Redevelopment Committee Minutes – DRAFT
Kingfield Neighborhood Association
April 26, 2006
MLK Park
7:00 PM
Attendance
Redevelopment Committee Members Present: Rosemary Dolata, Margo Geffen, Darrell Gerber, Mark Hinds, Arthur Knowles, Tom Parent, Marnie Peichel, Dave Saddoris,
KFNA Staff Present: Joanna Sahlberg Hallstrom
Introductions: none needed
Approval of Minutes: Held
Dolata was asked by Hinds to chair the redevelopment meeting until he arrived, since he was detained at another meeting.
Membership Roster: It was decided that Hinds will communicate with current members regarding their participation commitment in the upcoming year and submit an updated attendance sheet to Sarah Linnes-Robinson as the roster.
1st Annual Southwest Minneapolis Home Remodeling Contest/Great Minneapolis Real Estate Company: J. Hallstrom updated the committee on the contest details and time line for the event. Ben Kolkman, (612-599-4161) is the contest contact person. Great Minneapolis is a local business (not a franchise) located at 54th and Penn. They see this contest as a way to be involved in and benefit the local community while getting promoting their business.
What they need from neighborhoods is a commitment to promote the contest via newsletter, web site, email, post cards etc. and allow Great Minneapolis to present the contest at appropriate neighborhood events. KFNA is not required to sell any tickets – although that would be welcome.
50% of the proceeds from ticket sales will be split between neighborhoods. The other half will go as prize money to the neighborhoods with the most contest winners (they are still working on some of the detail). Great Minneapolis doesn’t make any money off the contest.
The contest date does not conflict with any other home tours in Minneapolis or surrounding area. An individual can participate in BOTH the Minneapolis Home Tour and this contest. It would be an extra bonus for those people.
The neighborhoods already committed to the contest are the four that surround Lake Harriet.
Since the details of the contest were not delivered at the March board and KFNA participation in the contest still needs board approval it may be too late for KFNA to participation this year. Regardless, Peichel made a motion for KFNA to participate in the contest pending board approval. Gerber gave the second to the motion. The motion passed unopposed.
J. Hallstrom will follow-up with Great Minneapolis and Sarah Linnes-Robinson about the timeline prior to the April board meeting.
Project Updates:
Best Foods: Knowles reported that Rami Adi owner of Best Foods would like to expand his grocery store (to include more produce etc) and move it to the new 38 Lander development. Adi has contacted Lander numerous times but has not had much response. Dolata stated that she would be willing to forward Adi’s information to Chris Kennelly, KFNA’s Lander contact. Knowles will get the Rami Abi’s full contact information to Dolata.
36th and Lyndale: Development continues to move forward yet tenants are not identified.
Super America: The Lyndale SA has been closed and is now boarded up. This is primarily an East Harriet Farmstead Neighborhood Association issue and KFNA will support as needed. Hinds gave an historical update on the SA situation. KFNA’s position has always been to redevelop the sites into one gas station and another type of mixed use housing development. A recent community meeting of 120 people regarding the SA was a format primarily for resident grievances (garbage, drug dealing, noise, raccoons,). A smaller group had begun meeting with SA to help SA begin to be a better community neighbor. EHFNA would bring a list of complaints and actions for SA to address in order to restore their relationship with residents. EHFNA is not ready for discussion about redevelopment.
The official report is that SA closed the EHFNA side because that station was in worse condition. A question was raised about how long SA has to own a closed site until they lose their right to operate on it. Knowles thought one year. Hinds wants to encourage EHFNA to be open to looking at more innovative designs for a new SA on the EHFNA side. SA needs 12 of 18 signatures (residents surrounding site)to get approval to redevelopment.
Variance Request for 3615 1st: As recommended by the zoning sub committee, the KFNA Board supported the 3615 1st Ave. variance request and Saddoris hand delivered a letter of support from KFNA to the property owners. Saddoris has not received any report back from the owner although he requested an update.
Nicollet Cooperative: As reported last month, Hinds, Geffen and Dolata toured the coop and pursued leads that might be interested in acquiring the property. Project for Pride and Living reported back that they are not interested due to the property cost. They may have been interested in acquiring the site if they had known about it prior the establishment of the coop. Dolata does not have any other secure leads. The current sale price is 3.8 million. The committee discussed other possibilities for the site. It was discussed that the site may be useful as supportive housing but a nursing is not an option.
Ungerman Construction: Geffen confirmed that McDonalds’ is not looking at any sites in KFNA.
Neighborhood Planning Process: The committee decided that they need to do an audit of existing plans, eventuate them and proactively seek changes so that changes are reflected in the new Minneapolis Comprehensive Plan.
The committee brainstormed a list of planning entities and assigned individuals to research each plan and how it affects KFNA.
MNDot – Darrell Gerber
Comprehensive Plan – (zoning / city / Nicollet) – Margo Geffen
Met Council – Regional Plan – Mark Hinds
Water Shed – Dave Saddoris
Metro Transit – Darrell Gerber
Access Mpls-Darrell Gerber
Park Board- Mark Hinds
Hennepin County – Marnie Peichel
Library Board – Marnie Peichel
Nicollet Ave. Plan- Margo Geffen
38th Chicago Redevelopment Plans- Mark Hinds
MAC (air port)-Tom Parent
Department of Transportation –Darrell Gerber
HUD-Tom Parent
MPCA – regional plans – To Be Assigned (TBA)
City Public Works – TBA
MPD- TBA
DNR-Tom Parent
Transit Plans
Environment Plans
Human Service Plans
Transporation: Gerber presented transportation maps and the committee discussed transportation needs/ideas across the metro: bus, bike etc and street designations (activity streets/ commercial corridor / community connectors, commuter lines).
Local Commons: Hinds met with Ristau and discussed options for the Local Commons Project, regarding the first step of the project and what KFNA wants get out of this process. The second step is to collect information and design a collection tools. The committee needs to decide what information they want to collect / how to collect / how to synthesize it. The committee needs to identify what the important assets in the community are that aren’t physically located in the neighborhood. It is also important to identify geographical assets and outside assets. It was stated that KFNA could do a walking tour of neighborhood to complete an inventory. J. Hallstrom suggested using the Citizen Patrol walking groups to collect information. Data collection like this will help the committee identify where to focus efforts. It will also identify vacant store fronts and be used as a tool to market empty spaces. Gerber noted that some of the GIS data will help identify potential problem properties or redevelopment sites.
Hinds would like to fold I Local Commons tasks into the normal meeting schedule.
Wrap Up:
Due to scheduling conflict the redevelopment committee decided to move the next redevelopment meeting to Wednesday, May 17th. The entire meeting will be devoted to the Local Commons Project. In June the committee will review the list of other plans to begin working on. Hinds will work on group GIS training.
Minutes completed by Joanna S. Hallstrom – KFNA\