Important Community Meeting
RE: The West Town SSA
Please join us for an important community meeting to learn about the West Town SSA (Special Service Area #29) and discuss future proposed boundaries and services. The current West Town SSA is expiring at the end of 2014 and stakeholders wish to renew it. Hear from current West Town SSA Commissioners, the SSA Advisory Committee, City of Chicago representatives and West Town Chamber staff and consultants.
When
Monday, November 18th, 2013
 from 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Where
Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art
2320 W. Chicago Ave.
MORE INFORMATION:

The community meeting will feature a presentation of the future proposed West Town SSA boundaries, scope of services, and proposed budget. The meeting mission is to inform and garner feedback from affected stakeholders in order to create final future West Town SSA map and program/services.

There will be two additional community meetings in January to present final plans. The first is scheduled for January 13, 2014 at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art from 6 pm - 8 pm. The second is TBA. 

Because the current SSA is going to expire at the end of 2014, the West Town SSA is in the process of reconstituting and redefining its map for future services. The SSA Reconstitution Advisory Committee determined a preliminary proposed map for future West Town SSA boundaries and services.

 

Proposed Future West Town SSA Map:  

Proposed Future West Town SSA Corridors (shown above in burgundy): 

Chicago Avenue from Halsted to Western

Ashland Avenue from Chicago to Division

Milwaukee Avenue from Erie to Division

Damen Avenue from Chicago to Huron

Ogden Avenue from Fry to the Kennedy Expressway


If your address is on the corridors listed above - 

PLEASE attend the community meetings.

 

Click here to see the current West Town SSA map. The map shown above is the adjusted proposed future SSA map.  The special services would only be provided for those properties located with addresses on the corridors listed above and shown in burgundy on the map (not within the adjacent neighborhoods nor any side streets). This new proposed map is being researched for support and feasibility and will be adjusted with feedback from the stakeholders (the property owners paying the special service tax) and the community. 

 

The Special Service Area (SSA) is an economic development tool which allows extra real estate property taxes to be collected to fund added services to a defined area. It is the only taxing body in which property owners choose to be assessed and have direct decision-making authority on the use of those funds. SSA taxpayers cooperatively plan, provide, benefit from, and pay for services within their own area. SSA-funded services focus on the public way and are in addition to services generally provided by the City. SSAs exist throughout the world and are more commonly known as Business Improvement Districts (BIDs). There have been more than 50 SSAs within the City of Chicago and 800 nationwide.

 

The West Town SSA was established in November 2004 by City Council ordinance. The mission of the West Town SSA is to maintain and improve the shopping, dining and nightlife within the SSA boundary by providing a cleaner, safer and more attractive commercial environment for consumers, residents and business owners.

 

We will be looking for feedback regarding the proposed future West Town SSA boundaries and services at the community meetings. This is the time to express your opinion on the West Town SSA and to share your ideas. We want to hear from any property owners within the proposed SSA boundaries.  Feedback will be gathered at the November & January Community Meetings so that the Advisory Committee, current SSA Commission and local Aldermen can consider adjusting the map and services based on that input and prior to submitting the final West Town SSA reconstitution application (in February). Click here to see a timeline of SSA reconstitution activities.


The SSA Commission has created a colorful informational brochure that was mailed directly to all of the property owners & registered voters located in the proposed future West Town SSA announcing the November community meetings with more detailed information on the West Town SSA. West Town Chamber & SSA staff also performed door to door outreach with a neighborhood needs assessment survey and hand delivered the brochure. We will be sending a colorful postcard in the mail to all PIN holders and registered voters announcing the January community meetings.

 

The West Town SSA Needs Assessment Survey was created to understand and address the needs of business owners, property owners or residents in West Town during the process of renewing and expanding the West Town Special Service Area and its applicable services. We are encouraging people to complete the survey if they are located in the proposed future reconstituted West Town SSA boundaries.

 

Click here to participate in the online West Town SSA Neighborhood Needs Assessment Survey.

 

Click here to sign our supportive signature page if you would like to be a part of the West Town SSA.