Second Ward March 2021 E-newsletter
News from Cam Gordon
Council Member, Second Ward
A Minneapolis Green New Deal. Please join the Ward 2 Forum on a Minneapolis Green
New Deal, on Tuesday, March
30, at 6:30pm. In
recent years I have been working with others to equitably fight climate change
and we have laid the foundation for a coordinated and equitable approach in
Minneapolis. We have approved a Climate Action plan, established Green Zones,
formed a Clean Energy Partnership, created a Green Cost Share program, passed a
Climate Emergency declaration, set clean energy goals, and identified a Social
or true Cost of Carbon. Now we are moving
forward with our Energy
Disclosure ordinance that will
be implemented this fall, Inclusive
Financing, and a proposed District Energy system in the Towerside area. What do you think a
Minneapolis Green New Deal needs in order to be successful? How could we put a
fair price on carbon pollution to fight climate change while equitably investing
in helping people save energy, creating green jobs, promoting clean energy and reducing
energy costs at the same time? Here’s the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82033781369.
Follow-up Block Conversations about the Future
of Community Safety. Last fall, I organized more than
twenty small group conversations, across Ward 2 communities, about the future
of community safety in Minneapolis. Hundreds of people attended, and they
shared their hopes, fears, and ideas for alternative responses to calls for
help. In the few months since we met, my staff reviewed and grouped the
hundreds of comments we heard into some broad themes. We are hosting another
set of these small group conversations to report back about what we heard last
year, the impact of this feedback on the 2021 budget, and possible next steps.
These include the public safety charter amendments, proposed amendments to our
civilian police oversight system, and continuing community engagement on the
future of community safety. I am also willing to organize meetings with groups
that didn’t have a block conversation last fall. If you would like to set up a
small group meeting on your block, please email my Policy Aide Robin Garwood at
robin.garwood@minneapolismn.gov.
Roof Depot Hiawatha Public Works Expansion. Many people have been contacting me about
this project that will be coming up next month when the Council will review an
Environmental Assessment Worksheet. I
opposed the original action for the City to move forward with purchasing the
Roof Depot site. Since then, I led the effort to create environmental justice
Green Zones, including one on the south side that includes this site and the
surrounding neighborhood. I think that between that action, the recent actions
by the Council to declare racism a public health emergency and to start a
process for racial truth and reconciliation in Minneapolis, the time has come
to end the City’s efforts to turn this site into a public works facility. I am
working with the Council Member from that area, Alondra Cano, and other
colleagues, to put forward a motion at next month’s committee meeting to stop
the demolition, end this part of the project, and start the process of selling
this land for another use that would have more community support. You can find
the EAW at https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/business-services/planning-zoning/environmental-assessments-worksheets/pw-hiawatha-facility-expansion/
Minneapolis COVID-19 Cases. As of March 26th, in Minneapolis there
have been 34,205 total positive cases of COVID-19, 2,382 people hospitalized,
and 401 people who have died because of the virus. March 11 marked the one-year
anniversary of the first case in Minneapolis and March 27 marked the
anniversary of our first death. This sad memory was commemorated with several
city actions including a special lighting of the 35W bridge, ringing of bells
and a mayoral proclamation.
New Vaccination
Web Tool. The
City has a new web tool to help residents find information in multiple
languages on the current status of the vaccination rollout, what to expect when
getting the vaccine, and the safety of getting a vaccine. It provides up-to-date status of the phased
vaccination rollout and shows which groups of people are being vaccinated now
and which groups are next. Find the City’s new COVID-19 vaccine web tool at https://coronavirus-vaccine-outreach-cityoflakes.hub.arcgis.com/.
