Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Our Appeal Remarks

This was our opening statement to the City Council during our appeal of the Conditional Use Permit for a hotel at 344 Summit last week:

Madame President and Members of the Council — thank you for your time. I’m Bethany Gladhill, President of the Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association.

SARPA was formed under Latimer administration in 1986, with a mission to “preserve the historic, residential, and urban park character of Summit Avenue.”

We are an all-volunteer group, with activities ranging from public gardens to lectures to historic preservation and land use.

I’m on SARPA because I own the home my parents bought for $20,000 in 1965. It’s the home I hope to leave to my daughter. In my day job, I’m a preservation planner (and non-profit consultant).

Summit is full of all kinds of people. Young families, retirees, bigger houses, condos, chicken-keepers, socialites, everything in between. What unites us is being a part of the longest intact Victorian boulevard remaining in the US.

Every town once had a Summit Avenue. What makes it unique NOW is that we have the only one left of its scale. Think of Park Avenue in Minneapolis, Detroit’s Grand Boulevard, or Meridian Street in Indianapolis. All have lost their original character, their special sense of place. We don’t want to — we can’t — let that happen to Summit.

SARPA does not oppose this property because we don’t like the developer, or because we are against people staying in hotels, or for any personal reasons, much as some might try to make the issue about that.

Nor do we compare it to the previous use, a CUP that has expired for a several-years-closed college. That’s not the case at hand.


We’re here because we — simply enough — oppose commercial development on Summit. We support the City PED staff who recommend denial of the permit in their reports, based on the fact that it is not an appropriate use in a residential RT-2 area. It may seem like a small issue, but it can quickly escalate to a bigger one, as we have all seen in the past. We believe that the Planning Commission erred in permitting the use. Please reverse the decision.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Macalester-Groveland Demo Update

In our email box this morning from Councilmember Tolbert's office:

You are receiving this email because some time over the past six months you have contacted the Ward 3 office about “tear downs” and the new residential construction in our neighborhood. As most of you know, to combat some of the construction-related issues, Councilmember Tolbert passed an ordinance requiring all residential, exterior construction projects costing over $25,000 complete a Construction Management Agreement prior to construction. This Agreement reiterates the current Saint Paul City Ordinances and Minnesota State Building Codes that govern residential construction. Prior to construction the Agreement must be signed by both the contractor and the property owner. It must then be distributed to all neighbors on the block in question and the block face across the street. The Agreement requires that the contractor's contact information be included in the Agreement for all neighbors to have access to, and be posted on a sign in front of the property. In addition to the Construction Management Agreement, the Councilmember passed several ordinances that tighten up dumpster regulations.  The new legislation requires dumpster haulers to be licensed, adds a sliding scale to dumpster permit fees (the longer they sit on the street, the more the contractor will need to pay per day), and creates new safety signage for dumpsters.

The other concern we have heard the most is about the size and density of these new homes. In August, Councilmember Tolbert directed the City’s Planning and Economic Development department to conduct a study of these new homes and examine what zoning changes could be put in place to ease the impact on neighboring properties, while still allowing neighbors to invest in their dream homes. Mike Richardson, the city planner in charge of the study, has already been hard at work doing background research, visiting and photographing homes and examining heights and densities. This week he will be presenting to both the Highland District Council and the Macalester Groveland Community Council about his work so far and gathering feedback from neighbors and stakeholders about what they would like to see out of the study. I hope you can join us at one of these meetings.

-Highland District Council Community Development Committee, Tuesday, October 21, 6:30 PM, Hillcrest Rec. Center

-Macalester Groveland Community Council Housing and Land Use Committee, Wednesday, October 22, 6:30 PM, Edgcumbe Rec Center

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Monster Dash

Team Ortho Foundation wants to make residents aware that on Saturday,October 25th, 2014 they will host the Monster Dash Half Marathon/10 Mile/5K Race in Saint Paul. The Half marathon and 10 Mile will have approximately 10,000 participants. Our runners would love to have you come cheer them on or have you join them for the race! 

We have arranged temporary road closures and detours with the City of St. Paul, the police and parks department regarding all event details.

Crossing Summit Avenue during the race:Summit Avenue between Nina and Mississippi River Boulevard will close at 7:30 a.m.  After that time officers will allow crossing at these intersections when it is safe to do so:  Dale, Lexington, Snelling, Cleveland, Fairview and Cretin.  You may have a bit of a wait, or no wait at all.  The Race starts at 8:30 a.m. so any time between 8:30 and 9:30 will likely have Summit Avenue very busy with runners.  Please plan accordingly.
If you are on the south side of Summit and need to get to the North side of Summit, we suggest to go to Jefferson Avenue and connect with Northbound Ayd Mill Road.
If you are on the south side of Summit and need to go west, take West 7th/Highway 5 westbound to Minneapolis.

St. Paul Police will reopen the roads after the last runner has passed. Please mark your calendar and share this information with others who may also be impacted in your neighborhood. You can see additional information and neighborhood detours on our website athttp://www.minnesotamonster.org.