By Bill Hoffmann

Even though they called waiting five more years to finally get pavement on six unpaved 19th century streets in Southeast Como “a slap in the face,” the 22 people attending a December neighborhood hearing seemed encouraged that their appeal for street paving would be a success.

Ward 1 Council Member Paul Ostrow and Public Works representative Gregory Schroeder commended neighborhood residents for their efforts and promised they would work, with further support from the neighborhood, to get the paving project on the city’s capital improvements list.

Home owner Jeremiah Peterson, who obtained 152 signatures on a petition from area home owners, renters, and two businesses, said at the meeting that placing the project on the capital improvements list would still make it a five-year process. “It is still a slap in the face,” he said.

Driving, riding bikes and walking on the rough oil and dirt streets are a challenge, according to residents. They say car repairs are needed; one woman said she paid $800 for car struts and springs. Another resident asked when street conditions would be considered an emergency if, for instance, snowplows remove more than snow. Schroeder said he should be notified and that surface repairs would be made.

The unpaved streets are north of East Hennepin Avenue and include parts of Winter, Ulysses and Garfield streets Northeast; and 14th, 15th, and 16th avenues SE. The Dec. 4 hearing was held at Apiary Workspaces, 1170 15th Ave. SE, a business incubator.

The border location of the six blocks seemed to be a major factor in the history of the streets never being paved. The blocks are in a border area between Southeast and Northeast, and at the south edge of Ward 1, most of which lies in Northeast, north of an industrial area. The six streets are in the Southeast Como neighborhood but north of East Hennepin Avenue, separated from the main part of the Como neighborhood.

Schroeder estimated the cost of paving the streets at $4.3 million. The city would pay 75 percent through bonds. Property owners would pay the remainder in assessments, which could be financed over 20 years. The assessment for an average sized lot would be $2,900.

Ostrow thanked Peterson for organizing residents in the area and circulating the petition for paving the streets. Ostow acknowledged he could have done more to push for the paving project in the past. “I accept responsibility,” he said.

Peterson is a member of the Southeast Como Improvement Association (SECIA) board. He served first as a university student representative.

Ostrow said he would consider holding a spring meeting in the area to prepare a street paving budget proposal for the city’s CLIC (Capital Long Range Improvement Committee). In the meantime, he encouraged residents to write letters to City Council members and the mayor urging support for budgeting the project.

last revised: December 6, 2007

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