Monroe Commons Neighborhood Meeting 8/5/04

Around 200 people were present for the meeting at West High. Ken Golden began the meeting by responding to calls he had received on the postcard's language and the date of the meeting. Grocery was not on agenda because the developer has not made any decision. The mtg date was August because the developer was ready to go, the high cost of holding fees, and rising interest rates.

The new owners plan to call the new building Monroe Commons. We are no longer dealing with Neighborhood Partners. The new partners are Monroe Neighbors. They are Keller Realty - Tom and Dave, Trio Partners - for market feasibility, The Slinde Co. - Burt Slinde, residential brokerage for sale of condo's, and Miller Construction of Madison and Dane Co.

The project parameters are:

• visibility of food store
• inclusionary zoning
• parking circulation through neighborhood
• TIF funding from city
• density/height
• site configuration (There is a ten foot drop-off from Harrison to Spooner, a further tilt of topography in the back all of which has parking implications.)

Neighborhood sessions were held with Ken Golden, Matt Sloan, Michael Gay, the Planning Grant Steering Committee, PDI rep, neighborhood preference's mtg, Monroe St. Co-op, and the Merchant's Association. Municipal sessions held: Mark Olinger - zoning and planning

Proposed businesses for the site are a food store with 12,000-14,750 sq ft. with an additional 2750 sq ft available for other retail businesses. Owner-occupied residences will be 1, 2, and 3 bedroom condos with additional units for inclusionary zoning requirements. Parking will be available for the stores and residential units. A public plaza/monument is planned at end of triangle facing bank Trucks cannot go west of Harrison down MoSt. A traffic refuge/ped island is planned in front of Neuhauser's. Harrison may remain two-way, but angled parking will be present. The residential entrance is on West Lawn. The elevation on Monroe St varies from 70-58'. Each store has its own parking lot. The condos have parking two levels down with about 66 stalls. There will be two elevators into the bldg, and a residential garden/patio curves around the back of the bldg over the top of the loading dock and parking entrance obscuring it. Along MoSt the first floor of condos (above grocery store) will have a garden terrace. The terrace will be supported by columes (a colonnade) and will extend the width of the sidewalk 10', offer protection in rain and snow, and be graded down for changes in elevation.

PARKING

	before	after
total stalls	61	80
street stalls	11	18 possibly metered
retail (KK)	27	62
public (evergreen)	23	to be determined

Traffic Engineer: Jim Hanson of Short, Elliott and Hendrickson

MoSt has approx 19,000 cars/day; Grant 6500, Spooner 3500, and West Lawn 1000. Afternoon peak time has a 25% higher volume (from people avoiding beltline possibly). Those present were pleased with the simulated model. We were told to expect a 4-5% increase in traffic when the blg is occupied. New residences represent 1% of this total. They are planning a right in and right out for grocery store on MoSt. for traffic going west (like Ken's) . Traffic going east would turn left down Harrison and then go in lot at midpoint entrance.

Architect: Jeff Bogart of Eppstein-Uhen of Milwaukee

They plan to save the larger trees along Harrison and West Lawn. The building is still a work in progress. An overarching goal is to make the building look like several buildings. They want to break down the mass by turning corners at the building ends; propose to change color of brick, shapes of windows, and motifs of railings; MoSt side looks like three bldgs with each end bldg set back; significant lowering of resident entrance on West Lawn, etc. Four stories will rise above the grocery and balconies are set back from the full bldg front.

Timeline: (partners hope to beat this timeline)

fall 2004	approval process
winter'05	begin construction and pre-sales activity
spring'06	open food store and residents move-in

Pre-approval process: developer notifies neighborhood 30 days before filing application (done)
Formal application: two months to common council planned use development process -

• developer posts signs
• City notifies neighborhood assocs.
• Publish public hearing notices
• Send public hearing notices to neighborhood and property owner/occupants
• Possible appeal of planning commission decision

Brad Murphy, city planning unit director, said there will be 1-2 mos. minimum for development approval. Rezoning requires a 30 day comment period from the neighborhood assocs. Inclusionary zoning plans must also be approved. We should plan to have at least one neighborhood meeting to discuss plans.