Free COVID-19
Tests. The
City of Minneapolis is offering free COVID-19 saliva tests. Testing is
encouraged and available to everyone, whether or not you have symptoms. It’s
one of the best ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 and help prevent exposing
your loved ones to the virus along with wearing masks correctly, keeping 6 feet
from anyone you don’t live with and handwashing. Find a current list of free
COVID-19 tests at https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/coronavirus/
Free and Affordable
Food. There are many places to get local,
affordable or free emergency food in Minneapolis. Find a map and hours of food
shelves and food distribution pop-ups for emergency food in Minneapolis at http://www2.minneapolismn.gov/sustainability/homegrown/WCMSP-185913
Chauvin Trial Plans. The City, with partners from the county, state and other local
law enforcement agencies, has made extensive preparations for the trial of
Derek Chauvin, that started in March. Some buildings downtown, especially the
government buildings including the Government Center and City Hall, have
extensive physical barriers put up around them and some streets downtown near
the Government Center are closed. You can learn more at the City’s Trial
Support and Safety webpage at https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/trial-support-safety/
Operation Safety Net. A collection of law enforcement
agencies called Operation Safety Net (OSN) has been formed to “ensure
everyone can safely have their voices heard before, during and after the trial
of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was charged in
George Floyd's death.” Its mission is to “Preserve and protect lawful First
Amendment non-violent protests and demonstrations. Prevent large scale violent
civil disturbances, assaultive actions, property damage, fires, and looting to
government buildings, businesses, and critical infrastructure. The OSN has
its own website at https://safetynet.mn.gov/Pages/about.aspx where public information is
posted as well as various social media sites, including at https://www.facebook.com/MNOperationSafetyNet. Members of the OSN hold weekly
media briefings Mondays at 2:00pm appearing on YouTube at https://youtu.be/Wbsv20ANgRU.
Community
Outreach & Support Contracts. The Office of Violence Prevention’s has a community stakeholder
leadership group that is meeting throughout the trial and will be contracting
with community groups to provide positive
outreach and community engagement, provide informal de-escalation, mediation,
and conflict resolution if needed, and share information about existing City
and community resources and supports.
City Contact Numbers During Trail.
People can use existing call lines for emergencies, suspicious activity and
informational needs: 911 for emergencies where someone’s safety is at risk that
require an immediate response from police, firefighters, or medics;
612-692-TIPS (8477) for reporting tips to the Minneapolis police about any
suspicious activity that doesn't require an immediate response (like reporting
a fast-moving car without license plates or spotting something odd in an alley);
612-673-2499 for general questions from business and commercial property owners
about preparations before the trial, operating during the trial and local
regulations (questions can also be sent by email to SmallBusiness@minneapolismn.gov);
and, 311 for all other non-emergency concerns.
Violence Interrupter Contract. The Council has approved contract extensions
with the Corcoran and Central Area Neighborhood Development Organizations to June
30, 2021, for continued violence interruption services under the MinneapolUS
Strategic Outreach Initiative. More details are at https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/File/2021-00278
Public Safety Charter Amendment Moves to Charter Commission.
The City Council voted In March to send the Public Safety Charter Amendment to
the Charter Commission for a mandatory review before it can be put on the
ballot this November. The Amendment, if approved by the voters, would establish
a new Charter Department of Public Safety to establish, and maintain public
safety services to create safer communities for everyone in Minneapolis. It
would remove the Minneapolis Police Department as a charter department and
establish a Division of Law Enforcement within the Department of Public Safety
responsible for the core functions of law enforcement and the mandate for a
minimum number of Police employees. You can read the full amendment language here https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MPLS/2021/01/28/file_attachments/1675134/Transforming%20Public%20Safety%20Charter%20Amendment%20Ordinance.pdf and a Frequently Asked Questions document at https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MPLS/2021/01/28/file_attachments/1674937/Transforming%20Public%20Safety%20charter%20amendment%20FAQ.pdf. I strongly
supported moving forward with this effort. Changing the charter to establish a
more modern department of Public Safety, managed jointly by the Mayor and City
Council just as all the other departments are, is one of the best steps we can
take to improve our approach to public safety to ensure that it works better
for everyone.
Behavioral Health Crisis Services.
The Request for Proposals for the mobile behavioral health crisis response
pilot program has been issued. Collaboration between organizations has been
encouraged. If you or your organization is unsure if you should apply, you
can submit questions to innovate@minneapolismn.gov
so that we can help. Proposals are due March 31 by 4pm with a selection date
estimated to be April 14.
Request for Proposals for Violence
Interruption Services. Following the Office of
Violence Prevention’s MinneapolUS initiative last year that included outreach
teams of violence interrupters to prevent violent conflicts, the City is
issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for similar services in 2021 and,
potentially, longer. Once agencies have been identified as qualified through
this RFP, the Office will work with selected agencies to create a network of
providers to comprise a coordinated, citywide approach.
