Dirt? Planting Time?
DIRT
I need to get some dirt to fill in some rather large holes in my garden and property. Is there a resouce for dirt, like the city sometimes offers mulch? Or is potting soil from Home Depot best?
PLANTING TIME
I have some seeds that I want to plant for this summer, and was wondering on when is the best time to plant them? The seed company said they would send them at the right time, but they got here a few weeks ago. So I am seeking local experience. The seeds in question are sunflowers, hollyhocks, columbine, and a few others. Please advise.
U of MN Extension Service
A great site for gardening info is the U of MN Extension Service:
Board and General Membership: March. 20, 2007 Minutes
MINUTES of the MHNA General Membership Meeting
March 20, 2007 @ University Lutheran Church of Hope, 601 13th Ave SE
1. The meeting was called to order by Secretary Steve Swanson. The agenda
was modified to move NRP re-allocation item to the top while we still have a
quorum present and approved (D. Carlson)
2. The NRP Implementation Committee and the MHNA Board of Directors
recommended that $39,142 in unspent NRP pogrom funds be reallocated to fund
citizen participation activities and office expenses for MHNA until new
sources of funding cam be identified. Notice of this vote was sent out 30
days in advance of the meeting, as required. The funding would keep MHNA in
business at least through 2008. A motion to approve the reallocation ( D
Carlson) passed unanimously
NRP Coordinator Elissa Cottle presented other NRP items passed by the board
earlier tonight: Eight Dinkytown businesses will soon get improved
storefronts using NRP funding. A program to pay for historic building
planing grants will be offered through NRP. The grants ( up to $1500 each)
pay for a professional consultation on how to improve and maintain historic
properties, including fraternities and sororities. There is funding for 17
properties, which will be awarded on a merit system designed by Mpls
Heritage Preservation Commission. People were reminded that the owner -
occupied rehab grants of up to $5000 are now available. NRP Committee
elections will occur at he April MHNA meeting . People wishing to run should
contact Elissa at 623-7923.
3. The January and February minutes were approved as circulated.
4. Board motion from earlier tonight:
Land Use – A motion to approve a conditional use permit for Holmes Greenway
to increase the number of rental units from 50 – 54 was passed.
5. Jon Oyanagi, River District Manager of Minneapolis Parks, was introduced.
He oversees recreation, planning, maintenance, sports, park police, special
services and environmental aspects of the parks in NE and SE, including the
Central Riverfront area. The Capital Long Range Improvement Committee
(CLIC) approved funding to improve the park shelter at Holmes Park this
summer. It will become ADA compliant, with upgraded restrooms and new doors.
It was suggested he speak with Principal Donna Andrews for additional design
input. Holmes Park will have a mobile playground with children¹s programming
two days a week for eight weeks. The amphitheater stage at Hennepin Bluffs
Park will have musical offerings this summer Wednesdays at 7 p and Fridays
from noon – 1:30. The Annual Earth Day River Clean Up is Sat April 21, 9:30
at Hennepin Bluffs Park, 6th Ave SE & Main St.
The stairway that has tipped over in Hennepin Bluffs Park will be removed
this summer. The Park Board has long range plans to reconstruct the stars
and create a boardwalk below the Stone Arch Bridge – but these improvements
won¹t be undertaken for another seven years or so.
6. Andrew Bender Dahl, MHNA¹s Restorative Justice intern, announced several
trash removal events that are scheduled soon, including one April 7th after
the Frozen Four tournament.
7. Misc – The city¹s bicycle pedestrian survey was here tonight for
interested persons to fill out. Rain barrels are available at a reduced
cost from the city – contact he ReUse Center, www.thereusecenter.com or
612-724-2608. A Tenants Rights Action Committee is being formed by the
Families & Children’s Services organization. Interested? Contact Sara
Hagestad at: Sara.Hagestad@fcsmn.org
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm Melissa Bean, Exec. Director
Board and General Membership: March 20, 2007 Agenda
March 20, 2007 Meetings
Univ. Lutheran Church of Hope, 601 13th Ave SE
Board Agenda (6 pm)
- Call to order, approve agenda
- Approve February minutes
- Secretary’s Report – Approve Feb minutes
- Treasurer’s Report and Fund Raising Update
- Committee Reports –
- Executive
- Safety & Livability
- Student Affairs
- NRP including Approval needed for 2007 storefront grant awards
- Land Use
- Misc. including stadium, Impact Group, other meetings board members attended
General Membership (7:30)
- Call to order, welcome new members
- Approve agenda
- Approve January & February minutes
- Board actions taken earlier tonight
- A few words from CM Hofstede
- Meet Jon Oyanagi, the River District Manager for the MPRB and hear what is happening with our parks.
