Title
Variance for Detention for Golf Galaxy Property in connection with High Point Road Bridge.
Body
WisDOT is reconstructing the High Point Road bridge over Beltline Highway in 2016. At the City's request, this project includes a separated bicycle / pedestrian overpass. The loop connecting the proposed Beltline Path with the overpass bridge requires acquisition of a portion of the property at 502 S High Point Road occupied by the Golf Galaxy store. The parcel being acquired is occupied by an existing detention basin, which was a City requirement for development of the site. There is no feasible alternative location on the site for a detention basin, so ordinarily the property owner would need to obtain a variance from Madison's Stormwater Utility to remain in compliance. In this case, since the loss of the basin is the result of eminent domain action by WisDOT (on behalf of the City) the acquiring authority would be required to compensate the property owner for the cost of the variance as "cost to cure". Since City Engineering is funding the WisDOT acquisition, a simpler and less costly process is for City Engineering to acquire the variance directly rather than cycling this expense through the real estate process. The fee for the variance, calculated as the cost to provide equivalent detention elsewhere in the system, is $34,186.08, per the attached spreadsheet. City Engineering proposes to remit this amount directly to the Stormwater Utility, and provide documentation thereof to WisDOT.