SOUTH BEND COMMON COUNCIL COMMITTEE NOTES

May 29, 2018, 4 pm, County-City Building, 4th Floor 
Absent: Sharon McBride

**IMPORTANT NOTES ON TIF CHANGES BELOW**

Bill #22-18 Alley Vacation - First North/South Alley West of Carroll Street, East of Michigan Street, South of Bronson Street, North of Penn Central Railroad. It's the former Curtis Products building opposite the License Branch. They want it to combine with the lot across from it for a sale.

Ms. Casey Colvin was introduced. She is the new Council PR Intern. This is a full-time position. Council budgeted $36,840 for the position last year.

PARKING ON THE STREETS 
Community Investment wants to make more decisions without Council approval. They said it is to "simplify" the process that is "burdensome". 
They are wanting to reduce the amount of parking required for Developers and instead move parking to the streets. Developers can count street parking towards their quota and have smaller lots, which forces patrons to park in front of homes on the street. 
Director James Mueller suggested if residents want to park in front of their homes they can purchase a parking permit. Jo Broden expressed concern about people parking around park areas where kids might have to cross the streets.
Providing bike racks is part of the new requirements. Ms. Broden asked if this would also include scooters.
If you are interested in the decision of this, plan to attend the June 19th and June 25th meetings.

SUGGESTION: Require new parking lots to use permeable concrete to reduce water runoff issues. Be sure there are special standards for residential areas.

SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE CHANGES
Community Investment also wants to change standards set in 2004 that require since single family homes to have a 40' frontage. They say it conflicts with the 2015 Flood Plain Ordinance. They want to change the Depth to Width ratio changed and have concerns about Retail buying their locations in industrial area and not having frontage.
They asked that these changes be "fast tracked". Tim Scott advised them there would need to be more time to evaluate their request.

NOTE:  For the COMPLETE LIST of over 25 changes Community Investment is requesting, see the MICHIANA OBSERVER Post on November 28, 2017.

UPDATE ON POTENTIAL ANNEXATIONS
Presented by Community Investment

ANNEXATION CRITERIA
* Voluntary (property owner signs, files petition)
* Utilization of City Services (sewer and water)
* Adds to the Tax Base
* Creates a positive fiscal impact to the City budget (i.e. Future development pays for standard City services and capital cost of infrastructure improvements)

STATE LAW CRITERIA
* Boundary of annexation area is at least one-eighth contiguous to existing City limits
* Subject to an adopted fiscal plan
* Able to provide City services (noncapital within 1 year, capital within 3 years)
* Approved more than a year before a decadal Census
NOTE: Community Investment is asking Council to rush some decisions due to this last requirement

ANNEXATION PROCESS
Voluntary annexations take about 4 months, in voluntary about 9 months
Voluntary includes:
* Property Owner files the petition
* Council 1st reading
* Area Plan Commission Hearing on Zoning (if not SF1)
* Council 2nd Reading/Public Hearing
* Council Adoption of Fiscal Plan
* Council 3rd Reading/Approval (minimum 14 days after 2nd Reading)
* Legal Advertising
* Annexation takes effect 30 days after advertising

3 NEW ANNEXATIONS BEING CONSIDERED NOW
1. South Bend Chocolate Expansion
2. Southwest Parcel - Industrial - Currently a field near the Bypass and Casino
3. North Twyckenham Drive - Annexing the "Overlook" apartments where they can expand the South Bend tax base

UPDATE ON POTENTIAL TIF AREA ADJUSTMENTS (TIF = Tax Incremental Financing Redevelopment Statute IC 36-7-14 in 1975)
Presented by Community Investment

Policy Goals: Productivity, Inclusion, Placemaking, Sustainability

4 AREAS THEY WANT TO ADJUST
1. River East - to add Eddy Street ROW, Potawatomi Park/Zoo, Mishawaka Avenue Corridor, Lincolnway East/IUSB Connection
119 acres would be added
2. River West North - Add the Baney Property and the South Bend Chocolate Factory
96 acres added and 1,467 acres removed
3. River West Central - 2014 Commitments of City Cemetary, Museum Campus, Leeper Park (adding 67 acres)
Portage Avenue Shops, Mussel Grove Park, Sherman/Harrison Target Area, Leland/Scott Target Area, Riverside Drive, Lincoln Park Area, Northern Cemetary Expansion, Western Cemetary Expansion, Coal Line Phase 3, LaSalle Park and Pulaski Park
This part would add 140 acres
4. River West - South (Option 1: Expand Neighboring TIF area) with the Miami Street Corridor adding 36 acres
River West - South (Option 2: expansion and partial swap) This would involve:
1. Miami Street Corridor (River West)
2. Miami Street Corridor (South Side)
3. TIF Swap (Partial SE Master Plan)
12 acres added to River West, 24 acres added to South Side, 198 acres transferred from River West to South Side TIF

IMPORTANT NOTE: This last notation of moving into South Side TIF is to tap into the South Side funding. South Side people paid into this and they need to keep it for their area.

4. River West - South (Option 3: Full Swap)
1. Miami Street Corridor (South Side only)
2. TIF swap (Full SE Master Plan) where 36 acres is added to the South Side and 551 acres are swapped from River West to South Side

IMPORTANT NOTE: This would move funding away from the South Side to the River West

CITIZEN INPUT: Mr. James Bognar detailed with a spreadsheet and considerable research how the West Washington TIF was not used as intended and full disclosure of TIF Details have not been presented to the public per a Council Resolution.
He noted "best practices" would mean 80% of the TIF's would be for Infrastructure such as curbs, sidewalks, lighting, roads and not private investment properties. He cited an IU study. He further noted Community Investment called the area one with "rampant blight", but that is not where the investments went.

IT UPDATE
* The 6 Divisions were highlighted
* City received $500K from the Walmart/Google Lifelong Learning Grant
* 311 gets 40 calls a day on Code Enforcement related issues
* In 2017 there were 3,792 calls about County issues
* They are continuing to work on infrastucture issues 
* Plan to roll out a new City website this summer
* Reviewing tech options with PSAP (911 Call Center)

NOTE: Data portals for Citizen use have been reduced from 200 to 60. A main one that is no longer available is the "Open Checkbook" where Citizens can see what payments were made by the City.

Ms. Karen White Announcements:
1. Wednesday at 3 pm at the SBPD will be a Budget Kickoff Meeting
2. There will be a meeting about Synthetic Drug use in the Council Informal Chambers at 4 pm on Thursday

Ms. Jo Broden Announcements:
1. FEMA will be at the Leighton Center until July 5th to assist residents
2. FEMA will be at Brown Primary Center on Wednesday at 7 pm to meet with residents

For more articles and meetings: #MichianaObserver #CivicMedia #MySouthBend