Memorial plan gets final OK

The North Branch City Council last week unanimously approved a memo of understanding describing the city’s role in a Veterans’ Memorial in Central Park.

The site was given the okay months ago, but the site design had to be finalized and responsibilities of the memorial caretakers and of the city were also hashed out over the past months.

Joe Scaramell, who has been speaking on behalf of the local memorial supporters and the North Branch Beautification Committee said, now that final approval is granted fundraising can begin in earnest. Watch for information about levels at which you can donate and/or any events or special donor opportunities coming along. Scaramell said an Internet (YouTube) campaign will be available so people can learn about and support the project from anywhere.

The agreement calls for the memorial to be completed by December 31, 2028.

The council saw the wisdom in tending to some ailing trees in the vicinity of the memorial while earthmoving is also underway. The city agreed on the need to replace a large evergreen that traditionally is decorated for the holidays with at least one similar-sized tree (and two if there’s space.)

City Parks Director Nate Sondrol also noted the Boy Scouting monument will be re-positioned elsewhere in Central Park and the existing sidewalk has to be removed and will come into the park at a better location. (See graphic.)

In another unanimous vote the city council moved a Tax Increment Financing agreement forward to facilitate an assisted living building, west of the freeway at Falcon Avenue and 366th. The approval does not commit the city to anything, the action sets up a framework for a financing tool.

This project, dubbed Boka Haven, will accommodate a percentage of low income senior residents and will accept senior waivers, government housing assistance. The main factor for eight of the 40 units being set aside for low income residents, is simply if an applicant’s income qualifies. Normally in housing projects such as this an applicant first has to spend down assets and pay out of pocket for one year but Boka Haven will not require assets to be exhausted.

Rental rates for both the subsidized and market rate tenants are determined by government agencies.

In order to contain low income rental rates, the TIF is proposed to recover $250,000 in project expenses. This means property taxes are paid but the increment (gain in taxes from undeveloped to finished project valuation) is redirected back to the developer for a certain number of years until the targeted reimbursement is paid off. The project value is estimated at $4.8 million. There are eight units being made available here, and staff advised that regional research shows the need for over 80 such units to serve area seniors.

The council also approved a newly worded clarified ordinance regulating who gets to use public property for sales of any items, raffles or related activity.

After a vendor of political signs, banners, etc. set up shop in Central Park last April, a slew of complaints came into city hall as offensive language and vulgar images were part of the inventory. Parks Trails and Open Space Commissioners were directed to review the rules.

Council adopted the new ordinance unanimously.

Mayor Kevin Schieber noted the city still can not control “content” of items being sold, but at least now it has a better process and makes guidelines clear on who needs city permission first.

And, the city will acquire tax forfeit parcels west of the freeway from the county. North Branch is facilitating this acquisition for a developer and will recoup what it spends, council heard.

Approved was a city expenditure of $465,127.

The city has been working with SMNPT1 LLC, who reportedly wants to buy the parcels. Closing is not expected until around April 2024. The city’s development director didn’t share any plans for the two parcels, but said the developer is the same firm involved in the Chipotle franchise construction, on-going near County Market.

An analysis by the County Auditor given to the County Board described how the proceeds are distributed. The parcels have unpaid assessments, which in the case of one parcel means 100 percent of proceeds are put into the assessment delinquency and zero goes into unpaid taxes. For parcel number two the city gets $212,529 for unpaid assessments and $37,470 will be distributed to unpaid taxes and 40 percent of this sum goes to the county with 20 percent to the city and the school district is owed 40 percent.