I have often felt that the Planning Department, Commission and City Council base their zoning rulings and recommendations on ‘politics’ and ‘Reindeer Games’ (large developers who promise campaign donations, investment opportunities and golden parachute jobs to resigning city staff get what they want) While the little investor/developer has to beg and scrape his way threw the process to get something as simple as a parking lot.
Take Mr. Pappas for instance. He used to lease his building to Bagel Boy near 26th and Minnesota, when they wanted a bigger parking lot, Pappas attempted to expand it on to land he owned behind his building adjacent to his lot and Spring Avenue, he was denied (two years ago) because he wanted access to Spring Avenue.
Well guess what happened in the meantime? Bagel Boy moved (for more parking).
Mr. Pappas proposed his plan again, this time purchasing more of the adjacent property AND not having access to Spring, in fact, more of a buffer. The Planning Commission Approved the NEW plan at the January 8, 2014 meeting (FF: 1:19, Item 21)
Take into account, he had many stipulations put on him, on top of that this was approved with the OLD zoning ordinances, way in advance of the city election in April (Shape Places had been referred). All Mr. Pappas really had left to do was go get his permit after a private engineer provided him a plan.
Not so fast says the Planning Department, there was an election and you have to re-apply. Huh? Jeffery Schmidt from the Planning Department said on several TV shows (100 Eyes, KELO-TV, CityLink) that if your project had already been approved BEFORE the election, you were good to go. So why is this different? Look at the recommendation for the meeting next Wednesday, DENIAL;
This is not the first story I have heard of small contractors, homeowners and developers getting screwed over by the Planning Department. The worst part about all this is is that Shape Places actually gives MORE power to the internal Planning Department employees to PLAY GOD with your property. I have said all along, you never really ‘OWN’ your property if we allow government to tell you what you can do with it. Money talks once again at Carnegie.
A very good example of the bullying of the public by the planning, zoning and code enforcement folks at city hall. Beyond the self-serving arbitrariness of the process as practiced by our city staff, the potential for graft and corruption within city hall by unchecked civil servants is very high. We don’t think it could happen in our wonderful city but without a proper, open, simple, and easily used appeals process it is not a question of “if” but “when” we drift from the bullying you describe to the demand for direct payoffs by an unsupervised and out of control city bureaucracy.
The message is clear. BUILD IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. I’d never consider a new business here. It’s impossible to wade through the deceit and corruption of city bureaucracy. Carlson recently broke ground on a business in Hartford. Brandon & Tea are booming. Not only are suburb cities more receptive, they’re democracy and a good place to live. There’s midwest values all around Sioux Falls just not here. Here is becoming another Detroit. It’s the core of a growing metropolis where there’s crime and slums while all around it is thriving suburbs.
Jeff Schmitt mike cooper and mmm are hell bent on slumming south Sioux Falls with a walmart and mmm and rmb apartments so mmm can get those pants with big pockets filled while he can. He even had city attorney do his bidding and of course the planning commission abused power as those at the time with conflicts couldn’t wait to approve the walmart on south side. Don’t have roads done infrastructure not done drainage not done. Will truly be a blight upon us all. Just how did all these educated people learn to pull bs on us all. It must be just business and that money thing called greed I would not build a house within five miles of this town. Sounds like new housing is not that robust right now but new apts are all that will be around as the wages still are too low on sf. Thanks mmm for a bright future
What – you’re now coming around to the recognition that nobody “owns” any land? That what they all really “Own” is a title. A title that “entitles” them to occupy and use the land – so long as they follow all the rules of the “landlord” (the state -and or its constitutionally empowered agents; cities, counties, townships, school districts, etc.) and pay your
“RENT FEES” (taxes). That – BTW – is why it’s called a title IN FEE SIMPLE.
So, the veil of delusion around “ownership” of property is slowly dropping from your eyes. Welcome to REALITY.
Comment #4 is right. There is a bundle of rights that is land law. The city considers itself full title. Title is all levels of government. We, the people of the United States, are owners. The city does not conform with civil procedures law. They have no say unless/until they prove they do. Meanwhile, any court action brought by them can be readily dismissed. They’ve not sued in circuit court because they know so.
They’re an aggravating bully you push out of the way yet they return not learning they’re no threat.
As a result of no one owns land except mmm. Why did they choose to state that owned residences were to be the most protected class or resource when it came go zoning and what would be an allowable land use rs please explain this. What has occurred with shape places is soros plan of control in good old USA right. So we have the Third reich telling us how to live and who will live. Do you like them apples
Who let all Pat Powers’ commenters loose on your blog?
Diverse comments lead toward universal conclusions. It’s why free speech is a valued right. Of, by, and for the people is the goal. It’s applicable everywhere in the US except inside Sioux Falls city limits.