Planning Commission Minutes 2015 07 09

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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes July 9, 2015 Page 10 of 17 actions be consistent with the Comp Plan and the Small Area Plan? We are not looking at detail and we are not seeing a proposal. This is just starting the process. Russell says he sees that urban renewal is a tool for redevelopment. It is not the plan but is a tool and if you have it, you have a certain set of options available to you. If you don't have it, you have a narrower set of options available. The question I am dealing with right now is the application and intent of this tool in this area compatible with the Comp Plan or is it not? Moline says the plan presented tonight is so general. DeJong says it is not a plan to do a certain thing. It is a plan to address these conditions of blight that have been found on the property. These are things challenging this property from being re -tenanted or redeveloped. There are certain tools in this plan which, if approved, would be made available to address those. Rice says from what I understand, what we are doing is putting a plan into effect or making the decision whether or not it is consistent with the Comp Plan. The City Council will be the one who puts the plan into effect. Once that occurs, then the Revitalization Commission has certain tools at their disposal that they can use, but needn't, but can if they want to. It is simply using the State Urban Renewal Laws as a potential tool to see a better use for this property. Public Comment: Michael Menaker, 1827 W Choke Cherry Drive, Louisville, CO I am a member of the Louisville Revitalization Commission and have been for many years. I do not speak tonight on their behalf. I wasn't planning to speak but I wanted to talk to Comm. Moline for a minute. Here is the deal. Unlike other jurisdictions, in Louisville, the City is not the developer. We began the Urban Renewal Process on the east side of the railroad tracks in 2006. You saw DELO Phase II a couple months ago. The City is not assembling land; the City is not marketing the space independent of a brokerage or property owner; we are not the property owner; and we are not the master developer. What we are trying to do to provide a framework in which redevelopment can occur by a third party. Before we can get to that level of specificity, the tools have to be in place to create an urban renewal district. What makes this particular situation even more unique is that it is totally focused on the restrictive covenants, not envisioning in any way the use of taxes, increment financing, either property or sales tax. So I hope that clears it up. You will obviously, we hope, see a development or plan arise from the current property owner if we can put the urban renewal area in place and address the conditions that are restricting development at this time. You should also know that the site has been aggressively marketed by the owners and by brokers with the City's assistance since the property closed almost 6 years ago, with zero takers. It is obvious to me that something has got to change or it will remain vacant forever. With most other jurisdictions, the Urban Renewal Authority is the developer and does those things. In Louisville, we don't do it that way. Jon Bergman, Attorney, Davis Graham and Stubbs, 1550 17t" Street, Denver, CO I represent Albertsons. I appreciate some of the comments that were made and I guess the question that I would like to present and discuss is "what tools will you permit for some future development, how does that sync with the Comprehensive Plan, and is it too much?" The reason I say that is, we attended Monday's informational meeting put on by Aaron and we were impressed with the nature and quality of the questions asked by some of the community members. They have many concerns about the draft plan for this project and property, the impact on the local neighborhood, and the City as a whole. Albertsons shares in those concerns. We have two questions for your consideration this evening. First, how does the draft plan give consideration to existing businesses in the area? Secondarily, how is the draft plan consistent with the policies in the City's Comprehensive Plan? You saw a slide that referred to