Sprawled Out: The Search for Community in the American Suburb

Putting his money where his mouth is

From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

Barrett, Walker to view light rail systems
By Larry Sandler

Philanthropist Michael Cudahy is taking to the skies again with a planeload of local leaders, this time to check out public transit systems in Denver and Portland.

Cudahy announced today he will use his private plane to fly Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and Tim Sheehy, president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, to visit Denver's light rail system and Portland's light rail and streetcar systems on Thursday and Friday.

Barrett has called for using $91.5 million in long-idle federal transit aid to build a three-mile modern streetcar loop around downtown and to create two new Milwaukee County Transit System express bus routes. Walker has consistently opposed light rail, streetcars and rail-guided electric buses, and he wants the federal cash spent entirely on express buses.

In three separate trips in 2000 and 2001, Cudahy flew local political and business leaders to six U.S. cities and to France to view light rail, monorail and guided electric bus systems. In 2006, he flew local leaders and Gov. Jim Doyle to Ireland to learn about that country's economic development and its investment in education.

Fountains of Franklin: Sendik's Rising, Andy's nearly open

Admit it - that thing is going up fast....

Across 51st street, Andy's service station - - - now (improbably) considered part of the Fountains of Franklin complex - - - is nearly ready to open. Handy? Yes (for cars ). Exciting? Not particularly. The best one can say for it is that it's not entirely offensive.

As I noted last year, Andy's is yet another missed opportunity for Franklin: it should have been built up to the corner with no set-back and a sidewalk fronting the Rawson and 51st street sides, with parking and pumps all behind. At a plan commission meeting, Mayor Tom Taylor flattered the Fountains of Franklin developers by claiming this area "will be Franklin's downtown." This is not how you build a service station/convenience store downtown.

Back in August '06, I wrote:

An unfortunate development at 51st and Rawson here in Franklin, future location of an Andy's service center/car wash/"mini shopping center." The building will contain a convenience store/gas station, car wash facility, and leased commercial space. The intersection has a stop light. (Andy Khuller owns 18 gas station/convenience stores around the Milwaukee Area.)

Residents close to the site were wary of a typical commercial building invading their neighborhood, and it looks like they had every reason to be. Though not an architectural nightmare as far as the actual building is concerned (earlier submitted plans were less subtle; perhaps incorporating the huge letter "A" motif that is used on other Andy's buildings) the overhead plan reveals yet another quasi-strip mall fronted with asphalt: the city of Franklin's setback regulations for "B-3 Community Business District" zoning are enforced here, and we are treated to the sad site of another commercial building surrounded by a moat of asphalt built to accomodate 116 parking stalls (as required by city zoning).

There are trees and a retention pond placed on the corner of the lot; perhaps this was the element that the developer hoped would placate residents of houses right across the street.

However, it seems as though no thought was given to maximizing the intersection - - there are vacant lots on two adjoining corners - - by bringing the Andy's building right up to the corner, with parking and gas pumps behind (the two entries from 51st and Rawson remain). They might even have added a slight overhang to shelter the sidewalk so cafe tables could be added in the summer. The corner configuration would have the added benefit of concealing the car wash and inevitable line of cars that will accumulate on warm summer days. Then, if and when additional commercial buildings come to the remaining vacant corners and configure themselves likewise, you end up with a very nice crossroads.

Unfortunately, I'm told that the Franklin planning commission cannot reach consensus on a policy toward selective elimination of setback and parking requirements (in this case, the city mandates 40 feet for front yard setback). Hopefully this will change very, very soon.

Here's an example from Madison, WI, (where West Washington Avenue has been enormously revitalized since I lived there in the late 80s). Even though the station has parking and pumps out front, note the sturdy brick and second story windows - - office space or even apartments go there:

Here in Franklin, however, low expectations once again deliver stunning mediocrity.

Putting the lie to right wing dogma: "The property tax boogieman will cause people to move out of Franklin"

A favorite drumbeat for the right wing is "Your property taxes will go up!" (State Senator Mary Lazich is practically Ringo Starr in this regard). Republican staffer (and employee of Senator Lazich)  Kevin Fischer, in particular, posits endlessly that the "tax hell" of Franklin will soon result in a loss of residents due to high property taxes. If taxes were to go up again in order to support the school district's unavoidable growth, he says, the loss would only increase. Or something.

