Rather than address Michael Atherton's specific post (I can do it later, but it began to read so dense I decided to apply the 24-hour rule, as in wait 24 hours), I thought I would share a real world example of how zoning matters work in King Field. Mr. Atherton may feel my beliefs in NRP and neighborhood group citizen participation are "myth," but I'd like to think they are born of experience. The issue is question is a fairly contentious one in our well-behaved 'hood. Westrum's, a strong-beer/wine bar, wants to upgrade to a full liquor license. Our board finally made a recommendation to the council on Wednesday. This is the letter I sent to our 300-person neighborhood email list (it closely mirrors the one I sent to the council members, which I can't include because of space and almost certain boredom.) The Southwest Journal regularly quotes from these emails to get the word out to the non-wired and non-list 'hood, and we will include a less timely update in our neighborhood newsletter, which goes to everyone. Final note: this email went out before I engaged the zoning topic on the list, so it real life stuff about how we do business here. I think we uphold our advisory role in an appropriately constructive way, without claiming or seeking undue power. Dear Kingfield neighbors: At last Wednesday's meeting, the Kingfield Neighborhood Association board of directors (KFNA) unanimously recommended that Westrum's bar be granted its request for an upgrade to a full liquor license. Currently, Westrum's serves strong beer and wine. The KFNA board vote was 10-0 with two members not present and the president not voting by custom. Our recommendation goes to the City Council (see letter below this note), which has the ultimate power to accept or reject Judy Westrum's application. I know this decision will please some and disappoint others. I received over 20 emails from neighbors about this issue and approximately 10 phone calls, in addition to hearing from 24 residents at a May public meeting. [Minneapolis-list note: we publicized this meeting with a house-to-house lit drop of the 25 blocks closest to Westrum's. We also publicized it on our email list.] The response from the neighborhood was, on balance, very positive. At the public meeting, with only residents voting, 20 Kingfielders supported Westrum's application and four opposed it. About half the "aye" votes were Westrum's customers, but on balance, non-Westrum's customers also favored the application. Emails and phone calls ran about 2-to-1 supportive. However, it is important to note that several nearby neighbors on the 4400 1st Ave were opposed. Their concerns include evening noise from the bar, fast traffic on the alley, sounds emanating from open doors inside the bar. (Other residents were morally opposed to adding hard liquor in the neighborhood.) One of my goals was that if we approved recommending Westrum's application, some of her profits went to improving the nearby neighbors' livability. There's been a bar on Westrum's site for many decades, and whether we recommended approval or not, it was still going to be there. People were going to be living next to it. My hope is that a more profitable bar is one with money to make neighbors' lives easier. As such, Judy Westrum has agreed to the following conditions: she will pay for seasonal (spring-fall) speed bumps if the neighbors on the west side of the 4400 block of 1st and the east side of Nicollet want them. She will also pay for larger signs at each end of the alley requesting "SLOW" and "CHILDREN AT PLAY." Furthermore, she will hire parking lot security to work Friday and Saturday evenings, from at least 10 p.m. until the last patron leaves. The security person will primarily handle the parking lot, but will also be available for inside duty as needed. Finally, Judy will post a large, strategically placed sign in her parking lot asking her customers to respect and be considerate of neighbors and quietly leave the parking lot. Finally, upon completion of her remodeling (late summer), Judy will keep the back doors of the bar shut to keep noise from inside the bar getting out. City law says we cannot attach these conditions to the license. However, city liquor license inspector Ken Ziegler says that if Judy Westrum signs a letter agreeing to do these things, then they are serious grounds to remove her license if she doesn't comply. As Kingfield board's president, I share responsibility for our decision to recommend the license upgrade. I have told Judy -- and assure you -- that should she not comply with her promises to operate a safe bar and ENHANCE Kingfield's current quality of life, I will lead the charge to get her license taken away. Why was the board willing to take a chance on recommending an expanded liquor license? Among other reasons: Judy Westrum's public safety record was judged "outstanding" by the Minneapolis police CCP-SAFE officer for Kingfield. Also, her recent and ongoing investments in her bar's exterior and interior are signs of good faith. It was the feeling of the board that Judy Westrum has a lot of money riding on her bar attracting a good clientele and keeping her license. She'll have a lot more to lose should we in Kingfield challenge her license in the future. (And licenses HAVE been taken away in S. Minneapolis - as one was at Jersey's bar on Lake & 1st in the mid-'90s.) The matter is now in the hands of the city council. Westrum's is in Council Member Brian Herron's ward, but is across the street from Dore Mead's and just down from Lisa McDonald's. You can call them at 673-2208 (Herron), 2210 (McDonald), and 2211 (Mead) should you have opinions about Westrum's application. Their emails are [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], and [EMAIL PROTECTED] I will let you know when the council vote is scheduled. Also, there will be a public council hearing (either at City Hall or in the neighborhood) that I will also let you know about. This was not an easy decision before the board, and not one that was made without much consideration. We hope it will continue Nicollet Avenue's revival, as well as that of the neighborhood. If you would like to send me feedback, please hit reply. Sincerely, David Brauer President, Kingfield Neighborhood Association board of directors _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
