BOARD, RESIDENTS VOTE AGAINST REMOVING HOUSES FOR GRAND ROUNDS MISSING LINK

Plans for the latest alternative route for completion of the “missing link” in the Park and Recreation Board’s Grand Rounds parkway met stiff opposition at the meeting.

Following objections and protests by many of the 45 residents at the crowded meeting, SECIA board members and most of the residents voted to oppose all Park Board proposals that would remove homes to make way for a route to complete the Grand Rounds parkway. By one homeowner’s count, 100 homes could be taken. Editor’s note: the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board estimates that 25 homes could be removed, seven of them non-homesteaded rental property, said Project Manager Nick Eoloff.

The vote also specified that the route selected should be a bicycle and pedestrian link only, and that it should not provide a direct route for motor vehicles over the railroad yards to the University of Minnesota.

The Park Board has proposed the three-mile missing link to complete the 50-mile parkway circle around the city. The parkway was conceived in 1883 by landscape architect H.W.S. Cleveland.

At the meeting, George Puzak, vice chair of the Park Board’s citizen advisory committee and a former at-large park board member, said the route selection process began in June, with 12 route options. Plans for the route include adding parkland.

Puzak presented a new alternative route, called G5, to the meeting. The north-south route would turn west from Industrial Boulevard onto E. Hennepin Avenue. It would turn south and follow 27th Avenue SE, and would require removing houses, he said. A tunnel would take the route under the BN rail line. It would go south on 24th Ave. SE, cross Kasota Avenue, cross a bridge proposed over the rail yards, and end at the proposed Granary Road in the SEMI industrial area.

Puzak said there are five routes remaining for consideration. The advisory committee at its Dec. 6 meeting needs to reduce it to two or three routes, he said. Park Board consultants would then review the remaining routes.

At the meeting, a resident said the G5 route would run between the university’s married student housing complex and recreation areas, such as Van Cleve park and recreation center. She estimated there are 800 to 1,000 children living in the 400 units of housing.

She asked how many cars a day would use the parkway and how the children would be protected. Puzak said the parkway speed limit is 25 miles per hour, although he acknowledged it isn’t always obeyed.

“Don’t even think about isolating families with children,” board member Joan Menken commented. Menken recalled that she lived in the original university married student Quonset hut housing at the site, and she later settled in the neighborhood.

Applause followed after board member Jeane Moore said, referring to the G5 route, “It’s not going to be used in this neighborhood. It will be used by people going through our neighborhood and I don’t see why people should whip through here to the university.”

Another resident argued, “We don’t have enough money to run the NRP program. Now there is talk of expensive bridges.” The audience applauded when she said, “I wouldn’t be unhappy if the plan never happened.”

Park Board consultant Tom Johnson said he understands the residents’ views, “but some people feel the missing link needs to finish the Grand Rounds which is considered a jewel of the city.” Johnson said the entire Grand Rounds is a regional park. “The property values are the most stable. It is an amenity,” he said. “History has shown it stabilizes the tax base and stimulates expenditure of private dollars,” he added.

Johnson said, “Let’s have a dialogue sponsored by the neighborhood association and find out what the neighborhood wants.” He put his hands over the G5 route on the wall map, and said, “Let’s put this away.” He proposed a community planning charette or forum to work out the concerns.

Como homeowner Lila Smith at the meeting distributed a five-page critique of the G5 route proposal, and indicated routes she prefers. Smith said the G5 route would have “a detrimental effect on our neighborhood and a devastating human cost in the disruption of family’s lives and their relationships in the community.”

Instead, Smith said the G4 route, the route furthest east, near Highway 280, “provides ample opportunity to reclaim and enhance green space, and to connect us with the Prospect Park area of Southeast, the Gopher Stadium, the Mississippi River, and the Guthrie.”

Smith summed up her feelings in an email following the meeting: “When a hurricane takes your home it is called a tragedy. When arson claims your home it’s a crime. So when someone thinks it’s a great idea to tear down your house and force you to move, it doesn’t feel like progress.”

There was applause when homeowner Katie Fournier said she considers it “unjust that consultants and others come back once again to propose to take houses in the Como neighborhood.”

There was applause after a property owner commented about the G5 route proposal, “If you want to sell (your house), who will buy? Would you make home improvements? So, the Park Board should move quickly. This cloud will lead to further deterioration of the neighborhood.”

Johnson said the advisory committee’s route recommendation would go to the Park Board in February or March. Puzak said a funding request might go to the legislature next year. A homeowner estimated, therefore, that funding might be available in two years.

A resident who said he has lived on 26th Street for 31 years, however, seemed to consider the G5 parkway route as a way to improve the neighborhood. “Your neighborhood has taken a hit in the past,” referring to litter and noise. “Your neighborhood is determined by landlords and student housing,” he said. Board president Wendy Menken acknowledged there are residents who are frustrated, but she noted there were 300 people who have attended route meetings “who say we’re not too far gone.”

Later in the meeting, a resident said, “It makes me sad we have to continue to defend our neighborhood when it is a community. It’s an arrogant insult to our community, in my opinion.”

Puzak said, “This meeting has been helpful as a committee member.” He asked if the neighborhood is interested in developing open space. Board member Joan Menken said that question requires “a whole other discussion.” Menken asked what the neighborhood would get out of a parkway. “Do we preserve our homes?” Reclaiming ponds and wetlands “are amenities we should have exploited a long time ago,” she said.

Board president Wendy Menken observed, “We’re interested in amenities and green space, on our own terms.”

Board member Connie Sullivan, a representative to the Park Board committee, recommended that residents look at the association’s website, secomo.org, for news about route proposals.

