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MINUTES OF THE MHNA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
FEBRUARY 17, 2004 University Lutheran Church of Hope, 601 13th Ave SE, MPLS

1. Meeting called to order at 7:40 p.m. by MHNA president Kelly Carver. After several items carried over from the board meeting were added to the agenda, the agenda was approved.
2. A motion to approve the January minutes (Bill Huntzicker) was passed.
3. Council Member Paul Zerby addressed the group. He wanted to clarify his support of a new university neighborhood association, because an article in the Minnesota Daily quoting his support featured a map of the new neighborhood boundaries that he did not support. The map showed annexing parts of the West Bank and PPERRIA neighborhoods. He also talked about the 15th Avenue road project and the possibility of laying conduit for future lighting there. (See attached board news) The new chief of police was sworn in today. Arvonne Fraser asked about the new “no parking here to corner” signs coming in spring. She hopes enforcement follows once they are installed. Many intersections are dangerous. Kelly expressed frustration about pedestrian expectations not being met at the new Tenth Avenue pedestrian cross-way. Would it be possible to replace the flashing yellow lights with red? Lisa Cerney of Public Works was present. She said Public Works will check into it.
4. Board action taken earlier tonight: Zoning and Planning committee recommended approval of variances, zoning change and conditional use permits requested to move forward the Phoenix Lofts, 140 condos being built adjacent to St. Anthony Main. The design guidelines meet those outlined in our neighborhood master plan. A request for a nonconforming use certificate to restore lost rights as a rooming house at 1313 Sixth Street SE was denied.
5. Party Task Force – Kendre Turoni from the University of Minnesota thought it would be useful to periodically meet with neighbors. Looking forward to spring she asked the board to name one or two representatives to represent the neighborhood. Board members Gordon Kepner and Charles Carlson agreed to serve. The board discussed the EAW for the Schafer Richardson A-mill project. Board representatives will attend the meeting tomorrow night and ask for clarification and expansion on the traffic management and visual impact related to the project. The Center for Neighborhoods Corridor Housing Initiatives program was discussed. This initiative helps neighborhoods develop affordable housing, bringing together people from the city and neighborhoods to develop projects with mixed use and proper siting. The Z & P committee felt this would be an advantageous partnership. There is no cost. Application deadline is in April. They will help assess areas but right now the group is looking at a small triangular piece of property between East Hennepin, Central Avenue and Eighth Street SE. It is a good location for housing on major roadways with easy access to commercial and transit.
6. Westside Road Project – Lisa Cerney, Public Works, explained the task force recommendations: Fifty five “no parking here to corner” signs will go up at intersections. She showed a map. They are concentrated on the east side near 35W and on the west side near Marcy School. There will also be a couple of truck route signs replaced and a sign to redirect trucks out of the neighborhood. In process is some ID signage to delineate the boundary of the Fifth Street historic district. There is enough funding in the project for two of those signs but we may want to find some more funding for additional signs. There will be a neighborhood meeting for affected residents concerning construction schedule, property assessment etc., later in the spring.
7. Kendre Turoni met with sorority members and Marcy Holmes reps recently about increased lighting on the east side. They are looking for MHNA support to lift the city’s low-level lighting moratorium. The area from Fifth Street to Fourth Street, Dinkytown to Tenth Avenue SE is where they are looking for increased lighting. Harriett Johnson suggested that in the meantime, having people keep their porch lights on every night is very useful especially during the long winter months. Sorority members are working with Nicole Nelson CCP/SAFE to draft a flyer asking neighbors to turn their lights on. We will add it to the web site and shoot a note to Southwest Angle.
8. Events – This year’s July 4th parade occurs during the Grand Excursion, where a flotilla of paddle-wheelers from around the country will converge and turn around at Boom Island. We are also going to have a float in the Aquatennial parade on Saturday, July 17th. Board members met with a rep from the Downtown Council about the event. We’ll be getting $500 in seed money toward our entry. Two neighborhoods will be in the parade this year – Marcy Holmes and Powderhorn. A city block downtown along the parade route will be reserved for residents of these two neighborhoods and free lunch will be provided for 500 people. There are two ways to participate: be part of the float or be part of the audience to cheer the float as it goes by. We’ve also applied for $2000 in NRP funds. We’re hoping to be able to use this float in the 4th of July parade and for many years to come. We need to get a lot of participation. Marcy School middle-schoolers will be invited to help design. We need designers and anyone with float building expertise. Please call the office to volunteer 379-3814.
9. NRP – Elissa Cortell reminded the group that a brief survey of NRP Phase One can be found in the March Southeast Angle. People are asked to fill it in and mail it in – no stamp needed. Applications for the next round of home improvements program will be sent out in March. Applications are still being taken for the rental rehab grant. FFI call CEE at 335-5885.
10. Jan Morlock, U of M Community Relations, talked about possible changes at the Academic Health Center and Fairview clinics. Joint planning is currently underway to look at how the clinics can be better physically organized and made more easily accessible. Phase one, which is organization, will be finished in 90 days. She wanted to let us know there is some high level planning occurring that will have real estate implications of some sort but it is too soon to say what they will be.
11. Announcements – The Marcy Arts ABC Gala is set for Saturday, March 13th. Advance tickets can be purchased by phone 692-0719. On April 22nd, SECIA and MSA will sponsor a tree planting in Van Cleve Park dedicated to the spirit of a caring community to memorialize the three students who died in the fire last fall. On March 1st a “Thank U” event will be held to help promote respect and neighborliness at the U. MHNA is invited to participate. Kendra thought this event would be a good way to reach out, especially to find student volunteers for the float and trash receptacles. Sonny Schneiderhan urged members to adopt litter containers throughout the neighborhood. This is a new goal for the livability committee. Sororities and fraternities that adopt containers can paint their insignias on them. It is hoped that an art class will assist in decorating containers to discourage graffiti. For more information contact Ardes Johnson 378-1166.

