Following are the PPERRIA minutes for May 19th. Daniel Patenaude

The May19, 1997 PPERRIA monthly Board, Membership and Neighborhood meeting was

called to order by Susan Larson-Fleming, President, at 7:05 pm at the Prospect

Park United Methodist Church. A quorum was present.

Ann OÕLoughlin of the University of Minnesota requested that there be a change

in the 3/24/97 Board/Membership/Neighborhood meeting minutes on page three,

first paragraph, fourth line from the bottom from...Ówould giveÓ...to Òwill

consider givingÉ.Ó Minutes accepted with correction.

Bruce Haggerty of Hubbard Broadcasting (KSTP) talked about the activity over the

last several months and the proposed development by Hubbard on the Schnitzer and

Watkins sites north and west of the present Hubbard buildings. Demolition has

been completed and pollution clean up continues. Once the site has been

Òcleaned,Ó Hubbard will close on the purchase (estimated: August 1997.)

Discussions within Hubbard continues as how to use the site. Plan as of today is

for USSB on the east portion, Conus on the center portion, antennas on the west

portion (next to the Fourth street housing) and KSTP Television and Radio on the

current University Avenue buildings. It is possible that Hubbard may purchase

the old Òbrass worksÓ site on the west of the proposed expansion to be used as

an exit/entrance on Malcolm Avenue. Parking ramp(s) will be constructed to

replace current onsite street level parking. Access to KSTP buildings will be

from Bedford Avenue. The newly constructed buildings will front on

Fourth/Territorial Street and Bedford Avenue. The portion of Territorial Road

between Bedford and Berry Avenues will be closed. Concern was expressed about

bike and foot traffic through the site and the loss of access by Fourth Street

vehicular traffic to Highway 280. Concern was also expressed about the antennas

that will abut the Fourth Street residences. These will be high, not low,

frequency and there may be some light visible through the south facing part of

the building housing the antennas. Much more to come.

Dan Cross, Chair of the NRP/PPERRIA Committee presented the following motion:

ÒBased on recorded test data, the NRP/PPERRIA Transportation Committee moves to

authorize (at a cost of no more than $4,500) the installation of a sixteen foot

diameter Traffic Circle at the intersection of Emerald and Franklin (half in

Minneapolis and half in St. Paul). If St. Paul does not approve, the

Transportation Committee moves to authorize the installation of a Traffic Island

at the intersection of Emerald and Franklin SE completely in Minneapolis.

PPERRIAÕs approval of this motion is dependent upon the approval of this by the

St. Panteleimon Church Council at their meeting on Saturday May 26, 1997.

Motion passed with some noes, hand count was 42 yes and 10 no. This project is

to lessen truck traffic on Emerald SE (Emerald is not a truck route) and reduce

the traffic speed on Franklin SE. Minneapolis Public Works designed the

intersection. The design was tested for emergency, tractor/trailer trucks and

bussesÕ ability to move through the intersection. This type of traffic control

is being introduced into the Twin Cities, but has been successfully used for

years in Seattle. St. Panteleimon will lose two street parking places. It was

asked if the objective is to slow the traffic on Franklin SE, why not move the

project to Malcolm SE? This would not help the traffic problem on Emerald. To

reduce the speed on Franklin SE along the entire length, would require a series

of these traffic controls. This is an issue for the future. The intent of the

motion is also to assure that St. Paul responds to the design change so that the

project can be soon started. If St. Paul objects and the circle becomes an

island, the design is such that there would be no loss of parking along Franklin

Avenue SE. The proposal for Franklin/ East River Road/Twenty-seventh, now is

over budget according to City estimates. Everyone is sharpening their pencils to

bring in additional funds and/or reduce costs.

Susan Thrash, chair of the NRP/PPERRIA Tower Hill Committee, presented the

following motion: Authorize the NRP/PPERRIA Committee to use up to $7,700 for

improvements on Tower Hill to discourage traffic which causes erosion on the

hill. The goal is to redirect people traffic by installing split rail fencing on

the east side by the flower gardens and on the Malcolm to Seymour side and by

improving the steps by the tennis court. Labor will be provided through a

contract with the Loring NicolletÐBethlehem Community CenterÕs Youth Employment

Training Program. After several amendment change votes (to table, to remove the

Malcolm part of the fence, accept the original motion) were not passed, the

motion passed, with some noes, to amend to remove some part of Malcolm fence at

the steepest part of the hill. This was done to permit the long tradition of

winter sliding down that portion of the hill. It was emphasized that the

Minneapolis Park Board has the final say as to any work done on Tower Hill Park.

