Archives by date

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

1. Meeting called to order at 7:35 PM by President Brian Biele.
2. The October minutes were approved.
3. Council Member Zerby updated members on the surface parking lot across from Stone Arch Apartments. It appeared recently, paved and striped, without any city consent and despite city warnings to stop work until city regulatory process was followed. The city’s Zoning & Planning staff are monitoring the situation.
   When the Bluff Street Development went to the city’s Zoning & Planning Committee, the project was approved for almost all requests, including the re-zoning to C3A, which we opposed. CM Zerby was contacted by Schafer Richardson developers and they plan to ask for a zone change (to C3A or R6) as well, for the A-Mill project.
   The Varsity Theater plan will be heard at Planning Commission on Nov 22.
   CM Zerby got some traffic police out to 10th Ave SE & 5th St pedestrian crossing at school bus time recently – traffic dept. is looking at that.
   City Council passed some limitations on rental license fees – for example, so that landlords must tell tenants within 14 days why they are rejecting an application and so that they cannot collect multiple fees on a unit.
   He is still going after “booting”, the disabling of an illegally parked car in private lots with an implement that can only be removed when a cash fee is paid to booting company. Public Safety & Regulatory Committee is studying the issue.
   CM Zerby sponsored a successful motion to move some of the city’s public art funding to library operating costs, despite some protestation.
   Gordon Kepner asked about NRP Phase II funding and if CM Zerby would be supporting the NRP Policy Board position that NRP’s future rests in the neighborhoods’ hands and not the city’s. Seward neighborhood’s Phase II Plan will be the first one considered for approval by City Council. He supports Seward’s plan. Tomorrow he is meeting with CPED (former MCDA) reps to hear the city’s side.
4. Board / committee actions this week:
   • The Student Affairs Committee found a new MSA rep – Kelly Hansen. She is a junior at the U, sorority member, a poli-sci major with a leadership minor. She was unanimously approved to fill the MSA seat on our board.
   • Our Livability Committee found some Community Service projects and five fraternity brothers recently painted litter containers in the neighborhood. Kathy Reilly, who chaired the Save SE Library effort, recently notified MHNA that money from two libraries closed and under construction for a year will be redistributed to all Mpls. libraries EXCEPT SE and Roosevelt. According to Reilly, this decision was not made at a public meeting and it is unfair, especially since it was CM Zerby who found a way to add operating money for libraries this year. Following up on this information, Ardes Johnson moved to pass a motion asking the library board why this decision was made and what can we do about it? As well as expressing our support for the SE Library staying open and restoring some of the hours cut and strongly opposing the redistribution of funds to all Mpls. libraries except Southeast and Roosevelt , we think the decision is unfair and wish to remind the board that 1/3 of the SE Library users are U students. Motion passed unanimously.
   • We applied for a grant from the MWMO ( Mississippi Watershed Management Organization) to do more MHNA Rainwater /Storm Runoff prevention Demonstration Project tours in summer 05. A total of $700 was awarded and it was decided to use $300 to hire two tour leaders and use $400 for publicity, printing new labels on old booklets, and staff time.
   • Land Use Committee – Chair Ted Tucker reported that despite our opposition to the spot zoning for Bluff Development, the council’s Zoning & Planning Committee approved the change to C3A. The matter still has to go before the full council. CVS has returned with renewed interest in the 10th & Univ. site. A subcommittee will be dealing with them and their architect – Brad Bellows, Jo Radzwill, and Trevor Porath.
   • The Varsity Theater was again discussed by this committee – this time regarding a conditional use permit and site plan review. The committee wishes the agreement for community use of the marquee to be upheld. According to Michael Orange in Planning, that could be one of the conditions. A Traffic Demand Management Plan is being worked out. Although the Varsity is in the pedestrian overlay district, Biko Assoc, has been hired to do a study on the impact that 300people attending an event would have on the area’s parking situation. With that in mind, the following motions (Ted Tucker) were made and passed unanimously: The MHNA Supports the Conditional Use Permit for entertainment at the Varsity Theater with the following conditions:
     • The operator of the Varsity Theater will display on the marquee messages for the MHNA as provided in the contract made between Marcy-Holmes and the building owner when the neighborhood contributed $40,000 of its NRP funds to the restoration of the marquee
     • CPED, in consultation with the Land Use Committee of the MHNA, determine, after completion of a Transportation Demand Management Plan, that, the Dinkytown Pedestrian Overlay District not withstanding, parking demand generated by entertainment at the Varsity Theater will not overburden available parking within one-quarter mile of the theater.
   • NRP – Michelle Zwicky has volunteered to serve on the Restorative Justice Advisory Board and an official vote tonight (Joe Stokes motion) to approve her in this position passed unanimously.
5. NRP Staff Elissa Cortell:
   • Thirty Phase II NRP proposals were submitted. Twelve were for housing – the rest fell under Economic Development, Livability, Land Use, and Social/Cultural realms. Two projects that were not funded under Phase I were also added to the list along with some other unfunded proposals, making the total 34. The NRP Committee will look them over and choose the top seven non-housing proposals and present a draft early in 2005 at a large meeting with written ballots.
   • More volunteers are needed for the monthly meeting Restorative Justice conferences with nonviolent offenders. Call Elissa 623-7923 to volunteer.
   • Sara Schwan has concluded her door knocking for the season and will be mailing out info to noisy partiers. She recently got an article in the Daily to feature her program. She is focusing on dorms and new people coming to our neighborhood.
6. Ardes Johnson relayed the Livability Committee’s need for snow shoveling monitors as winter approaches. Interested people can contact the office 623-7633 or Ardes 378-1166.
7. Misc:
   • The kidnapper who was featured in this month’s Crime alert has been apprehended.
   • Our Hiding in Plain Sight history books make wonderful holiday gifts and are $15 each.
   • Reminder no meeting in December – board will be meeting the 14th.

Meeting adjourned at 8 PM. Melissa Bean, NMHNA Executive Director

FYI – At the December Board meeting, there wasn’t a quorum so no board actions were taken.