Columbia Crossing

This seems to be getting quite a bit of attention. Looks like there is alot of opposition.

What are your thoughts on this development?


According to the Monroe County Clarion newspaper, there is a public forum being held on Tuesday, Feb 27th from 7-9pm at the Columbia High School gym.

Yes, I've noticed that this seems to be a big talking point at the moment. I think it is a good idea to go to the meeting and discuss the implications of this. I hope that a lot of people come along to the public forum.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the crossings? It looks like mostly disadvantages.

Well...In my opinion, as a City Employee and a Resident...

Pros
- A high quality development because of tight negotiations, one developer
- Added revenue for the City, Schools, and County
- Decrease in dependence on Residential property tax
- Introduction of services we don't have currently
- Introduction of a wide variety of jobs to our County, not just retail
- Increase in the diversity of people with which Columbians would interact
- Infrastructure improvements (interchange, levee, parks, roads, utilities)
- Can structure this development so that School District may not need to pass a referendum for a new High School in 5-10 years.

Cons
- Spoils the view of the big houses on the bluff
- Not as quiet for bike rides on levee road, have to go further South
- Traffic there at the development, away from the City
- More crime than open farmlands
- Increase in the diversity of people with which Columbians would interact
- Don't like or understand incentives, think everyone loses
- The Developer is going to make money instead of doing it for free
- Change

I'm being a little facetious with my cons and I'll probably get in trouble for it, but those are the arguments.

What distresses me greatly is the fear of change, desire to "hole-up", and the assumption that anyone new who this development would introduce to our community will cause a problem.

Thanks for the chance to talk. Again, I am a City Employee...will probably hear about this...but I'm a resident too.

Excellent post!

I think alot of folks would agree with you on both the pros and cons. Thats just the way it is, ya know?

Anyway, it'll be interesting to see what happens in the coming weeks.

Does anyone know how the meeting at the High School went last night? Were there a lot of people there?

The forum went well, in my opinion. I'd say more than 200 people...I wouldn't say more than 300 though.

By the way if you are interested there is information on the city website www.columbiaillinois.com

And opposing viewpoints at www.citizens4columbia.org

Thank you for the links, I wasn't aware of that last website. Good stuff!

Be sure to read the part on the blog where I'm an embarassment to the City...

I find that one particularly humorous and hopefully not many people agree. I realize you can't please everyone.

OMG! If they knew you they couldn't possibly make a statement like that. You are not an embarrassment. Whoever made the statment should do some research and get their facts straight. Sorry.

What a hot topic!

As someone not from Columbia, I'm not sure what I say really matters but the meeting last night started out well then devolved into some sort of match to decide which one of the audience members could make the panel look stupid. It seems like the people who decide to come to the meetings want to get their political veiwpoints across instead of just listening and learning. Mike Kish was an excellent moderator though. He kept things light but serious at the same time. My concern with the people of Columbia is they seem to have this feeling of suspicion towards change and just want to stick their head in the sand and ignore it. I know for a fact that half of the people who live in Columbia aren't from there but they want to be the last people let in. I take umbrage with the fact that they think any growth is going to bring in nefarious characters from St. Louis and St. Clair County who are going to ruin their town. When did Columbia become the moral conscious of the area? They used this same method with the Gateway Corridor. I also feel like they are jumping the gun just a little. It reminds me of the brick ordinance meetings. Everyone hated it and railed against it but you haven't heard a peep since it was passed. Columbia Crossing is coming no matter what.

If you work in Columbia, or have anything to do with Columbia, what you have to say matters.

Also...Admin...it's kind of a joke now, but the development name isn't plural.

Thanks for all the interest here!

My mistake! Thanks for pointing that out. I'll change it right away.

It appears that the blog has been removed from the Citizens4Columbia site??

Did this stem from the comment that was made about you mhemmer?

Interesting....

It will be a great development. Columbia has been passing on anything in the way of progress. Progress doesnt stop, it just goes around.

Look at waterloo - great restaurants now, banks, beautiful downtown, nursing home/living center - what a great place! Columbia is becoming a stepping stone in my opinion.

I do think that it stemmed from that statement, but I can't answer for why they have removed their blogs.

I suspect that there were contrary viewpoints to theirs being posted and they didn't want to pass those on.

Anyway...I'm in the mood to talk about something else concerning Columbia so I think I'll start a new topic this weekend!

I don't blame you!

FYI:
The reason that the blog was taken off the c4c web site, was because there was TOO much slander against the elected officials. So much in fact, that they coouldn't keep up with messages pouring in. They wanted the focus to stay on the development, rather than talking about how to get Mhemmer removed from office, or how to have the Mayor recalled....these were just a few of the topics waiting to be approved.

In addition to darrzepp, it's not that the people are against the development...but rather upset with the fact that the city is willing to GIVE $200 million away. Being that you are "Someone not from columbia", and your tax dollars not at stake, maybe it's best you stay out of it...afterall, why would this development intrest you???

cimt2 wrote:

FYI:
The reason that the blog was taken off the c4c web site, was because there was TOO much slander against the elected officials. So much in fact, that they coouldn't keep up with messages pouring in. They wanted the focus to stay on the development, rather than talking about how to get Mhemmer removed from office, or how to have the Mayor recalled....these were just a few of the topics waiting to be approved.

Might I inquire as to how you claim to be privy to this information?

