Tom and others: Tom Leighton's suggestions to Keith seem correct, but there are some problems. Tom suggests that fast food and banks would be allowed, just not with drive-through facilities. What Tom and some planners may not realize is that such a limitation in effect entirely bans those kinds of business. It is an economic fact of life that banks with out drive throughs and fast food without drive throughs are not very competitive. I would invite Mr. Leighton to bring either a bank or fast food provider to the table that is willing to locate in that area without a drive through.
This is not supposition on my part. As part of planning for Franklin Avenue we talked to several of both kinds of business and universally it was a requirement. Or they were simply not interested in even talking to us. Franklin was fortunate that we had a banking entity that was very interested in out area and a location for a bank with drive through, without those two variables we could not have interested City-County Federal Credit Union and attracted there large new building. We earlier failed for several years when attempting to attract banks for that very reason. The problem with zoning in Minneapolis is that Minneapolis has only seven or six zoning categories to try to fit eighty individual neighborhoods and a hundred different situations. It is like a shoe store trying to fit everyone from a baby to Shaq. with only six shoe sizes and only "medium" width. It would be ridiculous. For that reason I have attempted to suggest to City Council People and the Mayor, as well as "Planning" people, that there be a "L" after such zoning categories. This "L" would indicate, "Limited" to the Master Land Use Plan for that specific neighborhood. Everyone says it is a good idea, but no one does anything about it. I am even fairly certain planners such as Tom Leighton would welcome a more flexible system, but need political leadership to make such a plan reality. Which indicates the paralysis our City Government seems to be exhibiting. Cities such as Vancouver have made good use of similar flexible zoning plans. That is probably why though starting deadlocked with Minneapolis, (as for livability) in the 1970's, Vancouver is now thought of as the best place to live in the Western Hemisphere. Minneapolis is no longer even in the top ten in the United States as for quality of life. Good planning and good government do make a difference. Of course Vancouver is not scared of "empowered neighbors" being involved in planning. They actually designed it into their process. Some might say that Minneapolis does not enjoy the scenic mountains that Vancouver has, which is true. However those scenic mountains hem in Vancouver and require more creative planning. Minneapolis is never going to have the ocean, mountains, and seafood, (except at Mystic on Wednesday nights), but we certainly can have creative planning. We need many shoes to fit many feet, or some people and businesses will chose to "walk" to a different "store". Jim Graham, Ventura Village >"Many receive advice, few profit by it." >- Publilius Syrus, 1st Century B.C TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