When the partners submit their plans to the city the first step is likely to be PUD rezoning. Mass, scale, and parking will all be considered. Seven city agencies will review the plans concurrently. The Planning Unit reviews all of the other's comments and sends a summary to the Plan Commission, as does the Urban Design Commission. The Plan Commission will send it to the Common Council.

The city's website has a development guide for TIF (tax incremental funding) process, see paragraph "Text Description of a TIF Affordable Housing Process" to end of document: www.ci.madison.wi.us/planning/TIF.html Or from markolinger@cityofmadison.com

For inclusionary zoning provisions go to zoning at: www.ci.madison.wi.us/BI/zoning.html (Ordinance 10 pgs) or www.ci.madison.wi.us/cdbg/toolbox/index.htm

Policies and procedures (22 pgs) and PUD process go to www.cityofmadison.com/BI/zoning.html

Mark Olinger, city Director of Planning and Development spoke next. The Evergreen lot owned by the city needs to be sold and made part of this project. The Board of Estimates and Common Council must vote that public parking no longer is needed in this location. An alternate site must be designated for the local businesses. The transaction/land use approvals will come at end of application process (end of Sept early Oct). The city is looking for other parking to replace this loss.

TIF Tax Incremental Finance District:

Process evaluates price and cost of overall project with purpose being to prevent urban blight and stabilize neighborhood. This district of a very tight triangular space includes the parcel of land and the streets around it. Proposal introduced at 8/3 meeting of common council, and should be adopted by 9/21. Street work will be done on all three sides, including lights, trees, speed bumps, extended corners (e.g. at West Lawn to discourage traffic further down Harrison toward Keyes), how the inclusionary zoning component is handled, etc. Approximately $330,000 is now available. Maintaining the grocery store is part of an eligible expense.

There will be no loss of money to the school district, and there will be an incremental increase in value to district especially to the stores across the street and nearby neighborhood.

Ken Golden will try to put the site plan on the www.DMNA.org website.

Question and Answer

Will this district result in a loss to the school district? No, it is held harmless.

What about increased taxes on the neighborhood businesses? They anticipate spillover benefits will outweigh these.

What more can be said about the building's facade? The colonnade will extend the width of the sidewalk to a human scale by reconciling floor level accessibility. The colonnades hold up porches of the residential units above and will be graded down for changes in elevation.

How much taller than West High or the Luedtke building is this building? The partners didn't have the information about other building heights. The MoSt cornice varies. The first story is 20-28' tall to mirror the retail across the street. The height at Harrison/Monroe corner is 70' and 80' at plaza cornice. West Lawn is 40' along the ground and drops to 30' at resident's entrance- way at back of the L shaped building.

What thought has been given to signage on the outside? That is to be determined, and the Urban Review Commission will respond to this.

What do we anticipate for traffic growth on West Lawn and Harrison? Presently 1000 cars/day on West Lawn and residents of MoCommons will contribute about 90 in and 70 out. A percentage of those resident trips would be on foot, bus and bike (approx. 40% for units this close to downtown). Some 45 residential units are planned.

Will all city assistance go through the TIF district and who funds the public plaza? Nothing will come from the general fund, and no other source has been discussed. The plaza is an eligible cost. The plan is not done yet.

Will the inclusionary zoning units be affected by a condominium assoc. fee? Each unit is included, and all units will have the same fee. The condo fee is part of the iz price.

What about future development on Monroe St.? A Monroe St. Neighborhood Planning Grant steering committee has been working with a consultant all year on developing plans for the street. Height is part of what is being considered and may vary at different points along MoSt.

What downsides do you see to this project? A very negative condition has affected the street since KK closed. It is safe to say assessments will go up.

How much taller will the building be than the trees on West Lawn? How will it feel in scope? Ken suggested walking by Sieger Architect's new building on Randall near Spring which is about 70-80', or go down to Keller Realty offices in the Electric Coffee Caf=E9 Bldg on West Washington (across from where Uhaul used to be). Electric is about a two story facade, like the planned grocery, and the new resident building set in back of it is about six stories. The architect calls MoCommons a 5plus story building.

What about the experience across the street? The elevation views don't give you the depth needed to appreciate what the new building could be like. Perhaps a scale model of the block could be prepared.

Need shadow and shade estimates from winter time, need to consider traffic differences between Willy St and Trader Joe's, and flexibility in use of this proposed public plaza.

