Tom Berthiaume states, in part: > You dismiss neighborhood concerns about upcoming zoning changes as > "conspiracy theories," as if nothing is going on and we are foolish to be > concerned.
[MH} I did not intend to dismiss neighborhood concerns about zoning and TMP changes. Some comments to this list have been very good, some not so good, hence my use of the term 'conspiracy theories.' My intent was to offer some pertinent information and solicit additional input from list members-- directly to City Council members and the Mayor, since decisions will soon be made. I'm not discounting the need to pursue answers to specific questions such as those you have raised. Important questions need to be raised in the public arena- and hopefully we will get answers. Several members of the Planning Commission felt that public notification regarding these changes (to TMP & zoning) had been inadequate and we voted on more than one occasion to continue discussions at a later meeting while additional public comment was solicited. Neighborhood associations were notified and some neighborhood people attended Commission meetings and testified as to their concerns-- Steve Cross, Patty Marsh and several others; they provided valuable insight. At our Oct. 21st meeting, the Planning Commission passed several proposed amendments to TMP, including added language (from Commissioner Bradley) intended to restrict the amount of affordable housing added to racially and economically impacted neighborhoods, and thereby disperse more affordable housing into non-impacted areas. Those amended portions of TMP go to Z&P this afternoon, and to the City Council thereafter. Hence my last ditch effort to solicit added comments/concerns between now and then-- and to get said input directly to Mayor and City Council members. Thanks for these comments Tom. Comments to this list are a start, but written comments directed to the Mayor and City Council persons will be more effective; and live testimony at public meetings (i.e. Z&P and CC) is even better. Michael Hohmann Linden Hills Member, Minneapolis Planning Commission > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:mpls-admin@;mnforum.org]On Behalf Of > Tom Berthiaume > Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 11:33 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Mpls] Development in Minneapolis, zoning changes > > > Mr. Hohmann, > > You dismiss neighborhood concerns about upcoming zoning changes as > "conspiracy theories," as if nothing is going on and we are foolish to be > concerned. > > Here are some facts. > > -In February of 2002, The Shelter Advisory Board, a group made up almost > exclusively of individuals employed by housing entities, sent the Mayor's > office, the zoning changes they want, which include elimination of ANY > SPACING of supportive housing, as well as other significant changes. The > current standard, when it is (rarely) enforced, is ONE supportive housing > facility per quarter mile. This is a major change in zoning policy. > > -In April, at a Housing Summit the Mayor voiced no opinion about such > changes. > > -In June, aid Erik Takeshita, committed to shepherding the SAB changes > through the Council. > > -In June, neighbors from Whittier and Stevens Square met with the Mayor > specifically to determine his stance on supportive housing spacing, and he > said, "that's not on my agenda," and changed the subject. The neighbors > asked to be informed of any discussions on the issue and to be allowed an > opportunity to participate in future discussions. The Mayor > agreed to do so. > Whittier and Stevens Square have heard nothing from the Mayor's office on > this subject. > > This may be a misunderstanding, but it is not just a theory. > > The Mayor is a leading voice in housing matters and gained the > admiration of > many of us for making housing improvements his major goal. Now the rubber > hits the road. Where will the housing improvements go? Will there be a > racial or economic pattern to the placement? Will more than just > a few areas > of the City participate? Will poor or low voter-turn-out areas be targeted > for the difficult-to-place facilities such as supportive housing? Will he > challenge the Council, and non-profit developers to integrate > affordable and > supportive housing throughout the City? > > Like you, I'd welcome a definitive statement from the Mayor's office > regarding his stance on spacing of supportive housing, whether he thinks > supportive housing should be clustered and if so, how dense should the > clusters be, and where should they be? This is an important public policy > issue, and major changes in zoning laws will be felt for many, many years. > > Tom Berthiaume > Whittier, Stevens Square, Loring Park, Navarre > snip _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@;mnforum.org Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