Floyd Family Lawsuit Settlement. In March, following a closed session, the City
Council approved, paying $27 million to settle the wrongful-death lawsuit filed
by George Floyd’s family against the City. This is the highest settlement
amount the City has ever paid and is more than the $20 million paid to the
family of Justine Damond, who was shot and killed by a Minneapolis police
officer in 2017. With this settlement,
Minneapolis has now paid more than $72 million to settle lawsuits related to
police misconduct and violence since 2003. This is a stark and powerful
reminder of our flawed and failed system of providing public safety for the
people of Minneapolis. The current structure and system of policing is broken.
It is morally indefensible and fiscally irresponsible to allow the status quo
to continue. At the press conference one of the family’s attorneys said,
“History will judge us by how we respond to this tragedy….and history won’t
judge us just on the eloquence of our words, but by the power of our actions.” I
hope we can act to make meaningful and lasting legislative and policy change at
the national, state and local levels.
Let us pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the United
States Congress. Let’s build on the
successful work at the state legislature last year and continue the work on
police accountability and repairing the arbitration process. And let’s pass the
Public Safety Charter amendment and a new and more effective Police Oversight
Ordinance this year in Minneapolis. To help, I encourage everyone to watch the
full and lengthy press conference where some of these issues are called out by
members of the Floyd family’s legal team at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoIbKrMmIR0. You can learn more about the federal bill,
H.R.7120 - George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/7120.
Police Officer Conduct Claims Paid. With my recommendation and urging I am glad that
the City has now created a way for the public to review and track payouts made
by the City in response to lawsuits involving police conduct. I invite you to see the payments the City has
made as part of officer conduct claims and lawsuits at https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/government-data/datasource/officer-payouts-dashboard/.
Police Use of “Less Lethal” Munitions. I was very concerned by a report the Council’s
Public Health and Safety committee received from an interdisciplinary team from
the University of Minnesota about the serious injuries caused by so-called
“less lethal” munitions like rubber bullets and tear gas during the unrest that
followed the killing of George Floyd. In response to the report, I the
committee, I moved a staff directive to direct the Police Chief to report back
on the topic to the committee. That directive, however, (due to how our Charter
gives total control of the police department to the mayor) had to be phrased as
a “request” based on opinions of the City Clerk and the City Attorney. As a
request, the committee approved “Requesting the Minneapolis Police Department
to provide a description of policy and procedure changes intended to eliminate
the kinds of injuries caused by the use of ‘less lethal weapons’ described by
the interdisciplinary team from the University of Minnesota, and to provide that
information to the Public Health & Safety Committee at its regular meeting
on April 1, 2021.” The Court restraining order we got after being sued by the
State already stipulates that any use of these weapons must be authorized by
the Chief, but I do not believe that is sufficient. I believe, based on this
evidence and the manufacturer’s own guidelines, that these weapons should no
longer be used in any crowded environment or shot down from roof tops. At least
I think that we should ban their use until we are able to have a more
thoughtful, public process in order to determine if they should ever be used.
The Council is not in a position to make this policy decision, unfortunately,
because of the flawed charter provision. To see the disturbing presentation and
recommendations, go here: https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/File/2021-00275.
Minneapolis Police Operational Assessment.
In March the Council got an update on the City Coordinator’s Office of Performance
and Innovation decision to combine two studies and contract with the CNA Center
for Justice Research and Innovation to complete both the Police Department
Staffing & Efficiency Study and the 911 Problem Nature Code Prioritization
Study. The new study is called the Minneapolis Police Operational Assessment. It is not
expected to identify a
specific number of officers the city should maintain, nor what exact functions the
police should or should not perform, but it could be a valuable tool to help policymakers
make more
informed decisions. We should have results and recommendations from the study
in the fall of 2021 in time to help be used in setting the 2022
budget. To
learn more about nonprofit CAN Center, see https://www.cna.org/centers/ipr/jri/.
To learn more about the study visit https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/community-safety/background/
Immigration and Refugee Affairs. Our Minneapolis Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
and Saint Paul Immigrant and Refugee Program is hosting weekly forums on
immigration from 4:30-6:00pm on Tuesdays co-hosted with the Saint Paul
Immigrant and Refugee Program. Please see https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/government/departments/ncr/immigrant-refugee-affairs/immigration-refugee-events/ for links and more information.
