MHNA insurance change

Board member Gordon Kepner met with MHNA’s insurance agent who recommended that the board cancel one of its two policies and increase its coverage to $2 million. The board agreed to follow this recommendation.

NCEC meeting inconclusive

Kepner attended the Feb. 22 Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission (NCEC) meeting as MHNA’s representative. The NCEC will replace the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) since NRP will not be funded after 2009.

The meeting was intended to allow neighborhood organizations to decide how they would elect eight representatives to serve on the NCEC. Participants were unable to reach any consensus. “I’ve seen better organized riots,” said Kepner who left the meeting after an hour.

Neighborhood clean sweep

MHNA received a grant from the Good Neighbor Fund to hold a large-scale neighborhood clean up. The board agreed to hire someone to coordinate the effort. The grant allows for $150 for administration.

The board also approved May 9, June 6, or June 13 as possible dates for the clean up.

Mitigating game day challenges

Gordon Kepner announced his plan to seek a grant from the Good Neighbor Fund for additional police officers and city inspectors to handle alcohol and parking violations respectively on game days at TCF Stadium. Kepner will refine his proposal with the Safety and Livability Committee before asking for the board’s approval.

Land use to write guidelines
Land Use Committee Chair and board member Jo Radzwill agreed that the committee would come up with a draft of guidelines for a community benefits agreement between Marcy-Holmes and potential developers.

University property rights
Bean informed the board that she learned that morning that the University of Minnesota has petitioned the state Legislature to allow them to write their own ordinances governing property that the university owns, leases or occupies. Bean referred to documents she received from Ward 2 City Council Member Cam Gordon’s office.

The U appears to be requesting the right to write its own ordinances governing drinking that would supersede ordinances in effect in Minneapolis, St. Paul, or Falcon Heights. According to the document from Gordon, the U of M Chief of Police Greg Hestness felt that a uniform ordinance would make it easier for U police and other officers to handle enforcement at off-campus events, like tailgating for the Gopher games.

Gordon Kepner disagreed. “This is a usurpation of a fundamental democratic principle that the city has the right to decide what happens on its land,” he said. “They have the right to sell alcohol on campus. They want the right to sell alcohol off campus,” Kepner later concluded.

The board agreed to send a letter opposing this proposal (Minnesota House file 1536) to city council members, Senator Pogemiller, Representative Kahn, Mayor Rybak, and other neighborhood organizations.

Board opposes development at 600 SE Main St.

Members of the BKV Group have met with the Land Use Committee over the past several months to present plans for a residential building at 600 SE Main St. After meeting with Ward 3 City Council Member Diane Hofstede, the designers added art walls, a café, a green rooftop, and more publicly accessible space to its plan.

The Land Use Committee voted three to two in favor of BKV’s proposal at its Feb. 4 meeting, and the BKV Group presented its plan to the board at the Feb. 17 meeting. Because the development violates Marcy-Holmes’ Master Plan, however, the board decided to table any decision until it could present the development to the general membership on March 17.

Marcy-Holmes resident Cordelia Pierson told MHNA that when a developer requests a zoning variance, as BKV has done, they must first show that there is no reasonable use for the land under its current zoning.

Pierson reminded the board that Marcy-Holmes Master Plan earmarks this specific parcel of land for open space and as a link for cyclists and pedestrians from the River Road to the Sixth Avenue greenway. She also pointed out that allowing development on this land would increase its value, making it harder for the Park Board to acquire it at a later time.

Gretchen Camp from the BKV Group asked Jo Radzwill what had happened between the Land Use Committee’s approval of the proposal and the board’s reluctance to approve it. Radzwill explained that she had voted against the development at the Land Use Committee and was not reversing her opinion now.

Board member Paul White asked Camp and her colleagues why they had continued to propose versions of a development that was inconsistent with the Master Plan. John Wall of the Wall Companies, the real estate developer on the deal, told White that his company had acquired the land ten years ago. “We tore down some junky Quonset huts and dilapidated buildings, against the neighborhood’s wishes, I might add.”

