Source: The Capital Times (Madison, Wisc.)
The city's initial step toward redeveloping the problem-ridden Ridgewood Country Club Apartments won praise from residents who offered opinions to the City Council Wednesday night.
Several, however, attached one strong exception: Leave the Nine Springs Golf Course alone.
"How'd the golf course get involved?" Matthew White demanded to know, drawing laughter from council members and an appreciative audience. "It's got nothing to do with the apartments. I'm confused about that."
One of several provisions in a proposed agreement between Fitchburg and Madison developer Gary Gorman is "that a redevelopment plan may include" the nine-hole golf course and related facilities and "may entail the private development of that property."
White was one of 14 speakers besides Gorman who commented on the proposal, and he was among about a half-dozen who objected to including the city-owned golf course. Those against it argued that it is a part of the community and praised manager Richard "Sam" Schultz for conducting a youth golf program that includes youngsters who otherwise might never experience golf.
White said 20,000 rounds were played last year, with 60 percent to 70 percent played by Fitchburg residents. He had 140 youngsters in his golf program last year. "Golf is the last game that requires honor and integrity of the players," he said.
Gorman told the council, "I certainly heard what was said here tonight, and we will take that into account as we go forward." Before hearing the public comments, he told the council that while he appreciated the strong sentiments about the course, its 36 acres are important to the project.
Other opinions voiced by residents were that after redevelopment, the apartment complex should continue to provide affordable housing to low-income residents and that further discussions must include Spanish-speaking residents who make up a significant portion of the Ridgewood tenant population. No low-income residents should be displaced either by the redevelopment project or unaffordable prices later, several said.
Jodi Johnston said she has been a Ridgewood resident for 26 years. Don't let the complex become "a playground for the rich," she urged. "I don't want to wake up one day and see that we've got beautiful homes and I don't have anywhere to live."
Gorman promised to treat tenants fairly and to make sure all have a place to live during the redevelopment process.
Some expressed worry about the proposal's mention of eminent domain, more commonly known as condemnation, if necessary for the city to acquire the property from its present owners and sell it to Gorman. Assistant City Attorney Mark Sewell sought to ease fears. "When you hear the term eminent domain, do not equate it with a bulldozer," he said.
Sewell said he hopes its mention in the agreement might spur the present owners to voluntarily sell to Gorman, who has a loose, one-year option to buy the property for $34.5 million.
Sewell said the resolution, if adopted by the council after review by the Community & Economic Development Commission and other bodies, would "just start the ball rolling. It doesn't commit the city to do anything that it doesn't want to do."
The city would work with Gorman to try to come up with a redevelopment plan that both could accept. Gorman's company worked with city officials to write the proposed resolution. His option to buy the property contains the condition that he and the city work out a cooperation agreement.
Officials said they intend to form a citizens' advisory committee involving residents of Ridgewood and others from the community to work on the plan.
Among key elements of the resolution, the city would promise to declare the complex blighted, raising the possibility of condemning and acquiring the complex under eminent domain.
The resolution envisions helping fund redevelopment with tax incremental financing money or with city borrowing. Gorman would purchase any property acquired by the city. If the Nine Springs Golf Course were developed for housing or other uses, the project still would include parks, bicycle and walking paths, and other open space.
The council on Tuesday unanimously referred the resolution to the Economic Development Commission, the Plan Commission and the Parks Commission. They will take it up next week, in hopes that the council could adopt it when it meets on March 8.
A lengthy process lies beyond that point. Gorman said he has no preconceived plan for the project. He promised to work with city officials and residents to come up with a plan. He hesitated when asked how long the project might take but said he would be surprised if it took less than four or more than eight years, based on his experience as a developer.
