Kingfield Neighborhood Association

Signs of the south Nicollet Pollinator Pathway!

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Signs of Pollinator Pathway will be popping up through the neighborhood in early June so keep your eyes peeled for the happy bee signs!

We are planting over 50 garden stops for the Rusty Patched Bumblebee through the Lyndale, Kingfield, and Tangletown neighborhoods! Bees will know where to stop because each garden will have similar flowers blooming at the same time and these tiny native bees feed on “constancy” (kind of like a picky toddler who will only eat plain noodles for an entire two weeks, who then hates them and will only eat hotdogs!)

Thank you neighbors for sharing in this work with us to create a tasty neighborhood for pollinators!

Get hyped for PorchFest by coming to Rock the Boat

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Rock the Boat on Thursday June 8, 8-11 PM

at the Driftwood Char Bar, 4415 Nicollet

Bands  – Dial Tone, along with Dilly Dally Alley, who is fresh off the release of their new album “Make You Whole,” out now on all streaming platforms. Read all about it in a recent interview with MPR: https://www.mprnews.org/episod…

Tickets – Get them here and pay what you can $5-50. All proceeds go to the 2024 solidarity fund. Show your email ticket stub to get in, or get your tix at the door!

MLK Park: A Survey About Adding New Features

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Rank the projects!

The MLK Park Master Plan was finalized by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation board in 2019. A master plan for a park includes a 20-30 year plan for the parks in the area, including existing features and proposed design features. MLK Park is ranked #62 of 152 parks so any improvements or additions to this park will be at least six years out. However, there is a way to get new park features added sooner! Features that are included in the Master Plan for a park are easier to get approved by the Park Board.

Additionally, the Kingfield Neighborhood has $316,442 available in Park Dedication fees. Park Dedication fees are dollars paid by housing developers to the Minneapolis Park Board for new amenities to serve the new neighborhood residents. The price paid is roughly $1700 per unit of market rate housing and the money must be spent within the neighborhood where the housing was constructed. Park dedication fee expenditures are ultimately determined by the Park Board, but the neighborhood organization can make recommendations.

The Kingfield Neighborhood Association (KFNA) has determined it is beneficial to use this Park Dedication money sooner rather than waiting for inclusion of the park in a larger planning process, as the value of the funds are declining with inflation. KFNA has further identified a minimum of $42,000 additional dollars of Kingfield NRP funding and restricted dollars held by KFNA that could be used toward a park project resulting in an investment of at least $358,500. Thus, KFNA has evaluated the Master Plan for projects that fit the criteria for using Park Dedication funding. This criteria includes:

  • it is a new feature
  • it is included in the Master Plan
  • it could be implemented using a combination of Park Dedication fees and KFNA NRP dollars.

KFNA requests that neighbors rank the following three projects as to their preference for securing a dedicated Park Board Planner for detailed planning of the select element(s) in 2024 and implementation in 2025. There is limited detail in the master plan, so there is room for minor changes (such as moving an amenity), provided it does not conflict with other elements of the plan without then identifying where the other feature would be placed. A recommendation from the neighborhood organization will help to prioritize the project for which a detailed plan will be developed.

Link to the survey here: https://bit.ly/MLKParkSurvey2023

Remember to apply for the 2023 season of the Parklet and Street Cafe program!

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The 2023 Parklet and Street Café season is here! These programs aim to activate community corridors with fun public spaces that make neighborhoods more vibrant and support local businesses. If you are interested in creating unique public gathering spaces in your neighborhood, now is the time to apply!

The deadline to apply to host a City-owned parklet is May 7. All other applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Ways to participate:

Neighborhood organizations, street-level businesses, nonprofits, community organizations, and Special Services Districts are all invited to apply.

  • City owned parklets – The City is looking for three community partners to host our City-owned parklets for the 2023 season. The City-owned parklets include all the necessary structures, plantings, chairs, tables, patio umbrellas, and public parklet signage. Hosts are responsible for day-to-day maintenance, such as watering plants, picking up trash, and reporting any issues. City-owned parklet hosts are selected through a competitive application process.
  • Community parklets – Businesses and organizations can apply to create their own public parklet space. The design and installation of community parklets is the responsibility of the applicant.
  • Street Cafes – Street level businesses looking to expand their outdoor seating can apply for a street café. This space functions as an extension of your business where you can seat and serve your customers.

What’s new for the 2023 season?

These programs have been updated to include a street-level parklet and street café option, which means that sidewalk level platforms are no longer required as long as your location allows for it. This option is to help lower the cost for folks that are interested participating.

The City has also lowered meter hooding fees for street cafes in efforts to make the program more accessible to businesses located within metered parking areas. Meter hooding fees are waived for all parklets.

Ready to take the first step in creating an exciting public space in your community? Find more information about the parklet and street café programs and application process on the City’s website or by contacting . Don’t miss this opportunity to make your neighborhood more engaging and vibrant!

KFNA is Hiring a Community Coordinator!

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Community Coordinator Role (15-18 hours/week)

Overview & Mission

The mission of KFNA is serving Kingfield by creating connections, building community, and fostering engagement. KFNA coordinates many much-loved events such as Empty Bowls, the Sap Tap & Pancake Breakfast, and Porchfest, as well as supporting neighborhood projects such as the Pollinator Pathway, community safety workshops, renter canvasses, and neighborhood history projects. This role serves as a key point of engagement and communication between Kingfield renters, homeowners, business owners, and neighborhood community members, and the KFNA Board of Directors. The position of the Community Coordinator will report directly to the Board of Directors.

Read more about KFNA’s Guiding Principles and activities on our website: kingfield.org/about/

Responsibilities [Read more…]