Ald. Milele Coggs
Press Release

Council votes against food seller’s license for Dollar Tree

Statement from Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs July 2, 2013

By - Jul 2nd, 2013 04:02 pm

Today the full Common Council voted 14-0-1 to approve the recommendation of the Licenses Committee to deny a food seller’s license for the Dollar Tree at 2303 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.

To be consistent with my vote at committee (I serve as vice chair of the Licenses Committee), I abstained from today’s vote at Council.

Today’s Council action is a victory for neighbors, who have been opposed to the Dollar Tree from the beginning at that location because of the detrimental impact on the neighborhood (litter, traffic, noise, etc.) and the inconsistencies with Bronzeville (Milwaukee’s African-American Arts Cultural & Entertainment District). They were hoping that the property owner’s promise of a grocery store would come to fruition, and obviously that promise has not been kept.

I have supported the neighbors’ position on this location from the start, and during a public meeting I hosted last month it was abundantly evident that the Dollar Tree was not supported (and that clear message was also conveyed to the owner of the property).

For residents, I believe they can look to the example set by the Bronzeville area neighbors as an excellent approach to civic engagement. The neighbors attended public meetings (including the Licenses Committee meeting at City Hall) and presented their arguments against the food license, the committee and the Council agreed with them, and in the end they achieved the results they were looking for.

I will continue working with the neighbors to pursue the proper and best use of the property.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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