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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.22.23 Newsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager DATE: September 22, 2023 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. CITY RECEIVES TWO TIF DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AMENDMENT REQUESTS: The City of Oshkosh has received two requests from different developers to amend their respective Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) Development Agreements at the September 26th Council meeting. The Mill on Main developers requested that their development agreement for TIF assistance in TID #43 be amended to extend their project start date from September 30, 2023 to March 30, 2024. The developer has indicated that the process to obtain funding from lending institutions has taken longer than anticipated due to the increased cost of financing for the project. The developer stated that they are still planning on starting construction this fall, but if favorable funding is not able to be attained before the end of the year, they would start construction in the spring. The MK Lofts developer has requested that their development agreement for TIF assistance in TID #40 be amended to extend their construction completion date from October 1, 2023 to June 1, 2024. The developer indicated that delays in receiving materials for the project, unanticipated costs due to the age of the building, and difficulty finding contractors to work on the project have resulted in a delay for the project. The developer stated that they hope to complete the project in early 2024. The reasons for the delays shared by the two developers mirror feedback that we’ve received from other multifamily developers in the City in the past year. The barriers that developers face to construct housing projects continue to increase, and City staff is closely monitoring these issues to ensure that the City is doing what we can to help move the projects forward. If you have any questions regarding the TIF Development Agreement Amendments, please contact Director of Community Development Kelly Nieforth at (920) 236-5055. 2. CONSTRUCTION TO START ON CONTRACT 23-25 – KOELLER STREET PAVING PROJECT: Construction is planned to start on the Koeller Street paving project between 20th Avenue and South Park Avenue on September 28th. Work on Koeller Street is expected to be complete by the end of November. Access will be maintained to all businesses during construction activities. It is currently anticipated that this will be accomplished by converting this portion of Koeller Street to one-way traffic for the duration of construction. This project also includes pavement patching on 20th Avenue between Washburn Street and the railroad crossing, and on Murdock Avenue between Plymouth Street and Vinland Street. Work on 20th Avenue is anticipated to begin on October 9th, while work on Murdock Avenue is anticipated to begin on October 16th. If you have questions regarding these projects, please contact Construction Management Supervisor Craig Ramthun and Engineering Division Manager Justin Gierach at (920) 236-5065. 3. NEW HEALTH CAMPUS IN OSHKOSH: Neighbors near the proposed Theda/Froedtert Health Campus on the former Morgan Door site recently met with City staff and the project development team to learn more about the new facility proposed in their neighborhood along the Fox River. Multiple residents from the neighborhood attended the meeting, including representatives from the Historic Fourth Ward Neighborhood Association. Overall, residents were excited to see the site redevelop and to have healthcare services close to their homes. In addition to the neighborhood meeting, Plan Commissioners also held a workshop with the development team during their meeting this week to learn more about the project. The developers have submitted their plans for zoning approval and Plan Commission will review the plans on November 7th; Council is scheduled to consider the plans at the November 14th Council meeting. Attached is the presentation from the neighborhood meeting. If you have any questions regarding the project, please contact Director of Community Development Kelly Nieforth or Planning Services Manager Mark Lyons at (920) 236-5055. 4. HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS: Sometimes, we fail to showcase our success stories as a city, and the City of Oshkosh Housing Program’s success is one of those stories. The Department of Community Development has been operating the Healthy Neighborhood Initiative (HNI) Housing Programs since its inception in 2014. The HNI Housing Programs are funded through Tax Incremental Districts in the City that stay open for one additional year past their statutory closing date and use the additional increment collected for affordable housing activities. The City of Oshkosh was one of the first municipalities in the state to utilize these funds for this purpose. Over the years, the various programs have evolved to meet the needs of the community and continued to gain utilization from residents in the City. The marketing and implementation of the housing programs have been so successful that, for the first time, the Department of Community Development allocated all of the 2023 program funding by July of this year. The team has established a waitlist for potential 2024 projects. We encourage anyone interested in our programs to contact Community Development. We look forward to the continued success of these housing programs, which have been designed to assist Oshkosh residents in realizing the dream of home ownership as well as the ability to make home improvements through affordable loans. A strong housing market makes for a strong community. If you have any questions about the City’s Housing Programs, please contact Planning Services Manager Mark Lyons at (920) 236- 5059. 5. MURAL ORDINANCE UPDATE: Prior to the Board and Commission updates that Council approved this past June, the Public Arts and Beautification Committee requested that staff look into updating the existing mural ordinance. Upon this request, a group of stakeholders in the mural ordinance was formed and they began working, along with staff, on updating the ordinance language. An updated draft ordinance is scheduled to be reviewed by the stakeholder group next week. We are anticipating that the new ordinance will be brought to the Common Council in the near future. Some of the changes in the draft ordinance include allowing a building to have a mural that is related to the business activity, as long as it is not the business’s name or logo. Another addition to the draft ordinance is better clarification on sponsorship and attribution areas. Staff hope the new ordinance helps promote more art in Oshkosh and look forward to seeing what proposals come next. If you have any questions about the City’s updated Mural Ordinance, please contact Associate Planner Brandon Nielsen or Assistant Planner Emma Dziengeleski at (920) 236-5059. 6. OFD WELCOMES NEW FIREFIGHTERS: The Oshkosh Fire Department is pleased to welcome three new firefighters: Liam Daly, Tyler Downs, and Bradley Siewert. The new firefighters began their Fire Academy training on September 18th and we’re looking forward to being fully staffed in order to better serve the Oshkosh community. 7. UPDATES ON IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN THE PARKS: The Teichmiller Park and Westhaven Circle Park tennis and pickleball court reconstruction is on schedule and should be ready for play in the next few weeks. Replacement of roofs and decking at the William Steiger Park shelters is underway. Once the final coatings are applied, these shelters, located along the Oshkosh Riverwalk near the Seniors Center South and the Wisconsin and Ohio Street bridge, make a great place to picnic with a view of the Fox River. In addition, the following parking improvements are taking place this fall as part of the city’s parking lot improvement program:  Lakeshore Park’s West Trail parking lot is under construction  Teichmiller Park’s cul-de-sac adjacent to the park area will be reconstructed to improve the area  South Park’s tennis and pickleball court parking area  24th Avenue Boat Launch will be closed for parking lot construction from October 2nd through October 18th If you have any questions regarding park projects, please contact Chad Dallman, Assistant Parks Director, at (920)236-5080. 8. “TOUCH A TRUCK” EVENT HAPPENING SATURDAY: Just because summer is over doesn’t mean we don’t have some great family events to offer this fall. The Parks Department will host “Touch a Truck” on Saturday, September 23rd, from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the Leach Amphitheater. This is a great family fun event that is FREE, thanks to the generous sponsorship from Oshkosh Corporation. Children can check out different kinds of trucks, such as tow, dump, fire, etc. There will also be many other activities, such as games, interactive stations, food trucks, etc. 9. BREWS IN THE ZOO AND ZOOLOWEEN BOO MOVED TO LEACH AMPHITHEATER: Construction on the Pratt Trail, the street that winds through Menominee Park, is underway. The construction will continue into next spring. Due to the limited parking and road closure, the Parks Department has decided to move the October 20th Brews in the Zoo and the October 21st Zooloween Boo to the Leach Amphitheater. On October 20th, the Parks Department will host Brews in the Zoo (located at the Leach Amphitheater) from 5:00 – 9:00 PM. It promises to be a great night of Halloween fun for adults! There will be craft beer, live music, food trucks, fun games, and a costume contest. Following this adult event, we will host our annual Zooloween Boo (located at the Leach Amphitheater) on Saturday, October 21st, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Kids can enjoy trick-or- treating around the Leach Amphitheater, entertainment, bounce houses, crafts, and more. You don’t want to miss this fundraiser for the Menominee Park Zoo! Please purchase your tickets online to avoid waiting in line on the day of the event. Please contact Kathy Snell, Special Events Coordinator, at (920)236-5080 for volunteer information at these events. If you have any questions regarding these events, don't hesitate to contact Jenny McCollian, Revenue Facilities Manager, at (920) 236-5080. 