-----Original Message----- From: Constance Nompelis Part of the problem lies in our definitions, which seems ever to be the case. I do not find a garage, even -gasp- a double-car garage, to be "envirnonmentally unhealthy." I suspect, given the amount of cars and garages located in this city, that most people agree with my sentiment.
Here's the big problem: WHO gets to decide what is okay and not okay for Minneapolitans to do with their own property? (That is a rhetorical question, FYI) ... I understand that some list members don't like to look at their neighbors' big ugly garages. [Terrell] Hmmm .... banning garages? Don't we now require them for new construction? Just as we require parking spaces for commercial properties. If all automobile production, every where in the world, were to stop today I suspect we would still be parking cars in Minneapolis neighborhoods at the next turn of the century. Given that one transportation alternative would be either by horse of horse drawn vehicle we would suffer as the city currently bans keeping horses inside the city. Ugly garages? I do remember back when City Center was built there was a serious proposal to have a commission review building plans to prevent additional "ugly" buildings in downtown Minneapolis. Certainly the same word has been used by some to describe an art museum along the banks of the Mississippi River. Architecture and design is an art, everyone isn't going to like whatever you do. Is it really that important that I think I could do a better job of designing something that I see while looking out my living room window? I'm not a big automobile user. I've now driven 2,500 miles since the first of the year with 500 miles of that being a trip to visit relatives. I often go 3 weeks without putting gas in my 12 gallon tank. What we don't have here is a really good public transportation system. Historically we seem to prefer to lay a river of asphalt. I think it is getting better. We now have at least a few late night busses. We're building a light rail line although it does need to grow to be a light rail system. I think Metro Council is certainly trying to improve transit. Some of the problems are well outside the scope here. Maybe in the scope here is planning. McKinsey talked of the schizophrenic planning in Minneapolis, our metro area planning has many of the same problems. We have something around 200 municipalities in the metro area. We should reduce that number. Combine all of the municipalities in Hennepin County. Zoning for the whole area would be in one place, licenses. How many police chiefs do we really need? There would be efficiencies for everyone and certainly more efficient administration. It has been done elsewhere. The island of Oahu is the City (and County) of Honolulu with most areas retaining their traditional name. Seattle has branched out for many functions as has a city in Ohio although I don't remember if it is Cleveland or Cincinnati. Terrell Brown Loring Park terrell at terrellbrown dot org __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Sign up for SBC Yahoo! Dial - First Month Free http://sbc.yahoo.com _______________________________________ 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
