Lansing City Council tentatively approves Urban Revitalization Plan/Tax Abatement Ordinance at December 18 regular session

by Julie Berg-Raymond

About 20 people attended the regular meeting of the Lansing City Council Monday, December 18, to participate in a public comment session prior to the first public hearing on the designation of the Lansing Urban Revitalization Area and the Proposed Plan for the Lansing Revitalization Area.

Following the public comment session, the city council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution No. 999, tentatively approving the Lansing Urban Revitalization Area and the Proposed Plan. As stated in the Resolution, “it is the intention of the City Council to finally adopt a resolution approving the Proposed Plan for the Lansing Urban Revitalization Area and an ordinance designating the Lansing Urban Revitalization Area on January 15, 2024.”

Three opportunities were offered for the public to learn about the proposed Urban Revitalization Area and Urban Revitalization Plan, and the proposed Tax Abatement Ordinance associated with that plan, before the December 18 public hearing. September 11, 2023, a Special City Council meeting was held, focusing on the proposed Urban Revitalization Plan/Tax Abatement Ordinance; October 9, 2023, a Public Information Meeting was held at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library, which included a presentation on, and a public conversation about, the proposed Urban Revitalization Plan/Tax Abatement Ordinance; and during the regular City Council meeting of November 6, 2023, the Public Hearing was set for December 18, 2023.

MISINFORMATION ADDRESSED
Despite the earlier opportunities for community members to attend informational meetings and ask questions about the proposed Urban Revitalization Plan/Tax Abatement Ordinance, it was brought to the council’s attention during its regular meeting Monday, November 20, that inaccurate information about the proposed Plan/Ordinance was being disseminated throughout the community. Specifically, a resident told the council that, having recently purchased a new house, she was interested in looking into whether she might qualify for a tax abatement under the City’s proposed Tax Abatement Ordinance/Urban Revitalization Plan.

While talking about tax abatements with another city resident, she said, “I was told that I didn’t want to do that because it would raise all my neighbors’ taxes - and I would never want to do something that would do harm to any of my neighbors.” She said she had done some research, though, and knew this was inaccurate information, stating, “I’m concerned about misinformation being spread.”

During the public comment session Monday, December 18, Teresa Severson - real estate agent and owner of Mississippi Valley Realty - addressed the inaccurate claim that applying for a tax abatement under an Urban Revitalization Plan would raise the taxes of the applicant’s neighbors.

“If a neighbor does an improvement, it really has nothing to do with your assessment,” Severson said. “You’re not being assessed for what your neighbor’s house is worth. Your taxes are based on budgets from the governing bodies. I can’t stress this enough,” she added. “Your neighbor’s house has nothing to do with yours.”

Val Reinke, executive director of Allamakee County Economic Development & Tourism, also addressed the council and the community members in attendance at the December 18 meeting, on instituting an Urban Revitalization Plan/Tax Abatement Ordinance. “I’m really proud of the fact that Lansing has come up with a vision plan, and has something to offer,” she said. Referring to the proposed Urban Revitalization Plan/Tax Abatement Ordinance as a “tool for the toolbox” - she said it will “benefit the community (and) improve the housing that is here. I’m happy that anyone who has questions has had a chance to talk to people who have been doing the homework.”

AMENDED MOTION
The council approved amending a motion from October 30 regarding a change in city employees’ insurance. According to City Clerk Katie Becker, the amended motion reads as follows: “Approval of All State insurance Option 3, all employees’ monthly premium will be $75.78 contingent upon union negotiations, HSA amounts will be $7500 for family and $3500 for single 1/4 of HSA will be deposited January, April, July, October. Non-union employees will receive reimbursement for premium over $75.78 that was previously taken out.”

KIOSK PURCHASE APPROVED
The council approved purchase of a “podium,” or kiosk, to be placed in Main Street Plaza near the mural, “Reverse Effigy,” commissioned by Main Street Lansing in 2022. Information to be posted on the kiosk will include a statement by the  mural’s artist, Erik Burke; a statement about Effigy Mounds; and a statement about the re-introduction of the Peregrine Falcon to the Driftless Region near Lansing. The cost of the kiosk will not exceed $1,500; and it is being purchased with money not paid to former councilman Curtis Snitker for work he did at the Lansing Swimming Pool. Snitker abstained from voting on the matter.

FUNDS RAISED FOR BRIDGE LIGHTS
Councilman Steve Murray, reporting for the “Light the Way” bridge lights fundraising committee, told the council that the Safe House Saloon in Lansing raised $9,600 during a “Bartenders for Community” event it held December 16. During the event, all tips and 10 percent of everything sold was donated to help pay for new bridge lights. The cost to have lighting on the new bridge is upwards of $300,000. Donations to this project can be made at www.blackhawkbridgelights.org.

WATER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
In his report to the council, PeopleService Representative Duane Estebo wrote, “Nov. 10, CivCon, a trenching company, dug in fiber line casings on Mt. Ida Road all the way up to a tower that Verizon uses. We had to be there all day while they were digging from the reservoir down to the gate to try to make sure they didn’t hit the water main or electric line that comes from the reservoir.”

November 14, Estebo’s report continued, a couple of water valve boxes in the street that were a little above ground level were fixed. “This is to keep the snowplows from hitting and breaking them,” he wrote. November 27, the exhaust fan on the small gas heater in the pump house on Main Street went out, and they had it replaced.

WASTEWATER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
November 15, the gas chlorine for the discharge water was turned off at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. “The DNR prohibits us from discharging chlorine from Nov. 15-March 15,” Estebo noted. Nov. 16, he wrote: “The concrete slab is poured for the generator at the Wall Street Lift Station. We back-filled dirt around it to level the area. No other work has been done as of yet.” Nov. 29 and 30, the annual sludge hauling was completed. “It took about a day and a half,” Estebo wrote. “We had no problems, and everything worked well.”

PARKS
The council approved having new (summer recreation, pool, mowing) hires and volunteers over the age of 18 take a drug test and have a background check performed.

OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the council approved adoption of Resolution No. 1000, Survey Plat for Kenneth Becker and Stephen Casterton.

The next regular meeting of the Lansing City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, January 2, 2024, due to Monday, January 1, being the New Year holiday. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at City Hall.