Business Improvement District Question for WI Planners

[Chet]

Question: Wisconsin Statutes regarding BIDs indicate their purpose to benefit "commercial" property. The statute 66.1109 does not define the term commercial. Would you contrue this to cover industrial properties as well, as they are engaging in commerce?

 

[Repo Man]

I would believe that industrial properties are considered commerical and would be able to establish a BID to finance improvements in an industrial area.

If they are in an area where it is primarily an office/retail BID, I think they should be included in the taxing district.

I think that Milwaukee might have a BID in the Riverworks retail/industrial area south of Capitol Drive.

 

[Chet]

Thanks, Repo. I am finding through preliminary research you may be right on. Oshkosh has a mixed use BID which includes MFG properties.

Ours would be 90% industrial and 10% retail / service.

Like your old employer's original industrial park, ours is at the 'low' of the real estate life cycle. 1970's industrial metal buildings built to max FAR. No high speed data options. Rural cross section roads that are 22 feet wide at best. Inadequate lighting. Inadequate stormwater controls and per-parcel on-site options are not realistic. TID isnt an option. There is an initial willingness to explore the BID self-taxing concept.

I guess its worth exploring further.

Cardinal - your thoughts are most welcome.

 

[Cardinal]

No question about it. I believe Milwaukee has a couple BIDs that are primarily industrial. I know for certain that Milwaukee BID #26, in the Menomonie Valley, is an industrial BID. You might contact Chuck Law, in the Local Government Center at the UW-Extension for other examples and information.