I apologize in advance for the length of this post... If you want to get a good idea why Minneapolis has a reputation as a difficult place to do business, find out when the City is rebroadcasting yesterday's Z&P Committee hearing regarding the issue of the Nicollet Hardware rezoning and watch it intently. Although the Committee did eventually pass Nicollet Hardware's request, it wasn't without many attempts to extract a pound of flesh.
First, after having publicly supported N.H.'s request at the Planning Commission, the Kingfield Neighborhood presents a letter asking for a delay in the process so that sketchy plans for moving the houses can be fleshed out. The letter also apparently states that that N.H. hasn't been cooperative with the house move plans. It appeared that N.H. wasn't given a copy of this letter in advance nor at the Hearing so they had know way of knowing what was in it or how they could defend themselves against the charge of being uncooperative. Next some of the Council members were really riding N.A. hard because they weren't working hard enough to find a suitable location for the houses. These accusations were hurled at N.H. even though the hardware store had worked with anyone who was interested in moving the houses, let people come in for inspections, extended their deadline by 30 days, and were willing to donate the two houses to anyone who had a viable plan for moving them (a $270,000 value). Some Council members were charging that N.H. wasn't being cooperative because they weren't willing to throw their budgeted demolition costs into the kitty to help pay for the house move, this even though there is NO WORKABLE PLAN on the table for a house move. N.H. stated time and time again, show us a plan and we will look at how we can help out. One Councilmember wanted to delay the rezoning until a house move plan was in place, regardless of how long it took!! Others asked about making the rezoning approval contigent upon N.H. paying for the house move. The voices of reason were Councilmembers Schiff, Zimmermann, and Niziolek with D.N. really making the case for moving forward now, apparently his logic swayed his colleagues as the vote was in favor of the rezoning with no delay. I've stated this in a previous post, but it bears repeating... House moves are difficult, they're expensive, they're process heavy -- that's why they're rare. Saving the houses is a noble sentiment but it just may not be possible without a huge sum of cash. The Kingfield neighborhood has stepped to the plate and is committing $50,000 to this effort - but the parties involved are still having a difficult time puting a plan in place. I would encourage all who are interested -- and I would especially urge our elected officials -- to talk to City staff about the rules and regulations surrounding house moves, they are literally the size of a small-town phone book. With this knowledge, hopefully the next applicant in a similar situation won't have to go through the gut-wrenching hell I observed yesterday. Dean E. Carlson East Harriet, Ward 10 (still trying to figure out how to balance that garden hose, grass seed, and potting soil on my bike). David Brauer writes: snip.. > Here we agree about the result - save those houses! - although there > have been, as I said, three public meetings since our initial January > board meeting. Ultimately, the neighborhood board merely advises the > city council, and yesterday Z&P rebuffed our request to delay (not deny) > the upzoning until the outcome of a house deal is known. > > The irony of this reply/defense of Ace is that I am probably persona non > grata there today. I signed the letter asking the council to delay > approval of the upzoning. I thought approval should not be granted until > the outcome of the house-move negotiations are known. > > I have grown concerned in recent days that the houses will not be saved > because, even though just a week ago our board was choosing between 2 > workable plans, Ace has not really embraced this effort. I had hoped the > delay by council would send a message to Ace that while we love their > hardware store and everything they have done for the community, they > need to be our true partners finding a workable house-move plan that > protects their financial interest, not be a mild adversary who > grudgingly deals with us. > > The Z&P committee, in their wisdom, chose to support Ace fully. Dan > Niziolek, I'm told, was especially clear that Ace's request should go > through now. Our neighborhood continues to support the parking lot and > the house move. I can only hope that Dan will, as I'm told he said at > the Z&P meeting, help "close the deal" between Ace & Lyndale > Neighborhood Development Corp., who is trying to work with Ace's tight > Feb. 28th deadline. I hope Dan and others are right to give them the > upzoning now, before negotiations have concluded and the fate of the > houses is known. > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