Public Charge Test. I was glad to learn that the Department of Homeland
Security has announced that a widely criticized 2020 change to the “public
charge test” will no longer be enforced. The public charge test is used to
determine whether certain applicants for permanent residence, or green cards,
are likely to primarily depend on government assistance. For information
on this development and how it affects people, contact Mid Minnesota Legal Aid
at 1-800-292-4150.
Immigration
Presentation. The Council had a very information presentation with remarks from U.S.
Rep. Ilhan Omar and an overview of federal immigration developments and local
immigrant initiatives In on March 10th. You can watch presentation
at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=A10KUEZdiIw&feature=youtu.be
Resolution
Supporting Asian Americans. The council passed a resolution
condemning the racialized harm against Asian American/Pacific Islander
individuals and communities. We expressed our unwavering commitment to
combatting anti-Asian hate and discrimination by protecting AAPI Minneapolitans
and holding accountable those who cause them harm.
Discrimination Helpline. The State of Minnesota has a helpline for people facing
discrimination. Discrimination based on someone’s race, ethnicity, religion or
other protected class is prohibited. If you or anyone in
your community faces discrimination, please call 1-833-454-0148 or complete this online form to report the incident.
The helpline is
staffed 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Translation services are
available and information about the helpline is available in 17 different
languages on the State of Minnesota website at https://mn.gov/mdhr/covid-19/languagesinfo.jsp. .
Cuba
Resolution. In
March, the Council passed a
resolution I authored that calls for the City to increase collaboration and
learn from the medical expertise of the Cuban government, its
workers, tools and equipment and on all levels of government to lift all
restrictions to further collaboration and cross-training in the
fight against the COVI-19 epidemic. My thanks to the Minnesota Cuba
Committee and the Solidarity Committee of the Americas for leading on this and
to Greg Clave for bringing this to my attention.
CPED
Director Appointed.
The Council has approved the
appointment of Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) interim
director Andrea Brennan to be the department’s more permanent director.
Brennan has served as interim director since June while continuing to lead the
Housing Policy and Development division of CPED. She began serving with the
City in 2016 as the department’s housing director. Prior to that, she was the
Director of Community and Economic Development for the Dakota County Community
Development Agency. I look forward to working with her and helping her make
this important department even more efficient, responsive and effective in the
months ahead.
Tenant
Opportunity to Purchase. The
Council has passed a staff direction from my coauthors and I (Council Members
Fletcher, Ellison, and Schroeder), for the City Attorney’s Office to draft a
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase ordinance and bring it back to the Council by
July 1 of this year. The staff direction goes on to lay out a framework for a
strong TOPA policy. I invite you to read the details of the policy here: https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/file/2021-00288.
The framework or this ordinance is based on the work that was done by Twin
Cities LISC and the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development,
which was presented to the Council late last year. Everyone can read the final
report here: https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/Download/File/4846/Opportunity%20to%20Purchase%20Policy%20Options%20for%20the%20City%20of%20Minneapolis%202020-01178%20update.pdf.
I strongly support passing a robust Tenant Opportunity to Purchase ordinance
for Minneapolis, because tenants need and deserve this kind of autonomy and
control over their homes, and protection against involuntary displacement.
Rent
Stabilization Charter Amendment. The
Council has voted to put the rent stabilization charter amendments that I am coauthoring
on the ballot this November. If approved by the voters, one amendment would
give the City Council the authority to pass a rent control or stabilization
ordinance, and the other would add a provision in the Charter to allow
initiative and referendum for the sole purpose of passing a rent control or
stabilization ordinance. The Charter Commission can review it for 150 days
before making a recommendation to the Council. Regardless of their
recommendation, the Council can then vote to submit it to the voters at the
November 2 municipal election. You can visit https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/city-council/ward-2/ward-2-issues/ to learn more about rent stabilization, read
frequently asked question about the Charter amendments and track the Charter
amendments through the legislative process..
Rental
Eviction Protection.
I am also co-authoring an ordinance that would protect renters and more
fairly regulate evictions, by adopting a “Just Cause” requirement similar to
what St. Paul recently adopted, and a pre-eviction notice requirement similar
to what St. Louis Park has recently adopted, to offer tenants the opportunity
to address concerns and get help before being forced out of their homes. You
can learn more here: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/city-council/ward-2/ward-2-issues/.
