We have an interesting real-world issue here in Kingfield. Our local
hardware store, Ace Hardware at 38th & Nicollet, recently purchased two
houses due south of them. Their plan is to demolish both houses and
build a parking lot. Last month, they came to the neighborhood board
(King Field Neighborhood Assn., which I'm president of), asking for our
recommendation to the council that the two properties be upzoned from
residential to commercial so the lot could be built.
I don't think Kingfield is unique in trying to wrestle with this problem. Every neighborhood dealing with business nodes eventually gets into some kind of a tussle regarding parking. Whether it's parking, for parking sake, or in this case affordable housing, all that has to play against the business interests. More and more it is becoming essential that neighborhood nodes provide some kind of parking for their patrons. I give the owners of Ace credit for recognizing this and making the additional investment to purchase the adjoining lots. The property is now their's. They purchased it as an investment to enhance their business. The reason why the neighborhood is facing the problem is that businesses in the nodes are flourishing. If the residents don't support the business interests, they can always say bye-bye and flee to the burbs. However, most of them have made a commitment to stay and be a part of the neighborhood. For a small business person, that is not a commitment made easily. Even if they decide to stay, they must compete with the larger big-box companies who can sell cheaper - and provide all the parking their customers want.
So, my two cents worth. Congrats to Kingfield for dealing with the problem in a straight forward manner. Good luck!
Karen Collier
Linden Hills