Puzak said a third Grand Rounds missing link open house meeting has been tentatively scheduled for January 17 at the Van Cleve park building.

NRP, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IDEAS SOUGHT

Ward 1 Council Member Paul Ostrow said he is a member of a committee evaluating the Neighborhood Revitalization Program and the Community Engagement proposal. Ostrow asked residents to email comments and ideas to him and to Ward 2 Council Member Cam Gordon.

Ostrow said questions to consider include what tools does the neighborhood need to be successful that it doesn’t have now. Staff support needed? Public safety issues?

Board member Connie Sullivan asked if the council’s plan will “empower neighborhoods to make their own decisions?” Sullivan said she opposes the city’s approach that says, “We’ll have staff downtown.”

Ostrow said, “We need to keep the capacity of the neighborhoods,” but, he said, the question is, “do we have the dollars? The funding mechanism for NRP is going away.”

Sullivan commented, “NRP has a stunning national reputation. And they’re going to kill it?”

Gordon added that the city council “will want accountability from the neighborhoods.”

PARALEGAL TO HELP WITH PARTY CITATIONS

The 2nd Police Precinct has a new paralegal who will help process administrative citations for noisy parties, Council Member Paul Ostrow said. Council Member Cam Gordon said there is a perception in the community that police are being soft. “We need comments from the community,” he said.

A Como resident said, “Two a.m. is way too late to break up a party,” and that a higher fine is needed for loud parties. Ostrow said, “It’s our responsibility to monitor it.” Gordon said, “We need to share responsibility,” and said residents should call about loud parties, then follow-up and contact 2nd Lt. Gregory Rinehart. Board member Jeremiah Peterson noted that SECIA’s safety committee meets the last Tuesday of the month.

Board member Joan Menken said she was told that loud parties go all night and don’t stop in the summer during school break. “It’s all year long,” Menken said. Also, parties are held not only on Friday and Saturday nights, but also on Thursday nights. “It’s a mess. And we don’t have enough officers. Something culturally needs to change. We can’t keep up with it.”

Ostrow said if loud parties are not getting citations, “then the system is broken. We need a clear process. Then things should automatically happen.”

Board member Jeane Moore said police precincts do not have enough officers to cover party calls and that sometimes there are only one or two squad cars on the streets for the whole precinct. But, Moore said residents should still call and report loud parties. The calls are recorded and the statistics can be used to say more staff is needed. “The police are not slacking. There are not enough police officers on the streets,” she said.

Board president Wendy Menken said to Ostow and Gordon, “I’d appreciate it if you would work on the 911 data. We don’t get the data anymore.”

ASSESSMENT CONSIDERED FOR PAVING OIL, DIRT STREETS

Council Member Ostrow, responding to a question from Board Member Jeremiah Peterson, said a meeting will be held Dec. 4 or 5 to hear from residents living along oil and dirt streets located north of East Hennepin Ave. “They’ve never been paved, and are a real problem for residents and businesses,” Ostrow acknowledged. Assessments to pave the streets would be significant, he said. The first step is to conduct the meeting to see if there is a strong majority of property and business owners in favor of the project, Ostrow said. Assessments cover 25 percent of the cost, while the remaining cost is paid by everyone in property tax, he explained.

Peterson, who said it had been eight months since he asked the city about paving the streets, said most residents in the blocks are renters or the owners live outside the area. Ostrow said if 70 percent of the residents do not want an assessment, “It would be hard to go ahead.” Peterson said if the other residents don’t want the roads paved, “the city is going to leave the roads the way they are? You can’t walk down them.” Ostrow said the decision isn’t up to just two council members.

Peterson said he took a petition to each house about the project. “I felt loved in my neighborhood,” he said. Ostrow complimented Peterson for presenting the petition for a neighborhood improvement. The audience applauded Peterson’s efforts.

BOARD TO MEET IN JANUARY

Board members agreed to hold a meeting in January, citing on-going business items. In the past, January meetings have sometimes been skipped because of a conflict with the New Year’s holiday.

SNOW REMOVAL BID ACCEPTED

The board voted in favor of accepting a snow removal contract bid.

ROCK-TENN REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTED

The board appointed Bill Kahn as the SECIA representative to the Rock-Tenn Community Advisory Panel, St. Paul. The recycling plant needs to find a new source of power, and there is concern about pollution. Previous representative was Justin Eibenholzl.

TUTTLE REUSE, SCHOOLS STRATEGIC PLAN MEETINGS ANNOUNCED

Board president Wendy Menken announced there would be two meetings for community comments to discuss reuse of the former Tuttle Community School building. The meetings are: Saturday, Jan. 26, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. and Tuesday, Jan. 29, 6:30–8:30 p.m., at the Van Cleve Recreation Center. For further information, call the Minneapolis Public Schools at 612-668-8668.

Menken also announced that the school district would hold community meetings to discuss strategic planning recommendations. The meeting for “Area A” schools (which include Northeast and Near-North, among others) will be held Monday, Dec. 3, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Urban League, 2100 Plymouth Ave. N. Area B schools, which include those in Southeast and The Bridge’s coverage area, was held Nov. 15.

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007, Van Cleve Park building. A half-hour social period will start at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will start at 7 p.m.

REGULAR MEETINGS: 1st Tuesday of the month, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Van Cleve Park, 901 15th Ave. SE.

CONTACT: Office, 837 SE 15th Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55414, phone 612-676-1731, James De Sota, neighborhood coordinator, secomo@secomo.org, website: www.secomo.org.

last revised: November 16, 2007

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