Shorewood CDA approves RFP to solicit redevelopment proposals for three village parking lots

Shorewood Community Development Authority members voted July 30 to approve a request for proposals to solicit redevelopment concepts for three village‑owned parking lots, creating a rolling intake and an initial review process that would feed into the village's 2021 public‑assistance policy (Policy 40).

The RFP requires an initial, up-to-15-minute presentation to a panel including the CDA chair, the village manager and planning staff; ranked proposals would then advance at the applicant's option to the phase‑1 public assistance application under Policy 40. The proposal also allows submissions on a rolling basis rather than a single deadline and establishes a standing monthly review slot for CDA consideration prior to regular village board meetings.

Supporters said the rolling process gives developers scheduling flexibility and could attract more considered proposals, noting that developers often are not ready at a single deadline and that market conditions such as interest rates change over time. Planning staff told the CDA they would review incoming proposals for zoning consistency and other basic compliance before the CDA packet is produced, and that staff would notify members when an application is on the agenda.

Opponents warned the monthly intake could strain staff capacity and could be perceived as a special accommodation for developers. One member said they would vote against the rolling timeline; another urged caution so the village does not appear to be "bending over backwards" for developers. Planning staff said they would monitor workload and raise capacity concerns if needed.

The RFP includes an evaluation criterion asking applicants to state whether and how many on-site public parking stalls they would maintain. CDA discussion repeatedly returned to the local parking impact: participants cited the village's permit parking program and site differences among the three lots — described in the meeting as the Village Hall lot, a North Oakland lot and a South Oakland lot — and asked applicants to disclose how many existing permit spots would be retained. During the meeting speakers gave approximate counts of existing permit spaces as 48 at Village Hall, 49 at the North Oakland lot and 20 at the South Oakland lot; those figures were discussed as part of the CDA's consideration and were presented to the group as approximations by staff.

CDA members also discussed financing tools. Staff described how tax increment financing (TIF) or tax increment districts (TIDs) have been used in other Shorewood projects and reiterated that the RFP itself is neutral on TIFs: applicants may propose use of a TIF or request other forms of public assistance, and any TIF or similar financing would be a separate policy-level decision by the village board and subject to public process. Several participants raised the option of the village retaining land ownership or using long ground leases as a mechanism to advance long-term affordable housing; the CDA agreed to schedule a future meeting with the Milwaukee Land Trust to explore models that retain land control for affordable housing.

After discussion, a CDA member moved to approve the RFP and a second was offered. The motion passed; one member expressed opposition to the rolling intake during debate. The CDA chair said the RFP and the rolling intake are intended to communicate that Shorewood is open to thoughtfully vetted redevelopment while preserving public participation in each stage.

Next steps: staff will post the RFP and run an overview meeting on August 13 and accept initial submissions under the rolling schedule. The CDA set a tentative standing review time on the first Monday of each month prior to the village board meeting, and members discussed an initial packet date of September 6 for the first submissions. The board also agreed to invite the Milwaukee Land Trust to a future CDA meeting to discuss land-trust options for long-term affordable housing.

Ending: The CDA adjourned after confirming calendar availability for September review dates and scheduling follow-up with staff and invited outside presenters.