Also on the council agenda for Tuesday, a request for more property to be added to the Enterprise Zone:
ACTION REQUESTED: DIRECT STAFF TO COMMENCE PROCESS TO EXPAND THE CITY OF PEORIA ENTERPRISE ZONE FOR SPECIFIED PROPERTIES ZONED COMMERCIAL AND OFFICE WITHIN THE 4 TH DISTRICT ALONG STERLING AVENUE FROM FORREST HILL TO GLEN AND INCLUDING A PARCEL IN GLEN HOLLOW SHOPPING CENTER, ALSO INCLUDING THE CORNER OF FORREST HILL AND GALE; AND IN THE 2ND DISTRICT SPECIFIED PROPERTIES ALONG UNIVERSITY AND DRIES LANE FROM FORREST HILL TO WAR MEMORIAL DRIVE.
I can’t think of a single store in the Glen Hollow shopping center that is vacant or otherwise needs an EZ incentive. So including that parcel is a complete mystery. And the corner of Forrest Hill and Gale was a thriving shopping area until road projects disrupted traffic for months on end, and ultimately destroyed easy access to the shopping area on the northeast corner where Velvet Freeze used to be.
But perhaps the most ridiculous use of the Enterprise Zone is the area along University St. and Dries Lane between Forrest Hill and War Memorial Dr. You know, where Wal-Mart is. And where Dynasty Buffet just did a major renovation. And where Comcast Cable is located. And Landmark.
None of these areas need these incentives. They’re only getting them because EZ status has been so egregiously abused. The first line of the council request’s justification states: “Businesses have been moving to the northern boundaries of the city and what was once an area with thriving businesses now holds some vacant buildings that are in decline.” Yes, businesses have been moving to the northern boundaries of the city because the city has been incentivizing it. Just recently, the Enterprise Zone was used as a tool to promote annexation along Willow Knolls road.
The Enterprise Zone was created to help blighted areas — to give businesses an incentive to locate in those areas that are truly disadvantaged. The council could have used it to help, for instance, South Peoria, a place that is truly blighted and sorely underserved. But the council didn’t use it for that. The irresponsible use of Enterprise Zone status means they’ve squandered an opportunity to help a part of Peoria that desperately needs help and, to make matters worse, given the benefits instead to areas of the city that don’t need any incentives.
Furthermore, Enterprise Zone status gives businesses a sales tax break on construction materials — and sales taxes are the biggest source of income for the city. For a city that’s cash strapped and looking at huge projects like the CSO project in the near future, it’s irresponsible to cut our income by injudicious use of the Enterprise Zone.
This boggles my mind. When are the councilmen from the districts with true blight going to start voting NO and pressuring their collegues to do so too. Don’t they realize that by letting this fly they are never going to get investment in their districts. Stop annexing and stop upzoning!
Beancounter – I couldn’t agree with you more. However, look at how the “spoils” are divided out. The fourth district gets some, the second district gets some (fifth district got theirs a little while ago), so the votes of the politicians are secured.
A great tool to incentivize development has been squandered (as C.J.) noted from encouraging development in designated areas, to being granted as “the standard”. The problem, IMHO, is that there is no universal plan on how to use the limited tools that the City has to truly impact development in areas where needed.
Why stop now, Heartcare Midwest (now OSF) was a EZ spot, What blight was there? They got sales tax exempt for all of that. While other parts of the city fall further into true blight.
I live in Averyville,which all of us that grew up here call it the northend.We have one of the last companies done here leaving in a few months.Hyster,which has been at the corner of Park and Rock Island for decades.They told me no one from the city has even talked to them.The councilmen knows of the move because he is the one that asked me to find out why they were moving.I think you could call our neighborhood blighted.If anyone can think of one thing the city has contributed to this area in the last twenty years I would like to hear it. cw
Simply amazing. I can only think about the Forrest Hill and Gale corner for some reason.