Petition to Sheboygan Common Council, to Reject Proposed TID 25 Memorial District

We request Common Council to abide by best interests of Sheboygan residents and established TID District qualification criteria, to refuse approval of Proposed TID 25.

1) TID policy limits TID increment spending to no more than 15% total future assessed value.  In TID 25, city violates its policy, to spend $4.1 million total to realize only $8 million in new development, 51% of assessed TID 25 $8 million future value.  Even city’s stated cost-obligations of $3.4 million (42%) significantly exceed cap.   

2) TID 25 District fails to meet city’s criteria for TID Districts.  Site is not blighted. Site requires no environmental remediation. Construction of market-rate new single-family houses, at construction-ready improved 7-acre R-6 site in established well-maintained R-6 neighborhood, fails to qualify for TID designation, is not an industrial redevelopment, blighted or environmentallycontaminated remediation site, or mixed-use development site. TID 25 is totally inappropriate.

3) Memorial site also fails to meet “but for” TID criteria.  City refuses to market Memorial site to residential developer-contractors, and/or to residential buyers seeking city house lots for custom homes.  No evidence of real estate commercial land broker contacts nor SCEDC marketing of desirable construction-ready improved site. City Administrator alone picked unidentified TID 25 developer.

4) Existing 6th and 7th St water and sewer mains don’t urgently need replacement, proposed only due Memorial developer’s new water and sewer house-lot laterals to be installed and connected to existing mains as cost-responsibility of builder.

5) City’s property deed includes Deed Covenant which mandates “small lot R-6 compliant single-family houses of same character of adjacent Memorial neighborhood”.  Covenant is permanent and enforceable. City has no authority to circumvent it.  Yet proposed TID 25 violates Covenant,proposing 21 houses on 1/3-acre (14,500 SF lots) McMansion-sized lots.  35 house-lots truly fit R-6 Memorial site, fulfill Deed Covenant, allow more new houses for Sheboygan residents.