Meeting Minutes
July 10, 2018
Attending board members: Allan Campbell, Richard Logan, Tim Musson, Victoria Hoshal, John Bordwell, Martha Yunker, Jennifer Davie
16 residents
Absent: (excused) Jeff Idelkope, Michael Sanders, Annie Zager; (unexcused) Lynette Davis
Called to order 6:04
President’s Report: Linea to be coming
Secretary’s Report: June minutes – Richard/John approved
Treasurer’s Report: Fundamentally no changes from last month
City Council Update Linea Palmisano
Calhoun Towers Planning Commission public hearing on Monday 7/16 (4:30 in Council Chambers). The following points were discussed in preparation for the hearing:
- Planning Commission – has reps from City Council, Park Board, School Board, residents, and area experts. “Mission statement” is to make decisions on existing comp plan.
- From here it will go to Zoning & Planning of Council committee then to full Council
- May not have another opportunity for public comment unless there is an appeal (but need to double checking that info). (NOTE: Did confirm that this was likely the last public comment opportunity.)
- Resident has been at Planning Commission Committee of the Whole (COW) meetings, and saw some of the architect presentations. Some on committee didn’t seem very well versed on the project. Felt like the traffic assumptions were not in line with reality. COW is an informal meeting of the Planning Commission.
- City Public Works involved with project for moving of streets…assured that a ladder truck can fit and turn-around in response to concerns about emergency vehicle access in that area.
- Assumptions that LRT will reduce traffic on Excelsior by 15% – but most agree that the opposite would happen. Actual access to transit is limited (only east-west) in the neighborhood, compounding the impact on these limited routes.
- Who may live there does matter (will they have cars, are they working, do they have to buy/condo vs rent). This topic was dismissed in COW meetings as insignificant.
- Affordable housing: this project has increased its commitment to address these concerns somewhat based on WCNC requests along with City Council’s office.
- Any suggestions of how we may be able to sway this Planning Commission? Had some movement on affordability and the environment, but no movement on density and height. Traffic concerns need a voice.
- Bader stated they can’t cut back on size and scope, but that if LRT does not come through, then changes would be needed. 2040 Plan seems to be based on LRT.
- No family housing in the plan (limits that type of diversity).
- We hope the development will provoke the county to fix the sidewalks on Excelsior.
- Do they consider how the growth of St Louis Park affects us? Yes, the multi-modal study look at the full region.
- Representatives at the meeting volunteered to speak at this public hearing on Monday, and will try to coordinate their efforts to maximize the messaging.
- During the course of past planning commission meetings, big changes have happened. Approve about 80-85% of proposals.
2040 Plan
Best chance to impact change is right now through resident feedback. Next draft scheduled to available by the end of Sept.
Committee Reports:
Land Use:
- Calhoun Tower project
- 2040 – yard signs popping up by grassroots efforts of residents
Communications, Outreach, Events:
- July newsletter – to print Wednesday morning
- Movie (8/11 – Frozen) Ben & Jerry’s & Sweet Dreams Fair Favs, sponsored by Eli Johnson Realtor
- Wine Tasting event (10/11)
- Victoria – website; update, new navigation, logo, wants to do more user friendly: RFPs for redesign
Environment:
- Minneapolis Green Teams – Tim has joined, and looking into Master Water Steward program
- Stencilling – we would still like to move forward on this
Greenspace:
- Landscape architect are still in discussions with Watershed District (regarding wetlands) hope we can have a proposal by September meeting if not sooner
Safety:
- In conjunction with banners and traffic calming & neighborhood character
Contest for beautification ideas (way to combine ideas and efforts) - Regular scheduling of traffic observations to be set with Steve from CIDNA (information passed on to others) and volunteers are always welcome and needed
Recommendation to do a quarterly report or such and distribute more widely
Coordinator’s Report:
- Wine event meeting tomorrow, will monitor email on vaca, next meeting September
New Business:
Adjourn 7:30pm