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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNorth Central Urban Renewal Plan Correspondence - David B. KlinglerI Written Testimony of David B. Klingler residing at 25 East Moran View Road, Rexburg, Idaho 83440 For Public Hearing about NORTH CENTRAL URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT To be held Wednesdav, November 18, 2020 1. A new way needs to be devised for notification of Citizens affected by public works. Publication in the newspaper does not adequately inform the public of Public Notices when a majority of the public does not subscribe to the publication. Property owners in the affected area should be notified by mail and this should be proposed and enacted by new law. 2. The residents affected by the NORTH CENTRAL URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT were not able to vote for the public officials enforcing implementation of this public works project. The Rexburg Urban Renewal Agency is a private organization in which the citizens could not vote for the management. Those affected could only vote for the Madison County Commissioners and it is not stipulated how they play a part in this project. 3. Citizens DO NOT want to receive bills from the City of Rexburg for City Fees, Sidewalk, Curb, Gutter, Utility Changes, Water, and Sewer hook-up at the completion of the NORTH CENTRAL URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT! 4. Disappointment that the plan was not published and available for review prior to the hearing. 5. Using only the newspaper publication of the NORTH CENTRAL URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT points A to V of the plan proposal is the following commentary on those points: A. Storm Drains means residents will have to pay for curb and gutter. B. Buy Rights of way or if not possible condemn land and take from land owner. C. 5t" West Bridge and Hibbard US 20 Overpass to Moody Road Major traffic problems for land owners and this only benefits the business Walmart. D. Public utilities of water and sewer installed and burying of current utilities of power, gas, fiber optic cable, cable television, along with covering existing ditches and canals. What will be the cost to land owners for burying utilities to their properties?! E. Additional provision for "street scapes" including plazas, benches, bike racks, and works of public art. Some of these items should be donated by private citizens, businesses, or industry—NOT publicly funded! This "street scaping" must refer to what happened to the now parking lot formerly known as Center Street. That project was only supposed to cost $400,000 but ended up costing $1.75 MILLION DollarsM The extra $1.3 MILLION Dollars was WASTED on STREET SOAPING!!!! This money would have paid for 43 resident land owners to have sidewalk, curb, gutter, and be hooked into citv water and sewer!!! How much is currently spent on landscape maintenance and fire pillars for this ONE BLOCK SECTION of City Street that is now a parking lot with fewer spaces than prior to remodel?M This money could be better spent to repair roads in town and remove snow in the winter!!!! F. Once again need to acquire property and condemn if necessary taking from land owners who may choose not to participate in the project. G. Property for Street Scapes and underground utilities. Will this be extra property acquired by purchase or condemned from land owners? H. After acquisition, the need to sell unnecessary property not used in the project. Where will these funds be accounted for? I. Demolition of buildings for rights of way and public health and safety. How will this impact current land owners who have farm related buildings? J. Management of properties acquired for the project by renting, gifting, or selling. How will this be administered and buy whom and where will the funds be accounted for? K. Development of lands for private enterprise and to attract businesses to our area. This is essentially bribing companies to come here! If there is money for this—there can be money provided that land owner residents DO NOT PAY FOR ANY CITY IMPROVEMENTS AFFECTING THEIR PROPERTIES!!! L. Construction of 5th West Bridge and Moody Road US 20 Overpass. How much money will each of these projects cost? How involved will the state of Idaho Transportation Department be with construction on US 20 and will additional state funding contribute to this work? M. Municipal buildings in the area. Will there be a new fire station or police station or city annex building in the area? Is there a need for this? N. Again a provision to bride businesses to come to the area. This money could pay for improvements so that LAND OWNERS ARE NOT BILLED TO BECOME PART OF THE CITY OF REXBURGM 0. Financing of housing subdivisions. if provision is made for new subdivisions to have curb, gutter, sidewalk, sewer, and water—money can also be SPENT FOR CURRENT LAND OWNER RESIDENTS TO NOW HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE SERVICES. P. Rehabilitation of current owner properties and structures. This indicates that current land owners will be required to put in sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and hook into city water and sewer. WHO WILL PAY THE COST FOR THIS? THE PROJECT OR PRIVATE LAND OWNER INDIVIDUALS? Q. Prepare commercial sites for business. Once again if money is to be spent for businesses who come to the area so that they do not have to pay for sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and hook into city water and sewer or road paving—then MONEY CAN PAY FOR THE SAME SERVICES FOR THE CURRENT RESIDENT LAND OWNERS IN THE PROJECT AREA! R. Zoning for public parks and spaces. While this is nice and necessary— please see above point E. that public money should not be wastes for extremes, luxuries, and extravagances!!!! Private business and citizens should be invited to help fund "park scaping"! S. City funding of design and resources for the project. How much is the total projected cost of this project? One document that was reviewed indicated $582 MILLION Dollars? This is a half a BILLION Dollars in today's value. How much more will be needed to complete the project in the future?! T. Lend or give funds for development. Once again if money can be available for inviting commerce to the area—it can PAY FOR THE 4 CONSTRUCTION IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE CURRENT RESIDENT LAND OWNERS IN THE PROJECT AREA! U. Relocation of displaced residents because of the project. How many residents will this affect? Will they be given appropriate compensation for their displacement? V. Improvements shown in Attachment 5????? The published plan was not available for review—so there is no indication of what Attachment 5 shows or tells and—THIS REMAINS INFORMATION NOT DISCLOSED TO CITIZENS! FINALLY, WHEN THE AREA IS ANNEXED TO THE CITY OF REXBURG—WILL SNOW REMOVAL AND MOSQUITO ABATEMENT BE MAINTAINED AT THE SAME LEVEL, AS CURRENTLY PROVIDED TO THE PROJECT AREA BY MADISON COUNTY???!!! As seen from past history of city management of these services, residents feel that we will not receive these needed services in the future!!! IF LEGAL DOCUMENTATION CAN BE GIVEN TO EACH LAND OWNER RESIDENT AFFECTED BY THE PROJECT THAT THEY WILL NOT RECEIVE A BILL AND BE FORCED TO PAY FOR CONSTRUCTION COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR PROPERTY BECAUSE OF THE NORTH CENTRAL URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT—AND AFTER GIVEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS AND UP FRONT DISCLOSURE OF HOW THE PROJECT WILL AFFECT THE CITIZENS IN THE PROJECT AREA— THEN CONSIDERATION COULD POSSIBLY BE GIVEN FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. David B. Klingler