8:40 p.m. meeting adjourned. Melissa Bean, staff

More News of the MHNA Board March 2004

1. Stadium – President Kelly Carver went to the task force meeting and passed out some preliminary visuals of the stadium. It will be located in the same place as the joint Vikings/ Gophers stadium was proposed, across from Mariucci Arena in the transitway/ parking area. This stadium would be smaller (50,000 seats) and U-shaped, looking much like Memorial Stadium. The west end would be enclosed for concessions and possibly some academic uses. The traffic management study is being reviewed. The plans show a shifting of Huron Boulevard and widening University Ave east of Oak Street adding a median. University would be 2- way there. There is some concern about the sharp angle formed at Oak and University. The U seems adamant that this is a football only stadium; no special events except commencement and others that might be academically related. Neighborhoods are concerned about noise, parking, traffic. The plan also calls for closing off Oak Street before games to create a place for pre-game activities. Some possible benefits to the neighborhood could be financial, such as neighborhoods receiving a percentage of concessions sales through the creation of a SE Foundation. Those in charge seemed amenable to putting together a signed document, such as a memorandum of understanding that the neighborhoods would remain a part of the process- not just pre-construction, but for the life of the stadium- as partners at the table when decisions are made. Kelly also thought it would be good to have more than one person from Marcy-Holmes at these meetings. Arvonne Fraser asked if we are on record as supporting this new stadium. We are not. We are on record as NOT supporting the Gophers/Vikings combined stadium. It is too early in the process to consider an official vote. A motion was made (Gordon Kepner) and passed that we send a letter to the U stating that we are not endorsing the stadium at this point; that we appreciate the U’s level of accommodation to our preliminary requests; that we understand that the impacted neighborhoods will remain a part of the planning and operating process for the life of the stadium; that we get the other SE neighborhoods to join our letter; and that we send copies to our state legislators.
2. Lighting on 15th Ave SE was discussed. Since the streets are being repaved this summer, this would seem an ideal time to add the low level lighting thought to be needed for this heavily walked and biked route. Current lighting is only on the U of MN side of the street, except for one pole. The city says the lighting on 15th meets their standard. Unfortunately, the city’s low level lighting moratorium is still in effect and any new lights would have to be paid for by property owners there – all but one are absentee owners. Ardes Johnson and Skott Johnson (no relation) suggested a compromise – that the conduit be laid with the road construction, and then if/when the moratorium is lifted we could get the petition going and hopefully get lights without tearing up the streets again. Ardes also feels that the U has some responsibility and an investment of the appearance of 15th Ave. due to their sports complex location there.
   A meeting is set for Thursday with property owners and some other stakeholders at Van Cleve Park for further discussion. Brian Biele also mentioned that the city has been asked to pave the road extending 8th St beyond Bierman Field and that could possibly be offered as some leverage to get the U to help out on the lighting of 15th Ave.
3. Elissa Cortell began her report with a 30 day notification that a request to reallocate $5048 of NRP funds will be considered at the next meeting. The money was in the 6th Ave Gateway budget for a wrought iron fence at the ADM parking lot. Now that the site is being redeveloped, there is no longer a need for the fence. Two requests for the money have come in: $3048 for additional tree planting on public land in the neighborhood (including Holmes Park) and $2000 for float building for neighborhood marketing at the parades this summer.
   NRP Implementation Committee Chair Gordon Kepner added that Phase II NRP funds contributed $1 million to be spent in 2004 (via competitive applications from neighborhoods) on neighborhood policing initiatives. He wants our group to join SECIA in applying for $20 – 30,000 for additional police patrols in the 10 pm-3 am hours, focusing on certain properties and areas. He plans to bring the proposal to the March meeting.
4. The By-Laws Committee continues to meet and the proposed changes will be discussed at the March board meeting.