Incidently, Joe Ring discovered an earlier path in the area of the park on the

east side where the flowers have been planted. The intent is to reestablish this

path.

Harrison Nelson presented the following motions that will be voted on at the

6/23/97 Board/Membership/Neighborhood meeting.

ÒThe NRP/PPERRIA Safety and Security Committee moves to allocate the entire

$372,500 reserved in our NRP Plan (section A.4.b, pages 24 and 25) to be used to

fund a may safety and security sidewalk lights within our neighborhood as

financially feasible. The exact allocation of this funding between residential

and non-residential property to be presented and approved at a PPERRIA Board/

Membership/Neighborhood meeting (scheduled for 6/23/97) prior to final approval

to release these fundsÓ.

Also, ÒMotion that the NRP/PPERRIA Safety and Security Committee moves to

allocate the unused portion of the NRP/PPERRIA $372,500 (budgeted for Safety and

Security Sidewalk lighting) to assist those residents whose Safety and Security

Sidewalk lighting assessment imposes a financial hardshipÓ

..BE AT THE 6/23/97 MEETING! Status of whether there will be installation is

still uncertain as the city will decide. The neighborhood has been voting to

request the installation through the Block Clubs and the results will soon be

presented to the City...THE CITY WILL DECIDE YES OR NO...Council Member Joan

Campbell will also be holding a public hearing once the city has the Block Club

petitions. Individuals are encouraged to look carefully at locations where the

proposed additional pole lights could be installed if the sidewalk lights are

not installed (see the maps sent by Council Member Joan Campbell.) Concern was

expressed that individuals do not know actual costs if they voted for sidewalk

lighting if the City approves the lights. The individual estimate available to

each property owner is subject to revision to the actual bid amount and to the

amount each individual receives from the $372,500 NRP/PPERRIA plan. The square

foot assessment rather than the average assessment or linear foot assessment was

decided on by the city in 1991 as being most fair. The city considers sidewalk

lighting an improvement to individual properties, as well as increased safety;

therefore individual property assessments. This type of lighting has been

installed in other neighborhoods but PPERR is the first to help individuals with

the assessments. Watch for several pages of information in the June 1997

mailing.

Jerry Stein announced for the third time, the special 5/22/97 (6:30 pm) meeting

at Luxton park the proposed school in the Pratt building. See previous NRP/

PPERRIA motions regarding this. There is hope!!!

Mary Legris, Chair of the Environmental Committee reported that there has not

been any progress on a Good Neighbor Agreement with American Can, at Essex and

Twenty Seventh SE. A hearing before the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has

been scheduled as per the earlier NRP/PPERRIA motion. American Can has requested

a variance of their pollution agreement to increase air pollution. They are

adding a third shift. Also, as per an earlier NRP/PPERRIA motion, an acoustic

engineer has been hired and is taking readings that hopefully will support the

request for additional sound walls along Highway I-94. Yes, it is noisier.

Concern was expressed that the mailed agenda indicated an item was up for

decision when it was presented as an information item. Also expressed was

concern that there is garbage pick up as early as 6:15 AM. At present this is an

unresolved issue.

Dean Lund, PPERRIA member of the SEED Committee presented the following motion:

ÒThat $32,000 from the NRP/PPERRIA Action Plan (Environment, page 14, section

A.3.a) be allocated to support a project in the SEMI/Bridal Veil Industrial Area

entitled ÔSustainable Planning Recommendations on Urban Transformation,Õ which

is sponsored by the Cunningham Group and the SEED CommitteeÓ After a series of

motions and votes, the original motion was amended to change $32,000 to $12,000.

Motion passed with some noes. A quorum was present. The $12,500 are matching

funds to support efforts to develop the SEMI/Bridal Veil Industrial area, north

of University and south of the Como neighborhood. Joe Schurke of the Cunningham

Group talked about the project and answered questions. The additional $20,000

was to assist individual projects to add sustainable features, i.e. energy and

building design. The SEED Committee selected the Cunningham Group for the

project and suggested they talk with the neighborhoods. The other ÒplayersÓ will

be providing additional matching and assistance funds. As there is not another

PPERRIA Board/Membership/Neighborhood meeting before the 5/31/97 contract

signing, this item was presented on short notice. Also of concern was that these

funds reduce the contingency fund to a small amount while there is still time on

the NRP plan. As the city tends to take a short term and minimal investment

position in developments of this kind, the ÒassistanceÓ funds were to encourage

individual projects to include more long term consideration in their original

planning. Watch for much more on this.

Respectfully submitted. Daniel Patenaude, PPERRIA Secretary.