Editor’s note: In our September print issue, a WBCC board meeting is listed on the calendar for Sept. 17. In fact, no September meeting was scheduled. The next WBCC meeting is on Oct. 15; see info at the bottom of this post.

35W MEMORIAL PROJECT/BLUFF STREET TASK FORCE
Task force co-chair Rosemary Knutson explained to the board that the area is currently a staging area for the 35W bridge repair, and people want a memorial created on the bluff.

“Everybody grieves,” Knutson said.

Knutson described that the bluff as a place where people can go and commune with nature. She shared her vision of creating a big historical area including a memorial, the bluff and Bohemian Flats, and suggested the Minnesota Historical Society might be solicited to get involved.

“This is our next step forward with that,” Knutson said.

The board passed a resolution requesting the Minnesota Department of Transportation to preserve some of the twisted steel beams and other bridge remnants from the collapsed structure for the creation of a community memorial.

SMITH PARTNERS PROPOSAL/CEDAR-RIVERSIDE PARTNERSHIP UPDATE
Board member Todd Smith explained that a process began two years ago to bring large businesses, neighborhood partners, funding partners and institutional players into a partnership to benefit the community, institute change and develop long-terms plans.

Smith described the four basic issues: safety and security, youth, jobs creation, and parking. Fairview Hospital is the largest employer in the neighborhood, Smith said.

Some discussion ensued regarding a return on investment, communication, altruism, and the partnership’s desire to have a single formal representative at the next meeting.

Smith said that the WBCC board’s role was informational, “not to drive the agenda” for the partnership.

“Let’s let them go at it and see what happens,” Smith said. The process is going on in an “altruistic fashion.”

Board member Doris Wickstrom commented that she wants to see a “community benefit agreement” document developed, and that such a document was not about telling people how to do their job.

Wickstrom and board president Laura Silver expressed their desire for improved communication between the board and the partnership. Wickstrom suggested that representatives from the partnership attend a board meeting to discuss its workings.

Silver commented that to date there had been no formal communication between the WBCC and the partnership.

“It’s an issue of respect, professionalism and transparency,” Silver said.

Board member Jim Ruiz expressed his desire to join Smith as a board representative to the partnership to bring the renter/resident perspective to meetings. Smith objected to this, saying that the partnership wanted only one representative, particularly if a voting matter should arise.

Wickstrom said it was important to have a residential perspective to balance the business perspective and that she would be more comfortable with two representatives.

A motion was made and passed that both Smith and Ruiz would serve as representatives.

GATEWAY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT NEWS
Sheila Delaney of the West Bank Business Association gave a presentation to the board regarding the University District Partnership Alliance (UDPA).

A project to demonstrate a solid alliance between the neighborhoods has been requested. Delaney explained that the project must be “replicable, innovative and demonstrable,” and that the beacon project may not be enough of a project to fit these criteria.

The Metro Design Center (MDC) will need to be involved as well, said Delaney, as they will be doing an analysis of all community planning, speaking to what will benefit the community. She explained that whatever the MDC accomplishes for Cedar-Riverside will go into a handbook to share with other neighborhoods in the future.

Project ideas include building a kiosk to served as a gateway to the West Bank, perhaps located at the Cedar Cultural Center, for wayfinding and as a community board. Funding for façade improvements, lighting improvements, and the third beacon are also included.

Delaney asked for a motion of support from the board, stating that it is important to demonstrate that all the parties are working together as a community. She wants to keep communication tight to avoid any communication breakdown as was experienced earlier this summer.

The board passed the motion.

UDPA BOARD UPDATE
Wickstrom advised the board that a meeting, the location of which is yet to be determined, was scheduled for Sept. 20 at 8:30 a.m. She said it is an open meeting focused on what each neighborhood’s plans are, and so the meeting needs board participation.

CURA is sponsoring an event on October 17 that will highlight some guests from Ohio State University, who will discuss their experience working with adjacent neighborhoods.

The alliance is working on a website, Wickstrom said, and a volunteer is needed to write something about the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood for inclusion on the website. UPDA representative Peg Wolff said there will be a property/neighborhood link on the site to “get a sense of the flavor of the neighborhood.”

COUNCILMEMBER CAM GORD’S REPORT
Gordon’s aide, Robin Garwood, highlighted for the board three pertinent items on the report:

Gordon is calling for the City of Minneapolis to establish a moratorium on demolition of single family homes, duplexes and triplexes in the University District area. Gordon has also called for a study that addresses land use and development concerns in the University district, including parking, occupancy, design standards, zoning, inspections and the development review process — “all those pieces that make for a better neighborhood,” said Garwood.

