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9/21/2009
Look what municipal governments do to people
Imagine. A large Madison restaurant space at the corner of West Johnson and Lake Streets that sits empty, abandoned.
And imagine a successful restaurant entrepreneur with a raft of investors that used to be ready and willing to occupy that space.
Enter the Madison City Council.
Yesterday’s Cap Times sums up the situation.
[Investor] Acker took his proposal to the city's Alcohol License Review Committee in July but ran into opposition from several members over the capacity and hours of operation. He then considered making some changes but decided to give up entirely after several investors pulled out.
…. ALRC chairman David Hart counters that it's unfortunate Acker pulled out because the committee was willing to work with the developer. He notes that a vote was never taken and some panel members supported the plan.
"I realize there is the perception that the city of Madison and its agencies are not friendly to business but in this case that was simply not true," he says. The Daily Reporter last week quoted the frustrated Waukesha developer:
“I have no ax to grind,” said Scott Acker, “but having to defend something like 34 bar stools in a 24,000-square-foot restaurant just wears a person out.”
…. Acker maintained his bar was just one component of a much larger project, but he made little progress with committee members.
…. After the hearing, Acker requested a one-month delay before a committee vote. But the August meeting was canceled, and Acker said most of the project’s investors bowed out after the July hearing. As Acker said “it’s just not worth battling over.” City Council members whine that “we could have worked with them,” if only they hadn’t thrown in the towel so soon.
Alderman Bryon Eagon has it right:
“It’s disappointing this didn’t work out,” said Alderman Bryon Eagon. “This is a great opportunity loss and a lesson for the city to be more proactive in working with developers rather than working against them.” The lessons for idealistic power-hungry alderpersons: Money costs money. All projects have inherent risk. Risk costs money. Unreasonable requests and delays add risk and cost money. Real money. Big money.
Acker said if he chooses to spend $4 million on a project, he will shift his focus to Middleton, Fitchburg or Oconomowoc. Sad for Madison. Very sad. Sad for lots of other communities out there (sometimes including mine) with the same problem of overbearing elected officials and unsympathetic staff.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
"Hi, I'm from the government and I'm here to HELP you."
What happened in this tale of woe from Disneyland Midwest (that's Madison, WI for those of you who live there) is a tiny little microstory of what's happening to business all over the state under the "helpful" hands of the liberals who now totally control our state government.
Does anyone see a parallel here between the oligarchy that currently controls our national government and the liberal dreamers who've been running the liberal island called Madison? It's a shame when some among us seem determined to treat the vast majority of us like we're little college freshmen, just out of our senior year of high school. They know what's good for us, and by golly we're gonna like it!
So how's that hope and change workin' out for ya'? Won't nationalised health care be great once the Congress gets it all worked out? I just can't wait until Barney and his out of touch moonbat comrades start discussing the requirements to provide health care for me in their country!
2010 can't come soon enough!
Duke (Mon Sep 21 07:46:24 2009)
There is starting to become a systemic warfare between bars and the City of Madison's ALRC. The ALRC is becoming its own version of Virginia Alcohol and Beverage Control as they have been very restrictive towards bars on how they conduct their business. The ALRC has already tried to put certain bars that are campus favorites on State Street out of business and they have been trying to restrict free speech rights of bars.
This complements the lack of inaction law enforcement has had in Madison on more pressing issues, and why people in the Capital City cannot trust their law enforcement as they are dealing more with alcohol than stopping violent crime.
Kyle Maichle (Mon Sep 21 08:23:24 2009)
Just so many more bureaucrats full of themselves and drunk with power. Ironic, really.
steve wells (Mon Sep 21 08:30:17 2009)
That problem exists here in Appleton as well. It takes two to three times as many meetings to develop land in Appleton as it does to develop in the neighboring cities. This is time and money not well spent.
Mike (Mon Sep 21 09:20:32 2009)
Yes, anonymous observer... and? Much pushing from competitors is an understandable problem, mentioned in both articles. More than that and the Alcohol Board and city bureaucracy that pushed away apparently (?) a well-qualified investor? Anything you can share that is instructive when elected officials and staff might have to deal with a similar situation?
Jo (Mon Sep 21 15:30:15 2009)
There is more to the story than you know, apparently. This space is part of a $175 million mixed use project adjacent to the university campus. The project includes condominiums for sale, apartments for rent, retail space, and a tower built for and owned by the university. There is a lot of pushing and shoving going on over this particular space because it would be the largest bar in the campus area. Some of the neighboring bar owners are opposing on competitive grounds. Again, this is a lot more complicated than you know.
Observer (Mon Sep 21 14:28:14 2009)
My LLC worked on developing a property in North Carolina. We flew down and in one meeting met with all the city and county officials who we might need to deal with in one room. Their attitude was "you need to follow the law but we are here to help you figure it all out". North Carolina doesn't let things slide either. Their siteplan rules are often more strict then here because of hurricane and slope issues.
Unfortunately too often here we have numerous overlapping jurisdictions and none of them want to (or can) take the lead to help. It is a "on your own" policy where if you figure it out and keep pushing you can get things done,(albeit at greater effort and cost).
My opinion is that if you follow the law you should be guided and not seen as an adversary.
By the way, the problems I've encountered are not limited to who is in power. I've had good experiences and an equal number of bad experiences. Democrat or Republican, City, Town, Village, there are no patterns I can see except that it is not easy.
dave allen (Mon Sep 21 15:40:16 2009)
The contrast is stark. So interesting; very much appreciate your insights Dave. And great to hear from you!
Jo (Mon Sep 21 16:18:15 2009)
Hello? Do you understand English? This situation isn't at all like you describe. There are competitors in the neighborhood of this space -- in a new building, not abandoned as you allege -- who are opposing the application! Open the mind a little and consider the possibility that you don't understand the situation completely. Sorry that the facts don't conform to your preconceived notions. Put the brain in gear -- if you can -- before you pound the keyboard!
Earth to Jo! Earth to Jo! (Mon Sep 21 21:27:43 2009)
Hmmm. I don't think I'm doing any of the describing. That comes from the Cap Times and Daily Reporter. Except yes, the project is abandoned, not technically the building. My words and yes, you're right about that - thank you for pointing out the unclear inference.
Jo (Mon Sep 21 21:35:27 2009)
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