10. OSHKOSH NORTH’S COMMUNITIES PROGRAM MAKES A DIFFERENCE AT AKAN ACRES: The Oshkosh Parks Department has partnered with the Oshkosh North High School Communities Program to help revive the twelve acres of wooded conservancy known as North High Conservancy or Akan Acres, which is located directly north of the school. Last spring, to get things started, a junior in the class built and placed six birdhouses throughout the property in hopes of attracting various species. Recently, the Communities Program again took to the woods for their annual 9/11 Day of Service project. For part of their day on 9/11, the students gave their time and energy spreading woodchips, dragging brush, and gathering fallen sticks and logs in a remembrance of what happened on that sad day. The Oshkosh Parks Department is very thankful for all their help and work to improve this park space. If you have questions about this event or forestry-related topics, please contact Travis Derks, Landscape Operations Manager, at (920) 236-5080. 11. ARE YOU EXERCISING YOUR BRAIN? Just as our bodies require care and exercise over the course of our lives, so do our brains — especially as we age. Lifting weights strengthens our muscles while strengthening our mental “muscles” improves memory, attention, brain speed, people skills, intelligence, and navigation. Make sure you attend the Wednesday, October 18th Brain Health Fair at the Oshkosh Seniors Center from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. The Center will have over 20 community partners specializing in aging who will share tips on keeping your brain healthy! There are breakout sessions on “Medications and the Brain” and “Stress, Coping, and Health.” You will be surprised at all the little changes you can make to improve the health of your brain! Please contact Dan Braun, Senior Services Manager, at (920) 232-5300 for more information about the Oshkosh Seniors Center. You may find the Center’s program newsletter on our webpage: https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/SeniorServices/. 12. UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS: While the air is turning crisp and we will soon see the leaves beginning to turn, events here in Oshkosh will continue to allow us to enjoy the outdoors and various activities. This week and next, support local sports by taking in a softball game at the Extreme Battle by the Bay this weekend in Menominee Park or cheer on the UWO Titans at their home football game on the 30th. Although the Music on Main will host their last concert series event in Opera House Square on September 27th, you can still grab your favorite items at the Oshkosh Farmers Market on Saturdays through the end of October. This is the perfect time to shop for all those fall fun goodies! Get all the details for these events and more online at https://visitoshkosh.com/ or contact Kathy Snell, Special Events Coordinator, at (920) 232-5080 for more information. 13. GET INVOLVED IN A BOARD OR COMMISSION: If you are interested in serving your community, please consider becoming a member of a Board, Commission or Committee. Follow the link below to apply: https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/boardsandcommissions/ 14. MINUTES FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: All meeting minutes are uploaded to the website upon approval. Please follow the link below for the most updated information & meeting minutes: https://onboard.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/ 15. ATTACHMENTS: Oshkosh Public Library’s October Calendar 16. LOOKING AHEAD: Among the meetings I have scheduled for the week of September 25th include the following: on Tuesday at 9:00 AM, I will meet with Representative Lori Palmeri regarding the upcoming legislative session. On Wednesday at 12:00 PM, I will meet with City staff, Day by Day Shelter leaders, and other community stakeholders to discuss issues that have emerged since the opening of the Day by Day Shelter, and at 5:00 PM, I’ll attend a meeting with Fire Chief Stanley and representatives from various municipalities regarding an updated contract for EMS services. On Thursday, I will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Tru by Hilton hotel being constructed on Omro Road. At the end of the week, I will be traveling to attend the International City-County Management Association’s (ICMA) Annual Conference in Austin, Texas, which runs from September 30th through October 4th. If you have any questions about my upcoming schedule, please do not hesitate to contact me.