DIDA Considers Obsolete Property Ordinance
IRONWOOD, MI - Friday, June 27, 2008 - The Downtown Ironwood Development Authority (DIDA) held their regular meeting yesterday in the Women's Club Room on the second floor of the Ironwood Memorial Building.
The meeting was called to order at 8:00 AM CST by DIDA Chairman George Goerig. DIDA Secretary Jane Bowman recorded the roll. Eva Smith-Furgason and Mayor Bruce Noren were absent; Wayne Ozark and Joe Karius were excused; and all other members were present. Members attending the meeting were: (1) Louise Demasi; (2) Cory Gresham; (3) Chairman George Goerig; (4) Steve Frank; and (5) Jackie Powers. City Staff attending the meeting were: DIDA Secretary Jane Bowman; and Community Development Director Dan Petersen. Representing the media for yesterday's meeting were Eric Hjerstedt Sharp, photo-journalist for the Ironwood Daily Globe, and yours truly.
After the minutes of the June 12, 2008 meeting were approved, as well as the docket, the Authority got down to business. Chairman Goerig opened the floor to any citizens that wished to address the Authority. "Citizens wishing to address the Authority on agenda items, a three minute limit, are there any citizens wishing to address the Authority?" Goerig asked a bit sarcastically because citizens so rarely take part in the meetings, "Jim?"
Authority member Steve Frank reported progress on the history plaques and other signs. According to Frank, he:
- Requested mock-ups of the sandwich board signs and the Wayfinder sign to be installed near the Brite Spot at the Silver Street/Highway 51 intersection, in Hurley. Frank told Saari signs to either drop the mock-ups off at the Community Development Conference Room or to call him to be picked up, if necessary.
- Gary Harrington found several very nice historic pictures for the plaques.
- Larry Peterson, as far as Frank knows, is working on the text for the plaques.
- Frank also requested a bid and a mock-up of the Hiawatha sign the DIDA previously requested.
Louise Demasi told Goerig she had no new developments on the railroad bridge sign. "And don't put me on anymore sign committees!" she said.
According to Demasi, the WDOT makes the final decision on what can be attached to the bridge since it is the "official end of Highway 77." She said the WDOT will not allow signs of any kind on the bridge -- no exceptions.
Jackie Powers asked in the "Welcome to Ironwood" sign at the three-way intersection of Aurora Street/Silver Street/and McLeod Avenue could be raised so that snow won't completely cover it in the winter, and the plants don't hide it in the summer. Petersen said he would check to see who is responsible for the sign, and see if raising the sign was feasible.
Powers mentioned several other Hiawatha signs along Business US-2 that were in poor repair and were not placed in the best possible locations. She said one of the signs was attached to the Business US-2 sign and it should be fixed up and moved to the Business District sign. Petersen said he will check on that as well.
Problems with the McLeod Wayfinder sign were discussed. The arrows needed to be adjusted on the sign, and their are issues with right-of-way and placement of the sign. Petersen noted that MDOT absolutely would not permit a Wayfinder sign near the City right-of-way. Steve Frank suggested placing the sign on private property across from Pizza King Joe's (Louise Demasi's business). Goerig told the Authority he was confident that the sign will be placed somewhere that would work for everybody involved.
Dan Petersen reported his progress on the City's new Obsolete Property Ordinance. He prepared a draft of the proposed ordinance -- modeled after Menominee, Michigan's law. Petersen said there were several steps that needed to be taken in order to develop the Obsolete Property Ordinance.
- The City would first need to establish a tax district where properties would qualify.
- Blanket - All commercial properties are covered.
- Specific Properties - Properties are treated as individual and each application is individually considered.
- Review the Project and Issue the Tax Exemption Certificate
- Submit the application to the State for final approval.
Petersen pointed out that public hearings would be required on several of the stages, hearings could be doubled up to make the process less cumbersome.
Goerig asked Petersen his opinion as to which way to go with the Ordinance -- Blanket or Specific Properties. Petersen told the Authority that the Specific Properties option gives the City more flexibility.
Steve Frank asked if Petersen had any information on the effectiveness of the Ordinance, or how other communities that have tried the system fared. Petersen said roughly 30 communities in Michigan have placed the Ordinance into affect, and that he would check with cities with similar population and demographics if possible.
The Authority agreed to address the issue in detail at their next meeting. Goerig reasoned that it would be wise for members to be given a chance to review the document to get a better feeling for what the Ordinance involves.
Petersen also informed the Authority that he spoke with Code Enforcement Officer Travis Smee about blight in the downtown. A brief exchange happened following his presentation.
Steve Frank, once again, suggested that the City start taking control of badly blighted buildings and start giving them away to people with the arrangement that the new owners will either bring the buildings up to code or tear them down.
More discussion is expected on this issue at the next meeting.
City restrooms were again brought up. Petersen told the Authority that he wasn't able to contact Chief Oil Company yet to see if they would open their restrooms up for public use. Frank told the Authority that he believes such matters, although they may be important -- are not DIDA matters.
Dan Petersen reminded the Authority that a Larry Peterson Walking Tour will be held on July 3, 2008, at 10:00 AM. He said he would send out memos to all interested committee members, etc.
Jim Albert
