Lunds; B. F. Nelson Park; Chute Park; Watershed grant, budget cuts
January 13, 2009
by Roxanne Bergeron

LUNDS
The City of Minneapolis has notified Lunds that the store design is out of compliance due to several windows along University Avenue Southeast being blocked by shelving and other store fixtures. Certain bakery displays and deli equipment block the view into the store through three out of the 13 windows. Mike Edgett, senior project manager for Lund Food Holdings, Inc., asked that NIEBNA support its request for a conditional use permit to leave the bakery displays and deli equipment as they stand. While NIEBNA board members agree that they are happy with Lunds and that they enjoy shopping there, some measure of tough love colored their response to the request.

“There’s nobody in the neighborhood that doesn’t love that store, said board member Jerry Foss, “but I really think in the end you’ll find that the city’s requirement that you have more visibility from the street will be to your benefit.” Board member Kevin Upton said that the grocery store needed to reflect “a different kind of retail presence in the middle of the city” as opposed to a suburban-style store with an entryway but no windows.

Board President Victor Grambsch agreed with the “suburban nature” of the store’s current layout and suggested the company use its creativity to come up with a better solution, rather than defend the existing design. Edgett, who took notes throughout the discussion, said, “We greatly appreciate the feedback.” The board passed a motion to notify Third Ward Representative Diane Hofstede that NIEBNA would prefer enforcement regarding the violation be deferred as discussions with Lunds continue to remediate the situation.

CHUTE SQUARE PARK
Cobalt Condomimiums resident Ron Vantine, of Friends of Chutes Square Park, is spearheading with Jim Stopelstad a vision of change for the park, which he called a “neat” amenity that needs some revitalization. He distributed colorful four-page flyers, prepared pro bono by the architect and design firm Cunningham Group, outlining potential changes. These include new benches and picnic tables painted red, six new pedestrian-scale lights and an electrical system for holiday lighting.

The flyer includes cost breakdowns and location sites for different park elements. As the park is the location of the Ard Godfrey House (the oldest frame house still standing in Minneapolis), any park renovation projects would need to partner with The Women’s Club of Minneapolis, said Vantine, who added that pulling the money together for the improvements would constitute “not a small fund-raising effort” but that the effort will “push forward.” The board passed a resolution of support for the concept.

B. F. NELSON/BOOM ISLAND PARK
Sally Grans of St. Anthony West Neighborhood Association (SAWNO) presented a primer on the history of the park’s land and outlined their vision for the park’s continued evolution, which is at odds with the Minneapolis Park Board’s plans. Though they are not against the whole project, she feels the “final touches” are not so great. “We want to leave it as natural as possible,” said Dan Brady. SAWNO objects to excessive pathways, a permanent toilet and shed building, and the development of a parking area for boaters. “Low-maintenance turf” such as rye grass in the middle acreage would be preferable to Kentucky grass.

SAWNO asked for NIEBNA’s support in working with the Park Board, as the two parks (Nelson and Boom) are so close geographically. NIEBNA will send a letter to the Park Board stating a desire to be more directly involved in further discussions regarding the B. F. Nelson/Boom Island Park development.

MISSISSIPPI WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION (MWMO) GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Nancy Dilts, grants specialist with MWMO, addressed the NIEBNA board. She gave a primer on the Mississippi River Watershed and introduced them to the grant program associated with the Stewardship Fund. Community education and improving storm water quality are the grant program’s main goals. Dilts outlined three grant programs: “mini” grants of up to $2,000 to fund a small or short-term water quality project; “planning” grants of up to $10,000 that could serve as seed money to get a project going; and “action” grants of up to $50,000 to fund more large-scale project, such as a large rain garden, cistern or a green roof.

“MWMO is pretty busy…developing partnerships with organizations like yours,” said Dilts. “We don’t enter into the relationship after you’ve presented a proposal — it’s from the very beginning.”

REPORT BY THIRD WARD COUNCIL MEMBER DIANE HOFSTEDE
The state’s nearly $5 billion dollar budget gap has resulted in plans to hold several community meetings to establish priorities in the face of local government aid cuts. Scrutiny of the city budget for duplications in service will also take place. “We’ve asked all departments to look at a reduction of 20 percent for this year,” she said, adding that federal dollars to fund “shovel-ready projects” may be available to help offset cuts.

Stucco and trees are the culprits for problems with wireless in the NIEBNA neighborhood, said Hofstede. People with stucco houses may need a special device to pull in the signal. The Feb. 18 meeting of the Problem Properties/Foreclosure Committee will take place at Van Cleve Park, 901 15th Ave, SE, in Southeast Como. The meeting will include discussion about “Game Day Opening” for the new Twins stadium and its effect on the NIEBNA neighborhood.

NEXT MEETING
Monday, March 16, 2009, 6:30 p.m.
Tentatively at La Rive Condominiums, 110 Bank Street SE

Contact:
612-702-7211
pvictor@eudaemonics.com

last revised: January 16, 2009

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