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Residents object to ‘slum and blight’ label in West Branch East Side urban renewal proposal
Summary
Several East Side residents protested a City proposal to designate portions of the neighborhood as an urban renewal area and labeled on the city website as ‘slum and blight,’ saying they received no direct notice; city officials said the designation would enable infrastructure and grant opportunities and encouraged public comment at the April 22 Planning & Zoning meeting.
Mayor Roger Laughlin and several West Branch residents sparred over a city proposal to rezone portions of the east side as an urban renewal area during the April 21 City Council meeting.
Residents in attendance said the map posted on the city website labels the targeted area as “slum and blight” and criticized the city for notifying neighbors mainly through social media rather than direct outreach. City Attorney Olson outlined the state urban renewal framework and said municipalities may designate an area either as an urban renewal area or as slum and blight under state code. Mayor Laughlin and multiple councilmembers said the designation is intended to enable infrastructure investments such as trails, a pool or a recreation center and to make the area eligible for certain grants, but they acknowledged there is not yet a formal plan for specific projects.
Several councilmembers urged residents to attend the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting scheduled for April 22 to hear the mayor’s proposal and provide feedback. No formal council action on the boundary proposal was taken at the April 21 meeting.
The exchange underscored a gap between residents’ expectations for notification and the city’s outreach; councilmembers said additional public engagement would follow before any final designation or use of tax-increment financing (TIF) funds. The Planning & Zoning Commission meeting is the next step in the process, where residents will be able to comment on the mayor’s proposed boundary.
