence northwesterly along the centerline of Central Avenue to
a point of intersection with the centerline of 9th Street; Thence southwesterly
along the centerline of 9th Street to a point of intersection with the westerly line
of City Lot 259 extended southerly; Thence northwesterly along the westerly line
of City Lot 259, and Lots 1 and 2 of the Subdivision of the South 'h of City Lot
261 and City Lot 260 to the southwest corner of the N '/z of City Lot 261; Thence
northeasterly along the southerly line of the N '/2 of City Lot 261 and extension
thereof to a point of intersection with the centerline of Central Avenue; Thence
northwesterly along the centerline of Central Avenue to a point of intersection of
11th Street also being point of beginning.
2J South Main Subarea
Commencing as a point of reference at a point of intersection of the centerline of
Locust Street with the Locust Street Connector in the City of Dubuque, Dubuque
County, Iowa, said point being the point of beginning; Thence northeasterly
along the centerline of the Locust Street Connector to a point of intersection with
the centerline of US Highways 52, 61, and 151; Thence southeasterly along the
centerline of US Highways 52, 61, and 151 to a point of intersection with the
centerline of the eastern section of Jones Street extended southwesterly;
Thence southwesterly along said extension of the centerline of the eastern
section of Jones Street to a point of intersection with the centerline of Main
Street; Thence northwesterly along the centerline of Main Street to a point of
intersection with the centerline of Jones Street; Thence northwesterly along the
centerline of Jones Street to a point of intersection with the easterly line of Lot
2D of vacated Shields Street extended northerly; Thence southeasterly along the
easterly line of Lot 2D of vacated Shields Street to the southeasterly corner of
said Lot 2D; Thence southwesterly along the southerly lines of Lot A and Lot 2D
of vacated Shields Street and Lot 1 of 2 of City Lot 543 extended westerly to a
point of intersection with the centerline of Locust Street; Thence northeasterly
along the centerline of Locust Street to a point of intersection with the centerline
of the Second Street Connector, also being the point of beginning.
Section 2. That the development of the above-described expansion areas 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
amendment to the 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 amendment to the Amended and Restated Urban
Renewal Plan for the Greater Downtown Urban Renewal District to be held on
December 17th, 2007 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 on December 7th, 2007.
Section 5. That the City Clerk is further directed to send by ordinary mail a copy
of said notice of public hearing and the proposed amendment 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 5th day of November, 2007.
Roy D. Buol, Mayor
ATTEST:
Jeanne F. Schneider, City Clerk
F:\USERSWdejong\Urban Renewal\Greater Downtown UR District\2007.2 Amendment\20071023 Necessary Resolution.doc