August 2016 Newsletter

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For the latest news from Ward 2 in Minneapolis please check our our monthly newsletter here.

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Lessons from Mr. Smith's Time in City Hall

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I want to clarify my position on an ordinance proposed by council member Hofstede regarding furniture in yards and on porches. The specific proposed amendment adds the following language: Any upholstered furniture not manufactured for outdoor use, including upholstered chairs, upholstered couches, and mattresses placed in any front yard, side yard or rear yard abutting a street or on any opened porch exposed to the elements, shall constitute a nuisance condition .” According to discussions at the committee an exposed porch includes any porch that has a roof and railings but it not fully enclosed with windows or screens. I have listened carefully to the concerns and reasoning behind this proposal and can appreciate the good intentions of those who are supporting and bringing this idea forward, but I can't support this proposal as presented. I am willing to support the portion that restricts the use of upholstered furniture (not specifically manufactured for outdoor use) on lawns an...
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Hiawatha Golf Course and Historic Registration

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 The future of Hiawatha Golf Course took an interesting turn this January when the city’s historic preservation commission and the park board weighed in on its past.  Both formally responded to a nomination submitted last year to add the golf course to the National Register of Historic Places. The Minneapolis Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) voted to support the nomination of the 140-acre site located at 4553 Longfellow Ave.  The Park Board approved a letter expressing both support and concerns. The nomination was submitted last year by the Bronze Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports preservation of the 18-hole golf course, who hired Hess, Roise and Company to draft the nomination. The Bronze Foundation also manages the Bronze tournament, formerly called the Upper Midwest Bronze Amateur Open, that has been held regularly at the course since 1954. The application was submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) on November 4, 2022. T...
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