- NRP – Proposed Reallocation of $39,142 in Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Revitalization Program:The MHNA Board and NRP Committee recommend the reallocation of these funds from five NRP projects. The projects are:
- Dutch elm prevention grants ($22,462). Five grants were awarded but program discontinued because of a lack of demand.
- Holmes Park pool fence ($2,200). The actual cost for the fence would be much higher and the Park Board did not offer to pay for the remaining funds needed.
- Stop light at 6th & University avenues ($9,200). The actual cost for the light would be much higher. City officials have been, and will continue to be, requested to consider installing a light at this intersection.
- Lead phytoremediation ($4,800). This would involve using certain plants that absorb lead from soil. Project was considered but deemed impractical.
- Rain gardens ($480). Three homeowners received grants for rain gardens which were successfully planted. The remaining amount is too little for additional grants.
The total funds from these projects are proposed to be reallocated for citizen participation costs for MHNA, including salary for the executive director and office costs. Funds are needed for administration to keep MHNA operations going while new sources of funds are raised.
This reallocation requires a vote of approval by neighborhood members and stakeholders.
- Misc announcements and door prize
- Adjourn
Meetings held at ULCH are handicap accessible. There are several handicap parking spaces next to the north door, newer addition facing 7th St., in parking lot. Inside that entryway there are two elevators that lead down one level to Heritage Hall. There is also a ramp at the 13th Ave SE entry. If other accommodations are needed, please call our office (623-7633) by noon the first Friday of the month and we will do our best to ensure equal access and equal opportunity.
Land Use Committee: March 2007 Minutes
Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association
Minutes — Land Use Committee Meeting
Wednesday, March 7, 2007, 5:30 p.m.
Dunn Brothers, Sixth & University Avenues SE
Members Present: Noah Bly, Ardes Johnson, Arvonne Fraser, Pete Goelzer, Bill Huntzicker, Dan Lanske, Jo Radzwill, Steve Swanson
Guests: Susan Carlson Weinberg (U of MN Real Estate), Melissa Bean (MHNA Administrator), Ted Tucker, Doris Wickstrom (West Bank Neighborhood), Jim Kelley, Tony Barranco and Justin Zavadil (Archive), Ron Lischeid (UDIA), Defar Palmer, Paul DeBettingnies (Minnesota Greek Alumni Partnership – MGAP), Jon Dickerson (Holmes-Greenway), Jeb Robinson, Craig Janssen (815 14th Avenue SE)
Developers for a possible Florence Court development and the representative from Signminds Inc with presentation regarding 10th Ave SE & 4th St SE (formerly Gopher Motel) will appear at a later date.
1. Susan Carlson Weinberg, U of MN Real Estate, presented the University Ave Streetscape Improvements plan for the section of University Ave SE from 35W to Oak Street. This project will require funding from multiple sources and neighborhood support is a first step. The University will match money put up by the City for this project. University funds are above and beyond the stadium mitigation fund. The Greek houses between 15th and 19th Avenues SE need the most attention. The first phase of the landscaping would be the area between 15th Ave SE and Oak Street. Phase II would be the area between 35W to 15th Ave SE.
There were several questions and some comments regarding long range planning. Some of the concerns were the proposed return to street care transportation. Pete Goelzer brought up the issue of University Ave as a one-way street. Does the University have a position on pedestrian oriented streets? As long as University and Fourth Streets are one-way, they do nothing more than channel traffic through the neighborhood to the freeways. There was much interest in parking and transportation surveys for the area.