Accessory
Dwelling Unit Amendment. The Council has
approved my amendment to the Zoning Code that eliminates the owner-occupancy
requirement for certain accessory dwelling units. We will instead rely on
standards set in the state building code. This is something that is called out
as an action step in the Comprehensive Plan as part of Policy 35 – Innovative
Housing Types. Essentially, it removes the homestead requirement for detached
ADUs and attached ADUs with a separate entrance, while keeping it for the more
“internal” kinds of ADUs that require one resident to access their unit through
part of another unit. The intent is to give more flexibility for people to
build more ADUs across the city, because I see this as a great way to preserve
our existing housing stock while increasing the housing available. For more
details see https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/Board/MarkedAgenda/CPC/2205
Just Deeds
Project. The City is offering free
services to help property owners remove racial covenants from their properties’
legal title. Racial covenants were recorded on residential properties in
Minneapolis by developers and homeowners beginning in the 1910s to prevent the
sale and use of these properties to non-white people. The Mapping
Prejudice research project has compiled a map of over 8,000 properties in
Minneapolis with racial covenants. Many of these are located in Ward 2.
City staff will assist homeowners in completing the application process and
Hennepin County will waive fees associated with the process. You can learn more
about this promising project at https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/government/departments/attorney/just-deeds/ or by
emailing JustDeedsProject@minneapolismn.gov.
Maximum
Occupancy. A public hearing has been set for March 30 at 1:30pm on the
maximum occupancy ordinance authored by Council President Bender. This
ordinance will align the housing code’s definition of “family” with what we
have already adopted in the Zoning Code. I am very supportive of this move,
which will fix a discriminatory approach to defining family that I have opposed
for a long time. To find out more, go here: https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/File/2018-00160.
Semi-Truck
Parking. Semi-truck parking continues to be a persistent problem in many
areas of the City. The City is preparing to take the next steps toward enacting
a new ordinance that would prohibit semi-truck parking on all city streets. In
March, I met with City staff and the authors of the ordinance that will, if and
when adopted, prohibit large truck parking on-street citywide. The authors and
I agreed on a goal of bringing it forward for a public hearing in May. If
approved by the Council, I expect that there will be a period of education and
outreach as enforcement measures are slowly increased. This will help drivers find
alternatives places to park their trucks, and for those alternatives to be
created. I have learned of some private
landowners who are stepping up to at least explore having trucks park on lots
they control. This is good news and could help drivers find an acceptable
alternative for parking not too far away.
Travel Management
Ordinance. A public hearing will be held on April 12 at the Planning
Commission on the Travel Demand Management ordinance I am coauthoring with
Council Member Fletcher. This ordinance will remove
minimum parking requirements citywide, lower parking maximums,
increase bicycle parking requirements, and require many more buildings to go
through a Travel Demand Management process. One exciting thing about that
process is that developers will be incentivized to do much more to promote
transit, including giving residents free transit passes. To find out more, go
here: https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/download/Agenda/1767/Text%20amendment%20-%20off%20street%20parking.pdf/53904/2293/Parking,%20Loading,%20and%20Mobilty%20Zoning%20Code%20Text%20Amendment
Blue Line. The Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County have
released new potential route options for the planned METRO Blue Line extension.
The extension will connect the cities of Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center,
Robbinsdale, Golden Valley and Minneapolis to the existing Blue Line light rail
route. A community survey is available on the project website for
community members wanting to give feedback on the initial route options by
April 30. For more information see https://metrocouncil.org/Transportation/Projects/Light-Rail-Projects/METRO-Blue-Line-Extension.aspx
Hospitality
Workers Right to Recall. The Council has passed the proposed “Right to
Recall” ordinance, with my strong support. This ordinance would give
hospitality workers who have been laid off due to the COVID pandemic the right
to return to the jobs they lost, at the level of pay and benefits they were
making when they were laid off. It’s important to know that the pandemic’s
impact on workers was not equal and affected these workers much more than
others. It’s also important to keep in mind that this workforce is
disproportionately women and people of color. To find out more, see here: https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/File/2021-00108
Parklet Hosts
Needed. The
City is looking for community partners to host 3 City-owned parklets for the
2021 season. Parklets are unique public gathering spaces built in the
right-of-way with seating, plantings and other amenities. Neighborhood
organizations, street-level businesses, nonprofits, community organizations and
Special Service Districts are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is
Friday, April 23. City crews will setup the parklets at host locations in the
spring after street sweeping is completed and will remove them in the fall. The
City-owned parklets include the parklet structure (platform and planter boxes),
plantings, chairs, tables, patio umbrellas and public parklet signage. For more
information see https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/environmental-programs/parklet-program/ or contact parklets@minneapolismn.gov.
