1. New tax proposed to perk up 2 parks downtown
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
Aug. 4, 2012
Downtown Milwaukee's Cathedral Square would get a new band shell,
as well as restored grass, more seating, and restrooms to replace the
park's dozen or so portable toilets.
Juneau Park, just four blocks to the east, would have its bluff made
more stable, and its views of Lake Michigan improved, by removing
invasive trees and plants.
But neither project would be funded through the county's property
taxes. Instead, a new, additional tax would be paid only by residents
and business operators on downtown's east side.
The proposal calls for the Common Council and Mayor Tom Barrett to
approve the creation of a neighborhood improvement district for
downtown's east side. That district, a public agency, would impose an
additional tax capped at 25 cents for each $1,000 of assessed
valuation - amounting to $50 annually for the owner of a condo
assessed at $200,000.
The district would seek approval from the County Board and County
Executive Chris Abele for a management contract overseeing $4
million in improvements, along with maintenance, at Cathedral Square
and Juneau Park. Milwaukee County would still own the parks, but the
district and its private, nonprofit partners, the East Town Association
and Juneau Park Friends, would manage them.
The proposal is a revised version of a plan that first surfaced in 2011.
The campaign for its approval is led by developer Gary Grunau, who
says the district would fund badly needed improvements without
having to tap the cash-strapped county's general property tax
revenue. He said similar plans have worked well in other cities.
"There's a movement where neighborhoods are taking over parks,"
Grunau said.
John Lunz, president of Preserve Our Parks, a local parks advocacy
group, says the plan could give too much power over Cathedral Square
to the East Town Association. That group, an organization of
businesses on downtown's east side, sponsors Jazz in the Park, Bastille
Days and the East Town Market - all events that use Cathedral Square.
Lunz said his group's members are concerned that plans to replace a
temporary stage at Cathedral Square, which is used for Jazz in the
Park and other events, with a permanent band shell could harm the
park's atmosphere and character.
"It's a nice place for people to just sit out there for lunch breaks and
whatnot," Lunz said.

2. There's also the issue of whether city officials will support the tax on
residential and commercial property owners for downtown's east side.
"It's setting an interesting precedent," said Ald. Bob Bauman, whose
district includes downtown. "It's taxing folks for what they've already
paid for once" through their general property taxes, he said.
That same point is made by Geoffrey Croft, president of New York-
based NYC Park Advocates. He says such arrangements let local
officials "off the hook" when it comes to seeking more public funding
for parks.
Croft said similar taxing districts in New York have led to great
improvements at Central Park, Bryant Park and other parks in
wealthier areas, while parks in lower-income neighborhoods continue
to fall apart.
"It's a very slippery slope once you start going down that road," Croft
said.
At Bryant Park, there's also been what Croft's group considers too
much commercial activity - including high-end fashion shows.
"That's not what parks are supposed to be about," he said.
Grunau, however, says Jazz in the Park and other Cathedral Square
events sponsored by East Town Association won't increase or change
as a result of a management contract with Milwaukee County.
"It's going to maintain its character," he said. "It's not going to be
exclusive."
The neighborhood improvement district's annual budget would require
Common Council and mayoral approval, and its board of directors
would be elected by district property owners and renters, according
to state law.
Barrett said his administration wants to make sure there isn't "a
system where there are great parks, and not-so-great parks." The
special tax shouldn't substitute for money the county was planning to
spend on Cathedral Square and Juneau Park, he said.
But Barrett said his administration, which hasn't yet taken a formal
position, is viewing the proposal favorably.
"I think anytime people feel passionately and want to invest in public
spaces, it's something we should be thankful for," Barrett said.
Abele's spokesman, Brendan Conway, said the county executive
wouldn't comment until there's a specific proposal for the County
Board and the Abele administration to consider.
Permanent fixtures
The proposed changes would make Cathedral Square a better place,
said Grunau and Jim Shields, of HGA Architects, whose firm designed
the proposed improvements.
Cathedral Square's biggest change would be the band shell, to be built
near Kilbourn Ave. It would improve the park's appearance by

3. eliminating the temporary, tented stage that's closer to Wells St., as
well as replacing the trailer that performers use to prepare for
concerts, Shields said.
The northern third of the park would feature the band shell, which
includes space for performers to prepare, attached permanent
restrooms, a grove of trees on each side of the structure, and an
improved children's play area, which now is swing set and a couple of
sliding boards. The area bordering Kilbourn Ave. would host the East
Town Market, where farmers and others sell goods on Saturdays
throughout the summer.
The remaining portion of Cathedral Square would have restored grass,
and a lot more seating, Shields said.
A recent visit found 10 picnic tables scattered throughout the 2.3-acre
park, along with four benches near the play area. HGA's design calls
for a permanent hardwood bench that surrounds the park's edge, as
well as cheap, movable tables and chairs scattered throughout
Cathedral Square - the latter a feature at New York's Bryant Park.
"It's the amount of seating that really makes or breaks a park,"
Shields said.
By making the band shell for Jazz in the Park and other events
permanent, and placing it closer to the street, truck and car deliveries
into the park would be reduced, Shields said. That would make it
easier to restore Cathedral Square's grass, he said.
Also, the permanent toilets would make the playground area more
attractive to families, Shields said.
"Moms don't come with their kids to the park unless you have toilets,"
he said.
Improved lake view
At the 14-acre Juneau Park, HGA, working with landscape architectural
firm Buettner and Associates Inc., is proposing a removal of invasive
bushes and trees, such as buckthorn and black locust.
They largely mar the view of Lake Michigan and block sunlight that
would help native plants take root, Shields said. Those native plants
would do a better job of preventing the bluff from eroding during
storms, he said.
Other changes would include a brick-paved plaza, with benches and
flower beds, at the Solomon Juneau statue to better mark that area
near Kilbourn Ave. as the main entry into the park, Shields said. There
also would be an improved, paved path down the bluff.
The first formal step toward creating a neighborhood improvement
district probably would begin with a Sept. 10 hearing before the city
Plan Commission, followed by an October hearing before the Common
Council's Community and Economic Development Committee.

4. Then it would go to the County Board, where Supervisor Russell
Stamper, whose district includes Cathedral Square, says he'd likely
support a management contract with the district. Supervisor Gerry
Broderick, whose district includes Juneau Park, couldn't be reached for
comment.