Thanks Tom Leighton, for the added information regarding the proposed Pedestrian Oriented (PO) Overlay District at Penn-Broadway. A good summary of the facts, based on Keith's voiced concerns.
If memory serves, I recall there was significant neighborhood input to this proposed zoning change at Penn-Broadway in recent months. This was not the first such meeting held to discuss the matter, as I'm sure Tom can confirm. Tom continues... > The exact and complete language of the PO Pedestrian Oriented > Overlay District can be found in Chapter 551 of the City's Zoning > Code, available through the City's website. The interested reader is redirected from the City website to Municode: http://fws.municode.com/CGI-BIN/om_isapi.dll?infobase=11490.nfo&record={4037 }&softpage=newtestMainFrame2 then use the scrolling menu on the left to get CH 551 for the PO materials. If the link breaks, you will have to play with the 'new' and 'old' and 'frame' vs 'nonframe' options available from Municode-- the above was from 'old site' w/ 'no frames.' They are reached from the Municipal Code Homepage link on the City website: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cityhall/laws/ordinances/ (or search Title 20 Zoning Code under Municipal Ordinances, Ch. 551) Michael Hohmann Linden Hills > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of > Leighton, Thomas J > Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 9:00 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Samuels, Don H; Johnson Lee, Natalie; > Johnson, Barbara A - Council; Miner, Pamela S; Garner, Mark > Subject: [Mpls] RE: Last night at JACC/City Proposed Pedestrian Overlay > > > Keith and others: > > People are entitled to different opinions about the proposed > Pedestrian Oriented (PO) Overlay District at Penn-Broadway. The > PO designation supports a distinctive character that may or may > not be appropriate as applied to Penn-Broadway. But for people > to make up their minds on this, as on anything, it is critical > that they have good information. Mr. Reitman's use of the > phrases "dummy down", "castrate" and "hobbling" is, in my view, > very misleading. But the question he raises is very valid and > has received a lot of consideration--that is, whether the PO > District restricts the TYPES and SIZES of businesses at > Penn-Broadway to an extent that would be detrimental to its > development? This post is to provide the specifics on these > points, and note some examples of other City PO Districts, so > that people can come to their own conclusions based on more > complete information. > > PURPOSE. The purpose of a PO District is to "preserve and > encourage the pedestrian character of commercial areas and to > promote street life and activity by regulating building > orientation and design and accessory parking facilities, and by > prohibiting certain high impact and automobile-oriented uses." > Buildings have to be built up to the street, with parking next to > or behind the building. Gas stations are prohibited. As are > fast food restaurants with drive throughs. > > EXAMPLES. About a dozen City business districts are in PO zoning > overlay districts. The character of these areas ranges from the > small-scale shops area of Linden Hills to the historic > multi-story business corridor of Central Avenue. The PO District > can be used with good effect in impacted neighborhoods, as in the > case of "Eat Street" on South Nicollet. A PO District at > Penn-Broadway would be the second PO District in north > Minneapolis, the other one being at Penn and 44th. > > SIZE OF BUSINESSES. The PO District does not restrict the size > of businesses at all. Allowed business floor area is determined > by the underlying zoning. In the case of Penn-Broadway, the > underlying zoning is a mix of neighborhood commercial (C1), which > caps floor area at 4,000 to 8,000 square feet, and general > commercial (C2), which allows up to 30,000 square feet of floor > area. The larger parcels in the Penn-Broadway area are > appropriately zoned C2, which would permit a good sized grocery, > drug store, bank, or other retailer. The rezoning proposal for > Penn-Broadway slightly increases the amount of C2 zoning at Penn-Broadway. > > PROHIBITED BUSINESSES. The PO District does not restrict uses to > "ice cream cones, coffee, and a bibelot." It prohibits a small > set of uses that are considered to be most detrimental to the > purpose of supporting active pedestrian activity. The complete > list of prohibited uses: 1) Drive-through facilities, 2) > Automobile Services uses, 3) Transportation uses. > > Drive through facilities are most commonly associated with a bank > or fast food restaurant. Banks or fast food restaurants without > drive through facilities are allowed. "Automobile Services uses" > includes a) gas stations, b) car repair, c) auto sales lots, and > d) car washes. Auto parts stores are considered "Retail Sales > and Services", not "Automobile Services". "Transportation uses" > is not relevant in this instance since the uses that fall under > this heading--bus garage, taxi service, etc--are not allowed by > the underlying zoning anyway. So in practical terms the total > number of uses that would be prohibited by the PO district is six. > > The exact and complete language of the PO Pedestrian Oriented > Overlay District can be found in Chapter 551 of the City's Zoning > Code, available through the City's website. If anyone has > additional questions about this issue, or has other thoughts > about development at Penn-Broadway (or West Broadway in general), > please feel free to give me a call at 673-3853. > > Tom Leighton > City Planning Department > Seward > > > Message: 20 > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 15:29:23 EST > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Mpls] Last night at JACC/City Proposed Pedestrian > Overlay & Metro Bus Rapid Transit > > I attended a meeting of the Jordan Neighborhood Community Council > last night, > well moderated by Stephen Oates. It was well attended by > neighborhood folks, > and others. Thomas Leighton, Mpls. Planning Dept., was cautiously > promoting > neighborhood support for a Pedestrian Overlay District (a > Commercial Zoning > designation) for Penn and West Broadway. He informed us that the > City Council > may deliberate on this matter within a couple weeks. He wished to > give the > Jordan neighborhood community an opportunity to ponder, and voice > opinion, on > the matter. > > I was surprised that he never once read the Mpls. ordinance (or whatever) > with the exact wording of what a Pedestrian overlay is... > snip > > The Penn/Broadway > intersection may be > the keystone, and confluence, of our (Mpls.) West Broadway > redevelopment. Do > we really want to limit retail, there, to ice cream cones, coffee, and a > bibelot? What I call ... the butcher, the baker, and the > candlestick maker! > > It appears to me, our City's Planning Department has a directive, > or is self > directed, to 'dummy down' zoning. It is wrong to castrate major corridors > like West Broadway; to limit larger and more diverse commercial > uses, either > by not allowing adequate, larger, C-2 opportunities, or > overlaying them with > other restrictions (pedestrian overlay). It saps the ability to > compete, and > limits adjacent neighborhoods' access to retail buying opportunities, and > retail choices. It also restricts locally owned business start up > opportunities, and local jobs. > snip > > The restructuring of HWY 81 beyond the western City limits, all > the way to > Rogers is occurring. It is an astounding opportunity for new > connection and > reconnection of our neighborhoods with the broader Metro Area... > snip > > Penn/Bro will > be one of > the BRT stops. It will become a collector point for commuters; a > destination > for suburban spenders. But, people will only visit; stick, stay, > and spend, > if there is some "THERE", there!! snip > > Keith Reitman NearNorth > TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. 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