Firefighter Recruitment. The City of Minneapolis is recruiting
firefighters. The firefighter cadet application window is April 19-30. People
can also find more information about becoming a Minneapolis firefighter at https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/jobs/firefighter-jobs/
Severe Weather Awareness Week.
April 12-16 is Severe Weather Awareness Week. As part of the week, two tornado
drills will take place Thursday, April 15, so people can practice taking shelter
in severe weather. Outdoor warning sirens will sound in a
simulated tornado warning at 1:45 p.m. and again at 6:45 p.m. According to the
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota experiences an average
of nearly 30 tornadoes per year. For more information see https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/weather-awareness-preparedness/Pages/default.aspx
and for weather alerts of any imminent weather danger with email or text
notices visit https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/weather-awareness-preparedness/Pages/alerts-warnings.aspx.
Garbage Burner. In March, the Council voted to approve an amendment to the
City's legislative agenda that I coauthored supporting "Legislation and
administrative rule changes that classify energy sources from garbage
incineration as nonrenewable energy sources." This builds on the work that
Representative Frank Hornstein has done in the MN House to classify the
Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (also known as HERC or the downtown garbage
burner) as not a renewable energy source. By allowing garbage incineration to be
considered a renewable energy source, we are allowing electricity utilities not
to invest in real renewables, like wind and solar, and still technically
"meet" the state renewable energy standard. If you believe, as I do,
that we should stop burning garbage, this is one necessary step to get there. I
thank City staff for their work on this, the Sierra Club for bringing it to my
attention, and Representative Hornstein for his good work on this at the
Legislature. To find out more, go here: https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/RCA/7640
Recycling
Information. A new Facebook group moderated by the City of Minneapolis Public
Works Division of Solid Waste & Recycling offers a good space to ask
questions about garbage, recycling and organics recycling (composting). If
you’re unsure whether an item is recyclable or compostable, your friends,
family and neighbors in this group and the City’s Solid Waste & Recycling
staff will help you find the answer. Join the Solid Waste & Recycling
Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/minneapolisrecycles/.
$25 Trees This
Spring. City
property owners can order a 5- to 8-foot tree for $25 each to plant on their
private property. Property owners in Green Zones, rental property owners and
property owners who haven’t gotten a tree in the City Trees program in the last
two years will get a chance to order a tree earlier. The 2,000 trees in 24
varieties this year include large and medium shade trees, fruit trees,
evergreens and smaller flowering trees. Comparable trees cost about $125 at a
nursery.
Stormwater Management. The
Council has amended and strengthened the City’s local Stormwater Management
ordinance. The amended ordinance changes from regulating 1.0-acre or greater of
land-disturbing activities to 0.5-acre or greater and gives the City Engineer
authority to impose special conditions on any project within the City that may
degrade the performance of the City’s storm sewer system. It also eliminates
the exemption of reconstruction projects of an existing roadway, bridge,
pathway, or walkway where the increase in impervious surface area is one (1)
acre or less, but keeps exemptions for mill and overlay, underground utility,
and disconnected sidewalk and trail projects. The changes also allow for the
creation of a stormwater banking program for approved governmental entities and
off-site management under certain conditions.
Energy Efficiency Award. The City received an
Inspiring Energy Efficiency Award from the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
for the Energy Disclosure ordinance I coauthored with my colleague Jeremy
Schroeder. This ordinance ensures that every person moving into a new home -
whether buying or renting - will get information about the energy performance
of that home to help then better understand and manage their housing costs. It
resulted in 6,200 energy disclosure reports to homeowners in 2020. With each
report homebuyers received information they can act on for meaningful
efficiency improvements in attic insulation (4,190 homes), wall insulation
(1,726), heating system (4,023), & storm windows (392). I hope that this
will help other cities follow our lead. Learn more at https://www.meeaconference.org/awards/2021-innovation-city-minneapolis-home-energy-disclosure
Solar Financing Approved.
