Kingfield Neighborhood Association

KFNA Board Election now open online

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Vote for Your Kingfield Board Members!

Five community members have put their names in to run for the open seats on your nonprofit neighborhood association board of directors. Read about them, and vote for them here!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KFNA2023

Please note, seats do remain open even once these community members are elected, so if you are passionately interested in building community, doing outreach to under-reached and underserved populations, or are just a super detailed financier or planner please consider filling an empty seat! To do so, simply reach out to board Secretary Josh Martin.

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

Doors Open Minneapolis

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Saturday, May 13, 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday, May 14, 10 am – 5 pm
Free

Don’t miss this chance to visit the Hennepin History Museum at the day and time that works best for you the weekend of May 13 – 14.  These extended hours are part of the Doors Open Minneapolis weekend.  Presentations on the history of the Museum, the Christian Family Mansion, and the historic Washburn Fair Oaks neighborhood will be conducted hourly in the Great Room, from 11 am – 4 pm.

Full details on Doors Open Minneapolis can be found at https://www.doorsopenminneapolis.org/

Fifth Precinct Open House

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Located at 3101 Nicollet Av S (Enter through the opened gates on 1st or Nicollet Avenue.)

Learn about the police department with free food and free fun!

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!