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MINUTES of the MHNA General Membership Meeting Tuesday March 16, 2004
University Lutheran Church of Hope, 601 13th Ave SE, Minneapolis

1. Meeting called to order at 7:40 pm by MHNA President Kelly Carver.
2. Board items 6 and 7 were moved to this meeting and then agenda was approved.
3. The minutes of the February meeting were approved (Jo Radzwill motion).
4. Council Member Paul Zerby informed the group that 20 responses to the Pillsbury A-Mill project EAW were received. The developer asked for additional time to respond and the planner will contact us before moving forward.He saw the latest CVS plan and thinks it’s better now that the building has been moved to the corner. There are still some potential obstacles, including the existing curb cut’s proximity to 35W off ramp. Public Works will review that situation. A zone change to C-2 is still needed and at last count the Planning Department was not in favor.Council Member Zerby checked into the 5th St SE & 10th Ave crosswalk complaints. He has asked Public Works to take another look. He also suggested contacting Jeff Rugel at police dept.

   A meeting is scheduled for tomorrow about the 15th Ave. repaving project. The public hearing will be March 23rd. Public Works agreed to add conduit for future low level lights there if/when the city’s moratorium is lifted. The U has agreed to bear special assessments the same as other property owners there. The 4th St SE / 5th St SE Dinkytown to 10th Ave. lighting initiative is moving along. Another meeting to discuss the University West Road project will be held April 12 at 7 pm, Van Cleve Park, followed with a public hearing on April 20.

5. President Carver reported on board activities earlier tonight. The by-laws committee recommended a set of by-laws changes that were negotiated after several months of meetings. 15 of the 16 amendment proposals were approved for recommendation to the general membership by the board in a straw vote. The board is still trying to reach consensus on the package. A vote will be brought to the general membership in June, as stipulated in our by-laws.The Zoning & Planning Committee reported no change to their previous stances of no support for a non conforming use certificate for 1313 SE 6th St and for a change in zoning for 814 5th St SE. CVS Pharmacy’s new plan for a store at 10th & University now has the building up to the corner, with additional windows. Most of what we asked for has been accomplished with the new plan. There are still some issues to work out with the city (use of the existing curb cut on University, signage, and MHNA approval of landscaping plan) that the committee will address. The board voted to support the new plan contingent on approval of the site plan and to authorize the MHNA Z & P committee to meet again on the landscaping/streetscaping (site plan) with the developer.The board voted to re-allocate $5,048 from the Sixth Ave. Gatweway Project to fund $2000 toward the parade float and $3048 for more trees on public land in the neighborhood.
6. Kelly urged members to sign up to help build the float for this summer’s parades. Members are urged to call the office if they can offer expertise. The annual May River Clean Up was discussed. Turn out has been pretty low for the past few years. Kelly asked those assembled if anyone wished to hold the event this May. Hearing no response, we will opt out of the event this year.
7. Gordon Kepner urged members to fill out the NRP survey that was in SE Angle. This is necessary as part of our evaluation of Phase I before we can get Phase II funding. The deadline is March 31. Surveys were available at this meeting , along with applications for the 2004 Home Improvement Deferred Loan program info and applications. These were mailed out to all homeowners. Deadline for applications is April 16. For more information, call Elissa at 379-3812. In other NRP news, the joint Marcy-Holmes/SECIA application for the Restorative Justice Program was approved. This initiative deals with low level misdemeanor livability offenders doing community service and facing their victims in the community. We will have more information when the group has had time to meet.
8. Bill Tipman, of Bear Creek Capital, spoke about the latest plans for the CVS Drugstore proposed for 10th & University. They expect to be opening 30 new stores in the Twin Cities in the next 2-3 years. Dean Devolis, project architect, showed the latest site plan. The pharmacy building has been moved up to the corner of 10th & University; there is glass all along the front and parking at the back; there is a drive through. They plan to use existing curb cuts, although Public Works still has some reservations about the one on University Ave SE. The “full service” store (sells groceries as well as drugstore items) will be stucco and masonry. Delivery vehicles will be using the 10th Ave entry. While some CVS stores are open 24 hours and they are requesting permission to be open 24 hours at this site, the decision is made strategically at the company. Since the parcel they are developing was once two lots, they are requesting a variance that would allow two signs. They have submitted the plan to the Planning Commission. A re-zoning of the property is needed (currently R5 residential). The Marcy-Holmes Master Plan does indicate changing this site to commercial use. This item will be heard at the Planning Commission on April 19.
9. The subject of elm trees and Dutch Elm Disease was discussed by Park & Rec Forester Ralph Sievert and Rainbow Tree’s Lieben McCormick. It seems that we are losing many large boulevard elms lately. Residents were concerned and wished to know if anything is available now that it has been 30 years since the big outbreak of the disease in the city. Mr. Sievert explained that in the early 70’s there were thousands of trees affected. Minneapolis followed the lead of other cities at the time- condemn the tree and remove it if it was on public land, or homeowners could contract parks forestry service or commercial tree service for removal if on private land. The important thing is to get rid of the bark because that is where the beetles live and how the disease is spread. City foresters are allowed by ordinance to come onto private property to check the health of elm trees. If a tree on public property is suspected of having Dutch Elm, it is marked by an orange dot, which means they are keeping an eye on it. If it has an orange ring around it, it is slated for removal. The cost of removing boulevard trees is borne by the city but the cost of removing diseased elms on private property is the responsibility of the property owner. This can be considerable – up to $5,000.There are two treatment options. One is if a tree has the disease, the other is to prevent the disease in healthy trees. Property owners can treat boulevard trees in front of their property of they notify the park board forestry department. Treating diseased trees is not as successful as the preventative treatment of injections. Some groups of neighbors or neighborhood associations have banded together to pay for the preventative treatment. An example is on Newton Ave So. near Lake of the Isles, where the tree canopy that existed before the 1970’s outbreak was saved. The Kingfield neighborhood has an NRP program that funds therapeutic treatment in order to save condemned trees. Cedar Isles Dean has a cost-sharing program for doing injections. The cost of treatment is based on the diameter of the tree. Mr. Mc Cormick urged neighbors to put a group of trees out for bid at one time to get the greatest savings and to spread the treatment root to root to nearby trees. One treatment lasts 3 years and usually is about $350. This is a bargain compared to the cost of removal and considering the value these trees offer. Mr. Sievert said that the number of trees we are losing is still manageable (last year about 2,000 on private and 2,000 on public land) and that the disease has always been here. Some think the milder winters have had an effect. Neighborhoods do seem to be affected in cycles for “hot spots”.If a property owner has a condemned tree on private land, they can contact the park forestry dept. for a bid to remove the tree. Sometimes it will be a better price, although the ease of getting equipment to the tree can be a consideration. The symptoms of Dutch Elm are evident when the tree is leafed out – a section will look wilted. The disease spreads faster in hotter weather. The beetles are very tiny. Park forestry personnel are also authorized to enter private property to look for oak wilt. It’s not such a big problem in Minneapolis because it mostly affects red oaks. It does cause defoliation.