It was wonderful to be able to approve 5 Property Assessment for Clean Energy
(PACE) financing projects in March. The PACE energy program allows Minneapolis
businesses to finance energy efficiency improvements, including solar energy
installations through an assessment placed on the property. The recent properties
approved include ELFE Bros. LLC, 2808 Washington Ave N; Judson Memorial Baptist
Church, 4101 Harriet Ave S; Raimis Construction LLC, 1515 19th St E; CFPA
Development Project, LLC, 3754 Pleasant Ave; and Sommers - Haas Project,
504-506 24th St E. For more on PACE financing, which is provided through the
St. Paul Port Authority, see https://www.minnpace.com/.
Health
Mentor Programs. The Council has accepted a grant from
the Youthprise Foundation, in the amount of $240,000 for the period of January
1, 2021, through December 31, 2021, to implement the Health Mentor
Model at Henry, Roosevelt and South High Schools as part of our School Based
Clinics work.
University Area Overlay District Changes. My proposal to adopt a maximum number of bedrooms for 1-3 unit buildings
in the Interior districts in the University Overlay District is moving forward
as part of a broader package of transportation management and parking rules
changes. This whole package was reviewed at the Planning Commission’s Committee
of the Whole meeting in March and the Commission will hold a public hearing and
consider amending or approving it on April 12. I am optimistic that this change
will better address the unique challenges of over-sized “McDorms” that function
more like 10-15 unit buildings rather than triplexes, being proposed in on some
larger lots in otherwise lower density areas. I welcome feedback on this policy,
both overall and about its details. You can find out more information here: https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/download/Agenda/1767/Text%20amendment%20-%20off%20street%20parking.pdf/53904/2293/Parking,%20Loading,%20and%20Mobilty%20Zoning%20Code%20Text%20Amendment
Lake
Street Recovery and Longfellow Rising. It is exciting to see so much progress
being made towards recovery and rebuilding on Lake Street. You can find more
information about City efforts at https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/minneapolis-forward/, as we work to follow and support the
efforts of community members and businesses throughout the corridor. The Lake
Street Council recently hired Russ Adams as Manager of the Corridor Recovery
Initiatives at the Lake Street Council. He will be working to convene
stakeholders and implement neighborhood rebuilding initiatives as the area
recovers from the damage following the killing of George Floyd. The rebuild
will focus on anti-displacement strategies, supporting the success of small
businesses, BIPOC entrepreneurs and nonprofits, and listening to the community
as we recover and re-imagine the corridor together. In the Ward 2 are, strong
and inclusive leadership is being provided by Longfellow Rising. I have been
glad to participate in Longfellow Rising’s recent meetings as this grassroots
initiative started by local property and business owners has been leading
planning efforts around rebuilding in the Downtown Longfellow Area. You can
learn more about their work at https://www.facebook.com/Longfellow-Rising-110923477476621/ and see their February presentation
at https://vimeo.com/522545829?fbclid=IwAR0Pb7uKcMGuQX57KE6nTVF7lu8oR1C0eVxbaQBoDrjer8UVaYt5vX7EWPQ.
Metropolitan Council Downtown Longfellow Grant Award. The City has secured a
2020 Metropolitan Council LCDA Pre-development grant of $97,500 for the
Downtown Longfellow site at 2701 Lake St E and 3009-3017 27th Ave S. The City
will pass the Downtown Longfellow grant through to Seward Redesign, who is
acting as the project’s fiscal agent on behalf of the property owners. This
project is exploring adding mixed-income housing on a group of parcels that
were previously lower density commercial, providing a new destination public
plaza, and studying the potential on Lake Street. Grant funds will be used to
undertake community engagement, a market study, site planning, a building
feasibility and partnership/wealth building model, and sustainability analysis.
Drive-thru Bank
at 3600 East Lake St.
