The system of moving people around the city in cars is not working well. When asked howI am a board member of the Kingfield Neighborhood Association and I voted against Ace Hardware's request for a zoning change to create parking next to its building, not because I don't support Ace Hardware (I do), but because I wanted the time and opportunity to explore parking solutions for the whole 38th St. and Nicollet Ave corner. There is a lot of concrete already at that corner and a bit of creativity might have brought a solution to the table (e.g, slanted parking on the Street, which squeezes in more parking spaces; a more serious effort to look at shared parking on existing lots). (As a side note: Contrary to Dean Carlson's view of Ace Hardware's willingness to help find a solution to the tearing down of the houses, Ace Hardware has dug its heels in with respect to timeline and has not been overly cooperative in ensuring a solution for the houses.)
the system could be improved, most people will say "I need more places to
park." End of loop. We will never be able to effect serious reform in Minneapolis if we do not
challenge disfunctional systems, and explore and promote alternatives.
I agree with Holle Brian in the need for a city-wide systematic approach to the familiar problem of parking needs for businesses in a tight urban environment. Here are a few ideas for the City to consider:
- Develop a new macro (city-wide) policy regarding parking in commercial areas based on criteria such as: minimizing the creation of new spaces, maximizing the use of existing concrete, shared parking facilities and non-parking solutions (i.e. solutions that reduce car trips and reduce the need to create more parking spaces).
- As part of the Mayor's and Council Member Niziolek's (and others?) proposed reorganized and reformed planning department, provide planners to communities (on a timely basis) to help work out parking solutions at a micro level. This is real nuts and bolts community planning.
- Assist in installing secure bike-lock facilities.
- Provide tax credits to stores to underwrite the cost of delivery service, which would reduce the need for shoppers to drive to or pick up items from the store in their vehicles. (As I write this, I see that Russell Raczkowksi makes just this suggestion.)
I'm sure there are many more and we should review practices in other cities.
In the end, my view on the board was a minority one. Given the decision to build a parking lot and remove the housing, I supported the moving of the two houses into a land trust in which they would become and remain affordable. This, in my mind, is one redeeming feature of the situation. I hope it happens.
Kingfield, Ward 10
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