   When asked if there is a correlation between drought and Dutch Elm disease, Mr. Sievert replied no, sometimes healthier trees are more attractive to the beetles. It is unlawful to store any elm firewood in your yard from a diseased tree. City inspectors can condemn a woodpile if they find evidence of the beetles.

10. U of MN’s Kendre Turonie reported on the Off Campus Housing Fair. MHNA board member Charles Carlson attended a table on our behalf and Kendre felt our location, next to Housing Inspections table, and the aerial maps of the neighborhood were valuable for the students. Another event called Thank U was attended by board member Ardes Johnson.
11. Announcements – The Marcy Open School Annual Plant Sale is underway. Order forms are available at the school or by calling 668-1023. This year they are adding a garden arts sale. Artists interesting in having a booth at the sale should also call that number. Orders can be picked up May 7 & 8. There is a discount for prepaid orders received by April 16.Tomorrow at Van Cleve Park there is a meeting about the 15th Ave road project.The Mpls St. Paul Home Tour is looking for volunteers to staff the houses. Call the volunteer hot line at 673-5076.

    Residents who are concerned about rising property taxes may be wish to attend a senate tax hearing re: restructuring the property tax system so it is based on the owners’ income instead of the property valuation. This is being coordinated by Janet Renz, 763-755-0530. She lives outside the city but is a volunteer at Marcy Open School.

    We got a listing of progress on the 6th Ave Gateway Sculptures project. It looks like we will have them installed before July 4, but that we will not get the full number (26) specified in the proposal.

    Kendre Turonie also had available a new brochure called “Party Smart Advice”.