Dorothy Whittaker recognition

Neighborhood resident Rick Jacobson asked PPERRIA members for donations to erect a street sign and plaque for Glendale area resident and activist, Dorothy Haynes Whittaker. The sign would be placed between Williams Ave. SE and St. Mary’s Ave. SE and the plaque would be installed in Luxton Park.

Jacobson asked that donations be deposited into an account at the 3020 University Avenue Wells Fargo branch.

River clean up

Board member Tom Kilton informed PPERRIA of a Mississippi River clean up. The clean is April 18, 9:15–11:15 a.m.

NRP update

Board president Dick Poppele updated the board on PPERRIA’s remaining Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funds. As far as he has been able to determine in talking with NRP staff, PPERRIA has $36,881 remaining in Phase II funds.

Several board members expressed concern that the City of Minneapolis could decide to take those funds away to help with its budget shortfall. Ward 2 Council Member Cam Gordon assured PPERRIA that those funds were secure.

Despite Gordon’s assurances, Tom Kilton recommended that PPERRIA go ahead and contract all its remaining funds anyway.

Central Corridor LRT agreement

The board agreed to allow president Dick Poppele sign the Section 106 Programmatic Agreement between the Federal Transit Administration, the Metropolitan Council, and the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office. Prospect Park is listed as a consulting party to this agreement. As a consulting party the neighborhood gets a voice in the design process and the opportunity to discuss potential traffic and parking impacts on the historic district. Prospect Park’s designation as an historic district was critical in allowing it to gain consulting party status.

Some board members expressed concern that signing the agreement would shut off avenues of additional remediation if traffic and parking prove to be a more serious issue after light rail become operational. “I don’t think there is a downside to signing this agreement,” said Poppele. “It gives us a voice in the process,” said board member and Livability Committee Chair Joe Ring.

Garage at 68 Barton

The board supported the Zoning Committee’s decision to approve a new garage at 68 Barton Ave. SE. According to Board member and Zoning Committee Chair Florence Littman, the property owners have run into some resistance from city planners. “They just don’t understand the topography around here,” said Littman.

The Zoning Committee supported the owners for the following reasons: 1) the garage will replace one that the previous owners tore down; 2) it will be the same height as the garages on either side of it; 3) the garage will be designed to match the house; 4) the adjacent neighbors have all written letters of support.
PPERRIA will send a letter of support to the Minneapolis Planning Commission signed by the board president, Dick Poppele.

Zoning 101

Board and zoning committee member Karen Murdock gave a quick primer on the Zoning Committee’s function is in PPERRIA. “Zoning is no more complicated that any other complicated subject,” she said.

She described the zoning process as more proactive than reactive. “Almost everything we’ve accomplished is in what we’ve prevented from being built. Our greatest triumphs are the things you don’t see,” said Murdock.

Board elections

Nominating Committee chair Mary Alice Kopf presented a slate of nominees to fill the 20 positions on the board of directors that will become open at the April 27 annual meeting. Those elected will serve 2-year terms starting in May 2009.

In order to be considered for the board a nominee must have been a member of PPERRIA for a total of one year at any point in PPERRIA’s history and must live in the neighborhood.

Pratt playground funds released

The board approved releasing $18,500 in NRP funds for improvement to the Pratt School playground. Board member Susan Larson-Fleming said that Pratt plans to use the money to add climbing equipment, address containment of the shredded tire pieces that act as ground cover in the playground, and fence off an area of the school’s parking lot for more play area.

Pratt has been closing Malcolm Avenue to traffic to allow the students a place to run. Recently several cars attempted to drive through the barricaded area despite the children’s presence. The additional fenced playground will provide students with a safe place to play. Pratt plans to plant a rain garden in the new playground area to help ameliorate erosion in the adjacent neighborhood’s yard.

Committees and committee membership

Poppele presented a list of PPERRIA’s standing committees to which he had added a Historic District Committee and a Communication Committee. Poppele suggested that the Historic District Committee would monitor issues related to the district and keep the neighborhood informed about historic district issues. The Communication Committee would coordinate PPERRIA communications within the neighborhood and with the media, the University District Alliance, and others. “It seems like we are handling more and more serious issues. The committees are the grass roots of this organization,” said Poppele.

PPERRIA members were interested in discussing how to encourage more Prospect Park residents, especially its younger families, to volunteer. Many board members felt that if people had the option of volunteering for one-time events they would be more inclined to come forward. “I think people hear committee, and they think, oh, no,” said PPERRIA member Bridget Ferguson.

Poppele agreed and expressed that helping committees get their work done is the best use of volunteer efforts. Poppele asked board and other PPERRIA members to brainstorm on ways that the organization could communicate its needs to potential volunteers.

Annual meeting

PPERRIA’s annual meeting is April 27, 7- 9 p.m. at the Prospect Park United Methodist Church, 22 Orlin Ave. SE.

Next: Annual meeting, April 27, 2009, board meeting, May 25, 2009
Meetings: 4th Monday monthly, 7-9 p.m., unless otherwise announced. Refreshments, conversation 6:30-7 p.m. Prospect Park United Methodist Church, 22 Orlin Ave. SE
Contact: 612-331-2970, www.pperr.org, pperria@tcfreenet.org

last revised: April 2, 2009

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