The reality is, of course, quite different. But that doesn't make for good dogma (or good right wing talk radio):

Franklin sees population boom, census data show

14.6% growth since 2000 continues to reshape land

By BILL GLAUBER and BEN POSTON
[email protected]

Posted: June 28, 2007

Franklin - John M. (Jack) Bennett started work as Franklin's city engineer in 1969, when the Police Department operated out of an old barn and 12,000 people called the city home.

"I used to know all the roads," Bennett said. "We've been growing so fast I don't know them anymore."

U.S. Census Bureau figures released Wednesday show Franklin's estimated population is 33,812, an increase of more than 4,000 people, or 14.6%, since the 2000 census. The percentage increase is the largest among cities of more than 20,000 in southeastern Wisconsin.

In a country with more than 300 million people, Franklin's numbers might be little more than a population blip.

But in southeastern Wisconsin, those numbers reflect real growth that affects the landscape, with new housing subdivisions, strip malls, business parks, road construction, sewers and water.

"We have subdivisions still being built," Bennett said. "We're working on bike trails on the old inner-urban line so you can bike Beloit to Franklin. We're going nuts."

Other cities in southeastern Wisconsin registered smaller gains, or, in the case of Milwaukee, continued a population decline, according to population estimates from July.

Milwaukee ranks 25th

Milwaukee is now the country's 25th largest city with 573,358 residents. But the city's population has declined 4%, or 23,616 people, since the 2000 census.

Since the 2000 census, Oak Creek's population increased 13.7%, or 3,885 people, Mequon's population increased 8.1%, or 1,777, Kenosha's population increased 6.5%, or 5,888, while Racine's population declined 2.8%, or 2,263.

To a civil engineer such as Bennett, population figures aren't just numbers - they are people who need essential services such as sanitation, snow removal and schools.

And the raw population numbers don't always show how modern Americans live, with smaller families in larger homes. Bennett said there used to be 4.2 people per household in Franklin. Now, it's down to 3.2

"We have to have more structures to maintain single-parent families," he said. "Seniors are living longer, and they'll need more housing. When you look at the growth, more structures are being built."

Bennett, 67, said he was born to be a civil engineer, following in the footsteps of his father, who worked for the Iowa Highway Department.

Bennett literally has watched over the building of Franklin for nearly 40 years, with the construction of 190 miles of sewer lines, 120 miles of road, a city hall, police department, two water towers, 350 housing subdivisions, assorted shopping malls and a sprawling business park.

He has worked with eight mayors and about 100 aldermen in Franklin.

But one boss stands out the most: Theodore J. (Ted) Fadrow, the city's colorful longtime mayor, who died in 1996.

Remembering a mayor

Bennett's job interview took place at Fadrow's Dreamland Motel on S. 27th St.

"He was a bricklayer," Bennett said. "You'd shake his hand, and tears would come to your eyes."

The Dreamland is long gone.

Now, there is a supermarket and a home-improvement store, Bennett said.

Bennett said the engineering department came up with the plan to lay out the city lot by lot, street by street.

"Like a jigsaw puzzle it came together," said Bennett, who recently received a lifetime achievement award at the Public Policy Forum's 15th salute to local government presentation.

When Bennett arrived, there wasn't a supermarket in town. Now, Sendik's, the upscale grocery chain, will open a store this fall at Fountains of Franklin, a retail and office center near S. 51st St. and W. Rawson Ave.

Proud of city

Bennett remains proud of the city he helped fashion but acknowledges there are critics of the growth.

"What people don't like is that they move out to a 100-foot lot and they would like to keep it country," he said. "But it isn't country anymore. We'd like to keep our wetlands and woodlands. Most people, when they get in (Franklin) would like to shut the door."

But more growth is on the way.

Bennett anticipates the city will have about 55,000 residents by 2040, while the percentage of land devoted to commercial and industrial development also will increase.

But Franklin's economic health still depends on other communities, particularly Milwaukee, doing well, Bennett said.

"We're so dependent on Milwaukee," he said. "Franklin will always be part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area."

Mike Johnson of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.