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Plan commission finds 13 North Main Street surplus, recommends conveyance to Genesia LLC
Summary
The commission unanimously recommended declaring 13 North Main Street surplus and supporting conveyance to the developer identified in the record as Genesia LLC; staff said the site is constrained by FEMA floodway, prior special assessment and limited developable width.
The Janesville Plan Commission on March 3 found city-owned property at 13 North Main Street was no longer necessary for public use and recommended that City Council proceed with conveyance to the developer identified in the record as Genesia LLC.
Joshua Dowsner of the City of Janesville economic development department told the commission the former building at 13 North Main was demolished in 2020 after code enforcement and a large special assessment remained on the parcel. The city took ownership of 13 North Main and covered the assessment through TID 36, then leased the parcel back to the downtown business for $1 a year for 99 years while the business operated an outdoor patio on the lot.
Dowsner said the operator at 11 North Main has opened a wine bar and the developer seeks to build a two-story bar and restaurant (Jack and Jenny’s) at 15 North Main while continuing to use the outdoor patio at 13 North Main. He told commissioners physical constraints make new construction on 13 North Main unlikely: modifications at 15 North Main would remove a 10-foot no-build easement on 13 North Main but leave only about 8 feet of developable width on a parcel roughly 28 feet wide, and much of the parcel lies within the FEMA floodway.
Dowsner said declaration of surplus and conveyance would add the parcel back to the tax roll and is consistent with the comprehensive plan and downtown area objectives to bolster economic vitality. Staff recommended the planning commission find the property surplus and support conveyance to Genesia LLC; the recommendation also noted the commission had not reviewed financial aspects of the transaction.
Commissioner Madera moved to find 13 North Main Street surplus and recommend conveyance to Genesia LLC; Commissioner Dangara seconded. A voice vote recorded “yes” from Commissioners Bowerman, Madera, Dangara, Jackson, Voskal, Williams and Mark Klein; the motion carried unanimously. The item will proceed to City Council on March 24 for further action.
