How to Deal with Snow and Ice, prepared by the PAA Safety Committee prospectsafety@c7r.com. Property owners should remove snow and ice from sidewalks and cross walks; but, if owners do not, you can take the steps below. Save this for next year!! (1) DIRECT ACTION WITH PROPERTY OWNERS Often on-site building managers have a direct phone. These are listed on the signs listing open houses and available apartments. If you are not comfortable contacting the owner or manager, you can contact the Pedestrian Safety Committee, and they will help. Give details in an e-mail message to prospectsafety@c7r.com (2) The Milwaukee City website includes neighborhood and street information. If you know the street address, the City Assessor’s site can identify the owner. Visit city.milwaukee.gov ― click on “Get Property Information” in the left column. Or see milwaukee.gov/MapMilwaukee3480.htm for maps which show property boundaries and links to ownership details. (3) As the next snow season approaches, the PAA Pedestrian Safety Committee has plans to contact major property owners in the area to ask for their cooperation in keeping area sidewalks clear.MILWAUKEE COUNTY (4) The county makes contact information for the Parks Department difficult to obtain. The web site directs visitors to a web page which they can fill in, but it then must be printed out and mail to the County. (5) For more prompt action, contact Gerry Broderick, our County Supervisor, at 278-4237 or send e-mail to gerry.Broderick@milwcnty.comCITY OF MILWAUKEE RULESThe Milwaukee Sanitation Department takes telephone calls about snow removal on both public and private property. Their phone is 286-8282. Bypass the phone tree by pressing 0 to talk to a person.The following removal rules are from: http://www.mpw.net/Pages/sidesnow.htm (6) Sidewalk Snow Removal (6a) Private Property, residential or commercial property owners and occupants are required to clear the sidewalks abutting their property of snow or ice within 24 hours after the snow and ice have stopped falling. This includes the corner crosswalk area for property owners with corner lots or those whose property abuts a midblock crosswalk. Violators of this ordinance who are reported to Sanitation districts are issued a notice to clear the walk. If the sidewalks still are not clear within another 24 hours, a Sanitation crew will clear a path on the walk, and the charge will appear on the property tax bill.The city is responsible for only the approaches to alleys; alleys are not plowed. (6b) Public Sidewalks and Crosswalks Sanitation services is responsible for clearing crosswalks of excessive amounts of snow due to plowing. Public sidewalks are cleared following street cleanup after a storm. Because the crews who drive snow plows also operate sidewalk and bus stop cleanup equipment, these operations begin after street plowing is finished. City properties and those with hardship exception cases are plowed first, then crosswalks and alley openings are cleared. It generally takes up to three days to complete a sidewalk operation. ----Posted 4/27/09----
Council Expected to Approve NE Side Plan in January
The NE Side Plan is tentatively scheduled for public hearing before the Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee (ZND) 1/13/09. Final approval by the Common Council is tentatively planned for 1/16/09. The 12/3/08 "final" draft of the NE Side plan is posted at http://www.mkedcd.org/planning/plans/Northeast/index.html
Presumably, in defining “optimum development” for Prospect Avenue the city will reference passages in the main text, including: (1) “Consider an overlay district for Prospect Avenue to protect and enhance the urban and historic neighborhood character. The overlay district guidelines should take into consideration: preservation of historic and noteworthy buildings; green building standards for new construction; tower design and setbacks; street frontage on Prospect (particularly the “base” or the first three building stories that have the greatest impact on the street) as well as Oak Leaf Trail frontage” (page 240). (2) “Recognize that neighborhoods are complex entities. No one thing can be considered in isolation or problem can be fixed/resolved/improved in isolation. All aspects intersect and affect each other” (page 276). (3) "Comprehensive community change initiatives must shift away from the “old model” of one organization acting as a single driving force commanding all resources, to a collaborative model of multiple partners working cooperatively on shared goals using a broad range of resources” (page 276). ---Posted 12/21/08--- Presumably, in defining “optimum development” the city will reference passages in the main text, including: (1) “Consider an overlay district for Prospect Avenue to protect and enhance the urban and historic neighborhood character. The overlay district guidelines should take into consideration: preservation of historic and noteworthy buildings; green building standards for new construction; tower design and setbacks; street frontage on Prospect (particularly the “base” or the first three building stories that have the greatest impact on the street) as well as Oak Leaf Trail frontage” (page 240). (2) “Recognize that neighborhoods are complex entities. No one thing can be considered in isolation or problem can be fixed/resolved/improved in isolation. All aspects intersect and affect each other” (page 276). (3) "Comprehensive community change initiatives must shift away from the “old model” of one organization acting as a single driving force commanding all resources, to a collaborative model of multiple partners working cooperatively on shared goals using a broad range of resources” (page 276). ---Posted 12/21/08---
Court Again Rules: Plaintiff's Claims in Downer Case Have Merit
Last year, zoning changes were approved allowing New Land Enterprises to construct a concrete garage in the midst of, and adjacent to designated historic districts, on the Southeast corner of Downer Avenue and Belleview Place . Earlier this year, Plaintiffs from the Downer Avenue neighborhood filed a lawsuit claiming illegal "spot" and "contract" zoning, and improper processes and authorizations for the Garage. On 8/4/08 the Milwaukee County Circuit Court ruled that claims of the Plaintiffs have merit and the lawsuit will go forward.