U.S. Bank has shared plans to remodel the former Tim Horton’s fast food
restaurant at 3600 E. Lake Street into a bank branch. They have now
formally applied to the City to be allowed to increase the number of
drive-through lanes from one lane to three lanes; to reduce the floor area
ratio to 0.77 to include demolition of a walk-in cooler area; to increase the
maximum parking limit from 8 spaces to 11 spaces, while reducing the previous
parking on the site from 20 spaces to 11 spaces. The public hearing for the
land use applications and site plan approval is expected to be held at the
Planning Commission on April 26th.
Minnehaha
Post Office. The Postal Service has made the decision to rebuild
the full-service Minnehaha Post Office in South Minneapolis in the same
location, 3033 27th Ave S. While there is not a current construction timeline,
all services will continue to operate out of the temporary facility at 10 W
Lake Street until further notice. No plans for the new building have been
shared yet and I will be advocating that the community has input into any plans
and that they coordinate with local businesses, especially those nearby who are
also planning to rebuild, as well as with the business associations,
neighborhood organizations, and Longfellow Rising.
Route
21 Bus Line. Metro Transit is planning a major improvement to a
transit corridor that is very important to Second Ward residents. The proposed
B Line arterial bus rapid transit (BRT) would improve speed, reliability, and
comfort for transit riders on Lake Street and provide dramatically improved bus
service. To learn more go to https://www.metrotransit.org/b-line-corridor-plan.
Towerside District Energy Test Wells. The test wells have been drilled and testing has begun for the
Towerside District Energy System. This represents real progress towards getting
this crucial project complete so that it can serve the planned Malcolm Yards development,
for a start, and can spread to serve more buildings in the future. I look
forward to seeing the results and, and doing what I can to support this project,
as the Council pledged to do last year.
Biochar. Our Health
Department’s Environmental Services division is exploring siting a biochar
facility in the Towerside area, potentially north of the United Crushers grain
silo. Biochar is a proven way to sequester carbon in the soil, while improving
the biological performance of other soil treatments like compost, and retaining
more stormwater. This facility would produce biochar for use by the City, the
Park Board, and urban farms and community gardens. It will also give off waste
heat, which can be captured and reused by the proposed district energy system.
This would potentially allow the area to become not just net carbon neutral,
but even carbon negative – pulling more CO2 out of the air than the area emits.
Parking
Restriction for Malcolm North of University. The City has put in signs and begun
enforcement of limits to parking during the day on the east side of Malcolm
North of University Ave, to help manage heavy truck traffic on Malcolm,
especially at the intersection with University.
Safety on 4th
St SE, Bedford & University Ave Area. Along with Prospect Park leader Britt
Howell, I helped organize a conversation with the leadership of Valhalla Clinic
and neighbors, including many residents of 4th St SE. I was pleased to see
Valhalla step up express willingness to address community concerns. I will
continue to monitor the situation in the area and encourage anyone who has
continuing concerns to let me know.
Glendale Parking
Area. The
increase in the parking the “No Parking 8am-10pm” restriction to 7 days a week,
“Except by Permit” in the Glendale Townhomes Critical Parking Area, based on
engagement with and the support of Glendale residents, have gone into effect.
We will be gathering feedback in the weeks ahead and are open to making some
modifications in response to concerns raised by Luxton staff or others.
Liquor License Renewals. The City Council has approved the license
renewal of several Ward 2 -Longfellow Grill,
2990 WEST RIVER PKWY Minneapolis, MN, (Ward 2) submitted by Blue Plate Restaurant
Company, Inc.
Agra Project At
Perkins Site in Seward. The City has accepted 2020
Metropolitan Council LCDA-TOD Development grants in the amount of
$1,250,000 for the Agra project at 901 27th Ave S. The Agra project will
develop 175 units of affordable housing along Franklin Avenue in the Seward
neighborhood. The project includes a greenhouse and growing facility to provide
space for hydroponic food production, as well as a stormwater management system
for reuse in the hydroponic growing system. Grant funds will be used for site
acquisition.
American Indian Center Expansion. The Council has also accepted $750,000 for the Minneapolis
American Indian Center Expansion at 1530 Franklin Ave E. This project supports
the expansion and renovation of the Minneapolis American Indian Center to
accommodate their growing programs. The project will provide 45 jobs and
strengthen the facility as a core gathering place for cultural, social, arts,
and fitness activities for the Native community. Grant funds will be used for
site preparation, stormwater management, and public art.
posted by Cam Gordon @ 11:20 AM
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