South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

Planning Commission

Developers Development Planning Commission SF City Council Sioux Falls

Re-Zone on Holly Avenue

l3wis 6Comments

holly

The ‘100 Eyed Spaghetti News’ did a story today about the rezone to commercial property on Holly Avenue next to residential. You can read all the juicy details here (Item #25).

I really don’t see an issue with the rezone, and if I was sitting on the council I would vote to approve it. While it is close to residential housing, you must realize it is only a block off of 41st street. I have friends who live 2 Blocks North of 41st street near Western Avenue, and I don’t think they have ever seen any bad effects of retail near them. In fact, it is a pretty quiet neighborhood.

What I found ironic about the rezone was the petitioner, Lloyd Companies and councilor Erpenbach’s reaction to the rezoning proposal;

That’s probably true, Erpenbach said. But she wasn’t picking up that sentiment in any of the letters she was reading on this issue.

“For now, I take the other side of the fence,” she said. “There are people living there, and continue to live there, and they would have to put up with the construction and the additional traffic. I want to hear from them. We need to hear their voices.”

Michelle, should I laugh now, or wait until you vote for this tonight? One of your largest campaign donors, Lloyd is asking for a re-zone, I’m pretty sure you don’t give two snits about what the residents think. We know the only thing you listen to is the sound of a check being signed by another developer donating to your campaign. You will vote yes tonight after you explain to us how you are satisfied with the fencing, berm and buffering. Do you need me to write you the script? I can email it to you?

I also find the Lloyd connection interesting because they are requesting they encroach into residential to expand retail, yet when Lloyd received a TIF downtown for condos and retail, he had to change it to all condos and no retail because retail just couldn’t be supported at that complex.

You know what, I think I just changed my mind, I don’t think any residential should be rezoned to commercial in this city until we have filled all of the other vacant retail space in town. Of course, that would require developers to get more creative, and who needs creativity when you can just donate a couple of grand to a councilor’s campaign, it’s a much easier and cheaper way to go.

Developers Development Planning Commission Sioux Falls

Planning Commission to get TIF briefing

l3wis 2Comments

I found this interesting and something perhaps to watch;

Prior to the monthly Planning Commission public hearing, the City of Sioux Falls Planning Commission will be having a briefing on Tuesday, January 6, 2015, at 12 noon. The briefing consists of the items on the upcoming January 7 Commission meeting agenda, and then the members will adjourn to be briefed by the staff on a Tax Increment Financing project.

The briefing will be held at City Hall in the Commission Room on first floor, 224 West Ninth Street. More information on Planning Commission hearings, agendas, and other items is available at www.siouxfalls.org/planning-commission and is posted at the specific public facilities.

I am not aware of any projects pending, but if there is, I can almost guarantee they will have either Lloyd’s or, ah, Lloyd’s name attached to it 😉

I also find it interesting the ‘briefing’ must take place at noon at city hall instead of during their regular meeting that night at Carnegie (perhaps because the cameras won’t be rolling at the old commissions chambers).

Dean Karsky Developers Development Planning Commission SF City Council Sioux Falls

SF City Council Informational Meeting 10/7/12

l3wis 1Comments

So now Dean just proposes ordinances without talking to the rest of the council, just the homebuilders association?

While this is a great debate to have, I think the issue isn’t the building permits,

1) There was a bad hailstorm

2) Building services has one speed (very slow) and can’t keep up

3) Dean is trying to look important (again)

At the end of the day, this will probably fail, building services and contractors will catch up, and the head of the department can go back to having a beer at Monk’s at 5:05 each weekday.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJGBR1O4lSg[/youtube]

Developers Development Planning Commission Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Parks and Rec

Another wealthy developer and land owner in SF looking for a handout?

l3wis 2Comments

So the Friessen family has owned the Lake Lorraine property for over 35 years and has kept it a very PRIVATE place. A 22 acre lake that the public was strictly not allowed to use. But that all may change, with the help of your tax dollars of course;

Developers are hoping to form a public/private partnership with the city of Sioux Falls to maintain and program the park and train system around the lake.  They’re visiting similar communities in Minneapolis to see how it’s been done there.

“We’re also exploring opportunities with the city’s Live Well program, which the city is promoting right now and they’d like to make this the pilot program,” Van Buskirk said.

This is the first I have heard of this proposal, but like most plans the Parks and Planning department makes, they keep it top secret until they can spring it on the uninformed council. I see they have even used our tax dollars already going to Minneapolis doing ‘research’.

Don’t get me wrong, I think having a public lake in the center of the city is a great idea, in fact I have suggested that Spellerberg be turned into a natural filtration pool. And a trail around the lake would be great. But how is this going to work? Are the Friessens going to give the lake to the city? Will they cease paying property taxes on 22 acres of water? How much will it cost taxpayers to maintain this lake? Remember the Soukup family’s ‘gift’ a few years ago?

This private development will do very well for itself, I think they should maintain the lake themselves and continue to pay the taxes on it. If they want to open it to the public, great, but I think the city needs to get out of the business of taking these supposed ‘gifts’.

Besides, if the family chooses to maintain the lake themselves, they can profit from having different rental activities on the lake.

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