I was on the blog site before it was taken down and it seemed that the clear majority of the postings were in favor of the development. Those that were opposed to it cited potential crime as their biggest concern (I have yet to understand that concern) and a comment requesting a bid process for the development.

I also found it rather interesting that the people hosting that site have decided to hide their identies from the public. What do they fear?

Can someone please explain to me the argument against the development in that Columbia is "giving away $200 million dollars?"

To answer your question as to how I know this information...the web master of the c4c cite is my neighbor...and a buddy of mine. There was a coding error, and the postings were automaticly being listed without first being approved. By mid afternoon, they had the problem fixed, and by that time HUNDREDS of postings were waiting to be approved(these were never posted). Being that they were slanderous, and not keeping the focus on the development, my neighbor said enough....and took down that section of the site (I did get to look at the listings waiting to be posted...THEY WERE NASTY!)

Also...It's not fair to say "Those that were opposed to it cited potential crime as their biggest concern and a comment requesting a bid process for the development." That was from ONE person. Everyone in Columbia has different reasons for not wanting it. Some that I have heard is:

1) The TIF (Columbia IS NOT blighted)
2) Eminent Domain (The Mayor had a chance to correct this...but voted against it...That could have been one less thing to worry about)
3) Increase in 255 traffic
4) Development to large for Columbia
5) No family activities (Skating Rinks, Ice Skating Rinks, Movie Theaters..etc)
6) Big Box Stores
7) Crime
The development it's self...just don't want change

In addition, something that I find to be important, is that the alderman and Mayor are doing what "THEY WANT", rather than LISTENING to the citizens. This happend in Fenton, too, and if you do your research...NOT ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL IS STILL IN OFFICE (that approved Gravois Bluffs). So instead of wondering the identity of a web master (a citizens willing to donate his time to spread the word about this development) people should be worried, and focused on the lack of support being given by Columbia's council.

<Everyone in Columbia has different reasons for not wanting it.>

This is a lie. I know for certain that "everyone" in Columbia is not against this development. I'm for this development and not because I work for the City. I can think of 50 people off the top of my head. Don't they count?

$200 million is a starting point in negotiations. It has not been agreed to. It is a request because the developer has $650 million in infrastructure to put in. This money will go to roads, interchange, levee, etc. that will be publicly owned ultimately. Those items will become assets to the City and that will improve the entire City.

This is a request for public funding. That doesn't mean it will all be from Columbia sources, could be State or Federal programs involved too.

The money that Columbia does put into it, will be from revenue generated from that development, not from any other source in the City.

Hope that answers your question good-dog. If you have more, you can reach me at City Hall. I'm always happy to listen and answer questions.

Really...do we need to play these games mhemmer? You need to read the entire post before dissecting it. I was responding to good-dog's comment "Those that were opposed to it (Columbia Crossing) cited potential crime as their biggest concern" & I then stated that "THAT WAS FROM ONE PERSON"...everyone (members of C4C) has their own reason for not wanting it. Here you go again with the "Twist everything around Game". We are citizens, not lawyers. This is a true example of the garbage going on at the city level. What a disgrace!

cimt2 wrote:

Really...do we need to play these games mhemmer? You need to read the entire post before dissecting it. I was responding to good-dog's comment "Those that were opposed to it (Columbia Crossing) cited potential crime as their biggest concern" & I then stated that "THAT WAS FROM ONE PERSON"...everyone (members of C4C) has their own reason for not wanting it. Here you go again with the "Twist everything around Game". We are citizens, not lawyers. This is a true example of the garbage going on at the city level. What a disgrace!

It is apparent this issue upsets you however you would be more apt to find a sympathetic ear if you weren’t attacking city officials and telling people to butt out. It just makes you look stupid. Everyone is entitled to an opinion whether you like what is said or not. So perhaps you could play nice and maybe people will listen.

cimt2 wrote:

You need to read the entire post before dissecting it. I was responding to good-dog's comment "Those that were opposed to it (Columbia Crossing) cited potential crime as their biggest concern" & I then stated that "THAT WAS FROM ONE PERSON"...everyone (members of C4C) has their own reason for not wanting it.

I think you need to read my entire post before you can start commenting on it and then attack someone.....

I was personally on the blog site before and as it went down. There were 3 posts. The one that had the most activity was concerned about crime. One attacked Mr. Hemmer, and was taken down just before the blog ended. The last questioned a bid process. I also know people personally that had comments posted there that were cleared by the admin before the cite was taken down, so you might have some of your 'facts' misplaced.

When I commented on the c4c blog I was citing first hand knowledge and it seems that you have twisted that. So who wants to throw the first stone?



As for the concerns that are cited, I have this to say. Who remembers when the Route 3 bipass went in? It did not go through Main Street. Because of that PLANNED progress, Main Street has remained the same. Remember when the first couple of business went out on Route 3???? Everyone thought that was fool hardy! Who would want to business "out there?" I doubt there are many people that still honestly hold those thoughts. Because of that change, Columbia had controlled development and has become more convenient and able to expand.

With the proposal we would have controlled growth OUTSIDE what most consider Columbia to be now. Growth WILL COME. Let's put it in a place that can't be used for much of anything else (except growing corn, beans, and geese).

Would you prefer that a big development go in next to the YMCA? That WOULD change the character of the community. That WOULD take away from potential residential development. That WOULD create a traffic problem. That would bring in big ole nasty "big box stores" (that everyone is a closet shopper at anyhow).

We can't continue to think that just by sticking out collective heads in the sand that development will pass over us.