Although the general consensus was that the design was pleasing and that it would benefit all, there was great concern that endorsing the plan would impede and or negate progress toward long range plans between any University – City – Neighborhood partnership that might emerge from the stadium impact study and the University Master Plan Update that we keep hearing about. Marcy-Holmes has not yet been asked to participate in the University Master Plan Update although we have heard that other southeast area representatives are going to serve. Susan said we should contact Kathy O’Brien to find out the status of the Plan Update process and discuss issues of parking and transportation survey report.
No action was taken at this time.
2. Melissa Bean, representing the Stadium Advisory Group, brought a proposal for a demonstration project, as a part of the Stadium Impact Study, in which there is the possibility of $750,000 offered as seed money to be used in an 18-month period to provide an example of the kind of improvements a University Development Corporation might make to the neighborhoods surrounding the University.
There was quite a bit of discussion regarding this project. It was the consensus of the group that this amount of money would just be a drop in the bucket toward solving the housing projects in the area. The feeling was strong that since the focus of the impact study was on housing, housing should be the focus any demonstration project. Other suggestions were:
· Do not accept the money since it seemed to many to be a political move to appease the neighborhoods and once the money was used, no more would be forthcoming.
· Use the money for licensing inspections
· Use the money to stabilize the three schools in the neighborhoods.
· Use the money to reopen the SE Library.
· Use the money for social capital – safety or greening
The options for licensing inspections, schools (even though they always can use the money) and the library did not seem to be the most viable as far as a demonstration project. It was pointed out that the $750,000 was for a demonstration project that was to be used in the five neighborhoods surrounding the University.
The problems brought up by the impact study are problems that have developed over many years and deserve an effort toward a long-term solution. Certainly this amount of money cannot be used effectively for a demonstration project in all five neighborhoods.
It seemed that toward the end of the discussion the general consensus was that the money should be used for a demonstration project (probably as seed money) for housing improvement. It was pointed out the money could be used as presented in the proposal for housing for University faculty, staff or graduate students that were interested purchasing a single-family home duplex and renovating it as an owner occupied unit.
The neighborhood would like to stress the need for a long-term program aimed at improving the neighborhoods surrounding the University, thereby enabling the U to better position itself as a world class research university better able to attract top faculty, staff and students.
3. Those elusive talks about proactive implementation of the master plan were post-poned because of the full agenda.
4. Jon Dickerson presented plans for converting the four commercial spaces at Holmes Greenway to residential and renovating the windows on the exterior. He requested a conditional use permit for increasing the number of residential units from 50 to 54. There was adequate parking for the 85 bedrooms to meet the M-H master plan parking requirement.
ACTION: The land use committee recommends the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association support the conditional use permit to increase the number of residential units from 50-54 units at Holmes Greenway.
5. Jeb Robinson appeared with a request for the land use committee to consider the remodeling of the interior of the carriage house at 925 6th St SE (historic Earl Brown house). He wants to convert the interior of the carriage house to a four-bedroom unit (rental). He was questioned about Marcy-Holmes 0.5 parking per bedroom requirement. There are 20 bedrooms in the main house and 13 parking stalls. The four-bedroom carriage house will have at least two parking stalls available. Parking will be adequate. He presented us with a copy of the survey showing the irregular lot shape. The City will not allow him to subdivide. The committee invited him to bring his remodeling plans to the committee so it could react to plans rather than a site plan.
6. Justin Zavadil updated us on the Archive project. They are proceeding with city processes. It will become an extended stay hotel – Grandstay Residential Suites Hotel and will also have 40 condo units. There will be 118 hotel rooms. The hotel will be comprised of the proposed new building along 7th St SE. All buildings will have flat roofs and there will be no increase in the height of the two older buildings. There will be retail in the lower two floors on the Central Ave side of the development. The condos will be located in the top five levels. Good news for the developers – the hotel is financing the entire project. The committee was glad to see the project moving forward and welcomed the addition of the hotel. In view of the current condo market, the inclusion of the extended stay hotel seems to be a smart move. Developers expect that large businesses (i.e., Target, etc.) will have their employees stay in the hotel while they are in town.
7. Dan Lanske will serve on the Central Avenue Plan update group.
8. Craig Janssen updated the committee on his progress for the property at 815 14th Ave SE. Craig will return when he has had time to bring his presentation materials up to date.