Does the bldg have to be that high? The scale of the site from down the street is basically eight stories. There was no response.

What about city financing regarding the scale of buildings? MoCommons is significantly different from others on MoSt. The building is beautiful but fits better downtown. Mark Olinger noted to check on a model for four stories versus five for financial estimates.

Will an August 16 meeting take place? No, but part of the condemnation plan could be used for planning the TIF.

What is the rationale for two stores versus one large grocery? It could be incorporated into one store depending on the lease arrangements. The inner envelope for the floor plan is flexible. Willy St. Coop on Williamson is currently 10,000 feet of retail.

What will process be in determining which grocery? Comments on use ok but still developer's decision and trying to minimize the city subsidy and maximize success. No decision and no timeline, there are other options which have not been put in paper.

What is planned for construction materials? Masonry veneers, stone veneers, and coursing patterns. Metal railings, inset metal panels between windows.

When will the direction of Harrison St traffic be made? Early. Has an analysis of parking impacts betwn Trader Joe and Willy St been made? Models don't distinguish between various types of store ownership, a grocery is a grocery.

Could Shakespeare Players' property be made part of the project? No. They will meet with MoSt Merchants Assoc. Replacement parking must be visible.

Several present expressed interest in the condos. Where would the residents' guests park, or what if they had a party? A ratio of 1.2 parking spaces/unit is considered favorable.

What have the neighborhood assocs or planning grant steering committee said about the plaza? No, it will be designed for use. (Editors note: The grant process has not been voted on as yet but comments from neighbors with PDI input expressed an interest in creating a meeting place/plaza for family use and to create a welcoming atmosphere to commercial district. There is no place to gather or sit down anywhere in commercial district, especially for children or bikers from path.)

A student said the grocery selected has to appeal to students as well. They aren't yuppies and they want pizza and milk, cheap.

Trader Joe's has a cult following. Its' store could go on any major thoroughfare. (One note taker is leaning towards condemning the Copp's site at Sherman Plaza and putting Trader J there.)

How do we ensure the owner occupies the inclusionary zoning units? Anyone else would be a misuse and will have to be worked out in the future if it happens.

How do you guarantee it is owner occupied and not parents buying for students, or boughtt by party who then rents to someone else. Student/parent owned - no way to stop this and is an ongoing problem in Regent area. To qualify for iz units there is an application process with an asset test.

Do we need to accept scale to get a food store and will it be in the lease to keep the store there. Usually there is a minimum lease - e.g. Copp's Center food store has a 20 year lease.

Range of price on condos? Not yet determined, dependent on size. parking, and city subsidy. If subsidy goes down the cost goes up.

What is the likelihood of a grocery staying once its lease runs out? The partners will make a good faith effort to keep a grocery on the premises.

What about bikes access to the property? They are not shown on the map but they are an ordinance requirement.

Will the parking be ventilated? Code says it will be.

What about trash? Units will place theirs in back loading dock and blocked off.

Is an indoor loading dock set in stone? What time will it be used? KK loading was at 7. Neighbors say loading sometimes took place at 3 am. The conditional use permit could have some say.

What noise impact will there be from ventilation? No answer.

Do the owners want neighbor input on the store? They expect to continue to receive it.

The Regent Market Coop board is in favor of a cooperative grocery.

How does someone purchase a condo? What square footage has been assigned? Dave Keller thought the prices would be similar to downtown. Footage has not been worked out.

What follow-up steps are in the process for four versus six stories? The best way is to get information out. Ken says volunteer your interest to the neighborhood assocs if you want a larger role.

Will there be a bus stop on the same block as Mo Commons? Yes.

What will store hours be? Probably not a 24 hr store, nor will it close at 6 pm.

When will we see more details on the bldg? At another meeting like this one.

Will a library be part of the complex? No, their board has voted against it.

What about commercial condos? For example, may the grocery store own itself? That is to be worked out as part of the negotiation process.

Notes taken by Tess Mulrooney, Paul Eastwood, and Audrey Highton www.danenet.org/hmi (Tess, treasurer of Historic Madison; or Audrey, chair of DMNA working group for KK development, achighton@yahoo.com)

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Last Modified: 03-Feb-08 06:04 PM

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