Wall asserted that phase two of the plan was always to develop on this site, which he alleged preceded the Marcy-Holmes Master Plan. “That’s the first I’ve heard of that, and I attended the initial meetings on this development,” said White. “I’ve been in this organization a long time, and we could throw history at each other all night,” replied Bob Distad.

The board voted unanimously to support its Master Plan and oppose BKV’s proposed development.

UDA asks to be counted in U of M master plan

The board approved University District Alliance (UDA) member Ted Tucker’s request to send a letter to the authors of the U of M’s Master Plan. The letter requests that “any visions or plans for the neighborhood that the UDA develops” be considered as equal sources for making changes to the U’s Master Plan.

Late night food supported

The Executive Committee sent letters to the Minneapolis Planning Commission supporting Qdoba Mexican Grill, Uncle Franky’s and Mesa Pizza’s application for permits for extended hours. The board supported the requests because none of these businesses serves alcohol and being open later will help them weather difficult economic conditions.

Qdoba has requested a permit to stay open until 3 a.m. on Thursday – Sunday and 11 p.m. Monday – Wednesday. Uncle Franky’s and Mesa Pizza want to stay open until 3 a.m. seven days a week.

Board approves longer hours for Tony’s Diner

The board agreed to support Tony Nicklow’s permit request to keep the kitchen at Tony’s Diner open until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The establishment would stop serving alcohol at 2 a.m.

Resident expresses concern about outdoor music at Skyline Café

Fred Amram, a Marcy-Holmes resident, expressed concern about the impact that outdoor music would have on the neighbors adjacent to the Skyline Café. The Café is applying for a permit for a rooftop patio.

Council member Diane Hofstede assured Amram that the Skyline would not be allowed to play any “outdoor enhanced music.” Hofstede said that she is hoping to include a 10 p.m. curfew for the rooftop and ground level patios as part of the permit.

Transportation plan presented to general membership

The board presented its new transportation policy to the general membership. Cordelia Pierson thanked the board for its work.

Climate change grants offered

Board vice president Bob Distad encouraged MHNA and individuals in the neighborhood to apply for Climate Change Innovation grants and Grassroots Climate Change micro grants through the city. The Innovation grants provide up to $10,000 and the micro grants provide up to $1,500.

Sofa ordinance meets resistance

Hofstede told MHNA that she has proposed a sofa ordinance. Hofstede admitted that it has met with a surprising amount of resistance. “I thought it would be a fairly straightforward, but it hasn’t turned out that way,” she said.

The ordinance would prohibit keeping furniture intended for indoor use in yards or on porches. Hofstede proposed the ordinance for aesthetic reasons as well as fire safety and vermin control.

Melissa Bean spoke up against the ordinance. “I think it’s too subjective,” she said. Bean referenced a neighbor with a well kept home who keeps a settee on his porch that she thinks looks good. Bean also applauded anything that facilitated people sitting outside their residences in the evening.

Marcy Arts Gala

The 8th annual Marcy Arts Gala is March 28 at the Soap Factory, 6 – 11 p.m. The event raises money for arts programming at the Marcy Open School.

Board elections in June

Melissa Bean reminded MHNA members that board elections would be at the next general membership meeting June 16. There is currently one open seat on the board.

Zerby to read at Southeast library

Paul Zerby will read from his new book The Grass April 18 at the Southeast library. The Grass is a finalist for the Bellwether Prize for fiction established by Barbara Kingsolver in support of literature of social change.

Next meeting: Tuesday, March 17, 6 p.m.
Location: University Lutheran Church of Hope, 601 13th Ave. SE
Contact: 623-7633, www.marcy-holmes.org
The MHNA board meets the third Tuesday of every month; general membership meetings are held directly after the board meeting in Jan., May, June, and Oct.

last revised: April 2, 2009

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