On 10/21/08 , in response to filings by the City of Milwaukee , the Court ruled on Plaintiffs claims that the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) should not have been issued for the project. The court ruled these claims also have merit.
Plaintiffs are facing growing legal expenses to defend themselves against City efforts to seek sanctions against them and against a countersuit from the developer; to secure and analyze documents from the city and developers; to conduct depositions; to obtain other relevant evidence; and to counter city efforts to prevent testimony from the members of the Historic Planning Commission.
If you want to support the Downer Avenue Plaintiff's case, you can contribute to their legal fund. Make your tax deductible check payable to "The Historic Preservation Fund, Inc.," and note on the memo line that funds are designated for the Downer Avenue Garage Lawsuit. Send your check to The Historic Preservation Fund, Inc. PO Box 668 Milwaukee , WI 53201
Council Approves Goll Project. On 10/8/08, the Milwaukee Common Council approved the condo tower project and Goll House restoration proposed by developer Boris Gokhman for the property at 1550 N. Prospect Ave. The vote was 13 to 1, with Alderman Nik Kovac voting against and Alderman Joe Davis absent.
Gokhman and his firm, New Land Enterprises, have said that the earliest construction could begin would be next spring. But the timetable seems quite uncertain, considering the state of the national economy and the proliferation of condos in the downtown area. Construction would depend on Gokhman’s obtaining financing and pre-selling a required number of condo units. He has said the project would cost $65 million and have 35 units, plus a five-story above-ground parking structure and fitness center for residents of the new building.
An approximately $1 million restoration of the Goll mansion was promised by New Land as part of the project, but the only means of enforcing that pledge is the City’s promise that no occupancy permit for the new condo tower would be granted until the mansion was restored. The question remains whether the City would actually deny occupancy to the tower, once it was built, if the mansion restoration were not completed to the degree promised.
Contributed 10/9/08 by Dave Behrendt, Chair, Goll Mansion Strategy Group 1522 On The Lake Condominium Association
Milwaukee Circuit Court on 8/4/08 denies the city's motions to dismiss claims of spot zoning and contract zoning on Downer Avenue(2 of 9 claims brought by residents against the city and the developer). Here's the background. In 2006 New Land enterprises began assembling property for building a $55 million development in the area of the historically designated Downer Avenue Commercial District. The Common Council approved the first phase of the project, and in September 2007 New Land broke ground for a modern-style cement parking structure on the corner of Downer and Belleview.
Because of the city’s alleged procedural errors and missteps, the district's historic status, and New Land's alleged unwillingness to talk with members of the community, residents filed suit. In January 2008 the Milwaukee County Circuit Court censured the city for failing to negotiate with the State Historical Society and for violating its own rules. The Court told the city to take corrective action. The city in turn filed motions to dismiss all of the residents’ claims.
On August 4, 2008, the Court denied motions to dismiss claims of spot zoning and contract zoning. In addition, the Court agreed to accept additional information from the residents on claims regarding the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness (which is necessary for construction on designated historic properties). The residents intend to press these claims. Posted 8/6/08.
