Title: Re: [Mpls] Above the Falls, our vision for the
Missisi
Thanks
Scott, I've seen the plan and it looks like something that came out of
Walt Disney's company. Clearly the work of a consultant, perhaps it
could best be termed "Fantasyland by the River".
I am a member of the
Above the Falls Citizen Advisory Committee which is a 30 person board
with two sets of alternates. Our representatives include
representatives from neighborhoods, environmental groups, and
businesses- including heavy industry that use
barges.
I and
most of my neighbors had no input in the plan, in fact many folks here
don't even know that it exists.
I don't mean to speak
for everyone in the group but I would like to tell folks on this list
a little about the vision of this thirty year plan. To see the entire
plan-http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/citywork/planning/planpubs/
above-falls/report/upper-river-master-plan.pdf - size
12.8K
If you look at the city's web page and search
Above the falls there are also shorter summaries.
And a consultant eager to promote a major project that would
likely bring in lots more $$$$ for them.
The plan is the result
of many years and many conversations.
Major plan objectives:
Provide public access to river.
Great
idea, bit I'm thinking more along the lines of a marina. Also, why not
a campground including a siding for private railroad cars (Railroad
coaches converted for living in) BTW, we own 1st Street North, where
the railroad tracks run.
Create a system of
Riverway Streets
Sounds
great, but how many jobs will be lost to acquire the right of
way?
Enhance the ecological
function of river corridor.
We
could start by shutting down American Iron, which continues to leach
oils and such into the river.
Link Upper River to
Grand Rounds parkway system.
Again,
how many jobs will be lost?
Realize the area's
potential for economic development.
No
business is likely to move or stay here until crime is brought under
control. Their have been many break ins at the businesses along the
riverfront, it is no surprise that many are moving out.
Establish urban design
guidelines.
Sounds like
a code word for "no affordable housing".
Major Benefits of
Plan Implementation
90 acres of new
park
Who's
houses will be demolished and jobs will disappear to make way to take
another 90 acres off the tax rolls?
15 miles of bike lanes
and recreational trails
One of
the few good ideas here- trails and lanes are narrow and can fit
around existing employers and housing.
4 miles of restored
riverbank
Has
anyone figured out how much dirt moving and pollution cleanup this
will involve- a lot of the riverfront here is fill land saturated with
pollutants. Better budget a couple billion $$$$$$ for this item.
5.25 miles of parkway
and boulevard
More
housing and jobs lost.
2,500 housing units in
new riverfront neighborhoods
Which
we working class Northsiders wont be able to afford anyway. I live
just across I-94 from the project, so I suppose I would be made
homeless by "phase II" of the plan.
2,000 net additional
jobs
Sure
this wasn't the number of jobs lost?
Over $10 million in
additional annual tax revenue .
After
taking 90 acres off the tax rolls and spending a couple billion $$$$
on this project the city will have to raise taxes somewhere...
This is the plan that
the City and Park Board have approved and is our mission to
implement.
I
believe it was the last council who approved this pipe dream, their
fiscal wisdom is now subject to considerable question. The Park Board
will buy just about anything along the river... If any members are on
the list, I'll be happy to sell you the railroad bridges over the
river too.
It is encouraging to
see conversations about the dynamics of the river on the list.
Hopefully we can continue this conversation and look at some of the
specifics of the plan.
What's
to talk about- the plan is written and will now slowly decompose on
the shelves of our Municipal Library. The consultants have made the
committees mind up and they're not about to change it.
Everyone on the
committee is working on the improved health of the river and improving
the wealth of the river experience above the
Falls.
Speaking of wealth (or my lack of same); When the city
condemns our homes to clear the way for this plan, will we be able to
find affordable housing anywhere in Minneapolis? Or is this another
thinly veiled plan to chase working class folks from the city?
I find it very
rewarding to look at the river as it was and how some of the
ecological functions could be restored.
The recent presentation from the visioning group which includes the
Army corps of engineers is really interesting for a variety of
reasons.
The
river will never be "as it was" again. Get over it, this
river is a working river, a compromise between nature and man.
Their presentation of
restored river function did not eliminate the Barge Channel.
The Upper Harbor terminal will become a centerpiece of some of these
discussions. We, as a city, have to figure out what to do with it. We
need to look at it functions and finances.
The
Terminal has a lot of potential but has been very poorly marketed. It
competes with the ports in Savage and south of St.Paul. It's
competitors do not have enough capacity to handle all the agricultural
products shipped from this area. The Terminal also benefits from it's
connection with CP Rail, providing a flow of commodities from much of
Minnesota and North Dakota. By comparison, the competition is largely
dependent on Union Pacific, which does not have as large a service
area. The terminal also has a lot of open space for transloading
"stuff" like building materials, scrap, etc. which it's
competitors lack.
peace,
Dyna
Sluyter, 4 blocks from the River in Hawthorne
If I can be of more
assistance-Please contact me off list.
The next Above the
Falls Citizen Advisory is Nov. 26 6-9pm at the Eastside Neighborhood
Services 1700 2nd. St. NE
I am also trying to assemble a list of neighborhood groups working on
watershed issues in the Middle Mississippi Watershed aka Mississippi
Watershed- which is the Minneapolis watershed that isn't in the
Minnehaha Watershed district.
Thanks,
Scott Vreeland Seward, Ward
2
Seward Neighborhood Group
River Gorge Stewards
Above the Falls Citizen Advisory Committee
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