The Common Council on Oct. 7 voted against authorizing the Community Development Authority to act to acquire a parcel of land tied to Rivers End Marina LLC, a parcel the CDA described as a blighted strip of boat storage that reduces the marketability of the adjacent Walker redevelopment site. The motion failed 6-7.

CDA representatives and city staff said the small parcel is geographically attached to the Walker site and that several developers told staff the city should assemble the full rectangle prior to marketing. City staff said they had approached the owner in 2023 to gauge an appetite to sell, that the owner indicated willingness, and that an environmental (Phase I) assessment returned clean results. CDA members said the intent was to purchase, remediate or remove derelict boats and include the parcel in the RFQ for a redevelopment partner; the CDA emphasized its policy goal to acquire, remediate, redevelop and sell within 18 months.

Opponents on the council said the city already owns marina properties that have sat vacant or undeveloped for years and warned that acquiring privately owned property removes it from the tax rolls and risks the city becoming a long-term property owner. Alder Audra Weidner said the city should divest existing holdings before buying more property. Alder Andre Davis said he worried the city was buying property to package for a developer before there was a firm deal and asked whether developers could instead buy and consolidate the parcel themselves to keep it taxable.

City Attorney explained the legal process: when a parcel falls outside an existing redevelopment area, the CDA must hold a public hearing and make a blight determination before acting; a council authorization is required for the CDA to act in an area not already covered by a redevelopment plan. Several council members asked follow-up questions about funding sources; staff indicated potential TID financing but said funding and price would be set after CDA negotiations and would return to the council for any TID appropriation.

Council action: the motion to authorize the CDA to act in that location and negotiate purchase failed 6-7.

Why it matters: The decision leaves the riverside parcel in private hands and maintains the current tax status; proponents argued acquisition is needed to assemble a marketable waterfront redevelopment site, while opponents warned of long-term ownership and lost tax revenue if the city acquires more property without a specific developer and financing plan.