While Madison turns up the heat with its building permit fees and inspections, it keeps a soft spot in its heart for small and big businesses alike. As expected, the Madison City Commission last week gave a free pass to Dollar General and Joe to Go to ignore zoning regulations (see last night's agenda packet, page 3, Board of Adjustment proceedings). Both businesses received after-the fact variances.
Also as expected, the city was not so generous toward the residents requesting variances for work on their homes. The Hansons got a compromise, with the city backing their garage up eight inches from what they requested; the Pierces got held over from last week's meeting to last night's, where their request got tabled, pending the tracking down of a missing document.
Tonight's MDL notes that Commission Jerry Johnson recommended considering "some leeway in determining the Pierces' request," since, as MDL paraphrases Johnson, "the city would consider a similar request from a business" [Chuck Clement, "City Tables Vacating Van Eps Avenue Property," Madison Daily Leader, 2007.10.23, p.1].
At least someone recognizes the double standard here. Generate sales tax, and the city cuts you a break. Actually pay sales tax, and you get the runaround.
Maybe there's more to it -- maybe it's just that an ugly sign and a drive-up coffee shack are less of a fire hazard than garages. But it looks like preferential treatment for businesses. Yuck.
It was interesting to hear Jerry Johnson admit that special treatment is considered for "businesses" versus homeowners. It is the same mentality that convinced the City of Madison to offer Rosebud Manufacturing $400,000 for its downtown holdings when they move to the soon to be empty Arctic Cat building. I don't know if those buildings owned by Brian Kern and Don Grayson would generate that kind of money if they were publicly auctioned, so why pay a private business SO much money for outdated run-down off-mainstreet buildings? Economic Development or a "special deal" for businesses? All it does is take all those buildings off the tax roles until the City decides what to do with them. Not a good move for taxpayers!
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