Garwood said that someone needed to participate along with Haila Maze, the staff member who drafted the Cedar-Riverside small area plan and who will be leading the effort for the City.

Gordon supports Rybak’s budget item investing $2.1 million in lighting for the Hiawatha LRT bike trail beginning in 2013. Garwood advised the board that the Cedar-Riverside LRT and downtown are not likely to be lit up anytime soon.

The Cedar-Riverside LRT station is one of several stations slated for a size increase to accommodate three-car trains. The larger station size may help eliminate bike/LRT rider conflicts, Garwood said. The expansion will extend the station for 70 feet to the south. The construction project is scheduled to begin next spring and be completed by the spring of 2010.

The station will be closed thee or four times during that period, said Garwood. “It’s an electricity issue.”

EVENTS RECAP
“It was a beautiful day,” said Wickstrom of the Bohemian Flats Day event held on Aug. 16. She attended the event in an official capacity to help sign people up for the energy challenge.

The National Night Out event at Currie Park was well attended, reported board member Benjamin Marcy. Some 200 people and came to participate, and the event enjoyed business contributions. Wickstrom added that the Riverside NNO had a great turnout, as well.

SAFETY COMMITTEE
Board member Russom Solomon reported that safety patrol walks continue to help build community relationships. “It was a fair turnout,” he said of the last walk, which are held on Tuesdays and Fridays. On the walks, participants are able to clean up the streets, clean graffiti, and get to know their neighbors.

Russom urged the board members to show up for the walking patrols. He would like to do daily walks but “people don’t show up.”

Smith commented that block clubs should be resident driven; Marcy said that the walks began with six Tower residents, including Somali women elders. He added that there is no access to these residents on a daily basis.

Wickstrom suggested that staffer Hani Mohamed could possibly send out an impact statement to encourage participation.

NRP CONTRACT CLOSEOUT
Silver and board member Robert Metcalf are working on the final reimbursement forms to report the final balance on the contract. A check that never cleared the account is causing an issue, as the monies must be held for two years. The monies to accommodate the check will be set aside then turned over to the Cedar-Riverside NRP at that time.

“We’re doing the right thing as far as following employment law,” said Silver.

LAND USE COMMITTEE (LUC) REPORT
Wickstrom explained that three traffic areas are critical to the Central Corridor road design. They are the three intersections heading north on Riverside Avenue at 19th Avenue, 20th Avenue, and Cedar Avenue. Meetings will be held in October regarding traffic planning. “It’s an important thing,” Wickstrom said. The layout “will affect the area for many years to come.”

Wickstrom said that a tax increment financing (TIF) district might be established to help fund what the community might need, such as a train down the middle of the Washington Avenue bridge with housing on either side at street level. “There are lots of possibilities,” Wickstrom said.

“It’s a cool idea,” said Smith.

Tim Schwarz, in attendance as a representative of the Central Corridor Citizen Advisory Committee (CCCAC), said the establishment of a TIF district is “a long shot.”

Central Corridor Citizens’ Advisory Committee UPDATE
Schwarz explained that a pool of artists were working on station design elements.

“I was pretty impressed,” said Schwarz, adding that he now needs to find out what the WBCC role can be in choosing the artist.

Schwartz also passed out copies of the latest route proposal.

AUGSBURG COLLEGE’S PLAN TO CLOSE SeventhTH STREET
Wickstrom encouraged board members to attend the Aug. 27 LUC meeting at 6:30 at Augsburg College in the Gateway Center. Topics include plans to close Seventh Street. The closure would create an issue for access to Murphy Square.

Smith thought Augsburg’s plan was “pretty cool” and said the board would want to support the project, as it makes for a better campus and better community. He added that nobody uses Murphy Square park right now.

Wickstrom explained that the City would give the street to Augsburg.

She also informed the board that the college is not planning on building a parking ramp and are working with Fairview regarding parking issues.

RIVERSIDE TASK FORCE
Wickstrom told the board there were a lot of new faces present at the Aug. 19 meeting and that three goals were established: Removing buckthorn in Riverside Park; restoring the WPA stairs, and restoring the WPA paths across upper and lower Riverside Park. Anyone who wants to help can contact Wickstrom.

BOARD OPENINGS
No nominations have been received regarding the four board vacancies, including three vacant renter seats and one vacant business seat. A seat on the District Collaborative Council Board is also open. Contact Board President Laura Silver via email at lauransilver@gmail.com for more information.

The board vice-president seat is open and will be an item on the next meeting’s agenda.

NEXT MEETING
A September meeting was not scheduled due to Ramadan; the next WBCC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 15, 6–8 p.m. at the Brian Coyle Community Center.

last revised: September 5, 2008

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