Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association
Minutes from Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Hennepin Center for the Arts
528 Hennepin Avenue, Suite 310, Minneapolis, Minnesota
I. Call to Order and Introductions
Board Chair Carletta Sweet called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Other Board members in attendance included Andy Hauer; Vice Chair Tom Hoch; Denise Holt; Kim Motes; Treasurer Cynthia Newsom; Secretary Scott Parkin; and George Rosenquist.
Guests in attendance included Alan Arthur, President, Central Community Housing Trust; Cathy ten Broeke, Coordinator to End Homelessness in Minneapolis and Hennepin County; Edith-Nicole Cameron, Restorative Justice Community Action, Inc.; David Folden, RiverWest resident; Tom Hayes, DMNA Wave Advisory Committee; Craig Kupritz, DMNA Wave Advisory Committee and Mill Place; Tom Miller, DMNA Wave Advisory Committee; and Sarah Renner, DMNA Wave Advisory Committee.
Staff member Christie Rock was absent.
II. Consideration of the Agenda
Board Chair Sweet asked if there were any additions
or changes to the agenda.
A motion was made, seconded, and passed unanimously to approve the agenda
as amended moving the Crime and Safety Report after the downtown update.
III.
Downtown Update by Ward 7 Council Member Lisa Goodman
· “Lunch with Lisa” continues on February 28th at Willie’s Wine Bar, 1100 Harmon Place. This month’s guest will be Transportation Director Jon Wertjes who’ll discuss the downtown 10-year transportation action plan (aka Access Minneapolis). Lunch with Lisa is held on the last Wednesday of each month except during May and June.
· The city council is considering a moratorium on flashing billboards.
· The former Café bi Napoli building is being reconfigured into affordable housing above the restaurant space on the ground level.
· The developer of the site at 201 Park Avenue is proceeding with plans for a CVS pharmacy, despite some concern by residents. Goodman noted that the council is strongly in favor of the proposal as presented by the developer and that the choices of tenants in a commercial development are not regulated by the city if they are compliant with city code and zoning ordinances.
·
Although unequivocally opposed to the Wave project as currently
presented, Goodman is not in favor of the strategy to request an EIS; believes
the project can be shot down through the normal regulatory process.
IV. Crime and Safety Committee Report
by Tom Hoch
· Tom Hoch reported that a livability committee should be established and that Downtown East resident Kathleen Anderson would be an excellent candidate to help with this effort.
· The focus of the Crime and Safety Committee will be an anti-litter campaign to be called “Keep Minneapolis Beautiful.” This focus is the result of the major emphasis on this issue in the survey that the CSC completed on downtown crime and safety issues. The approach will be to reinforce good behavior and discourage bad behavior. The police will handle repeat offenders. There was some discussion on whether the supply of trash containers was adequate. The CSC is seeking a business partner such as Waste Management.
·
Edith-Nicole Cameron, the new Community Coordinator for RJCA,
introduced herself and advised that she will give a complete update of the
organization’s activities at the next DMNA board meeting. In the meantime
she can be reached at [email protected].
V.
Project Homeless Connect Report by Cathy ten Broeke
· ten Broeke reported on the Minneapolis and Hennepin County’s third Project Homeless Connect held on December 4, 2006 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The event brought together over 100 service providers and over 500 volunteers to create connections between homeless people and necessary services. Over 1,300 people were served at this event. For more information visit their website at www.homelessconnectminneapolis.org.
·
Also presented was the 10-Year Program to End Homelessness which
includes management, funding, and serving homeless people in Minneapolis.
VI.
Central Community Housing Trust Presentation by Alan Arthur
· CCHT is a nonprofit real estate development company focused on providing quality affordable housing for low income families and individuals. CCHT owns over 1,462 housing units, 350 of which service homeless.
· CCHT will be involved with the redevelopment of the Café di Napoli project.
· DMNA has contributed to CCHT to help transform two historic buildings – the Lamoreaux and the Continental Hotel.
· DMNA Board Chair is chair-elect for the CCHT Board of Directors.
·
Arthur welcomed the DMNA and all present to become involved
with their efforts and to attend its upcoming annual meeting on February 27th.
For more information visit their website at www.ccht.org.
VII. Land Use Committee Report by Andrew Hauer
The Wave. Hauer summarized the year-long efforts devoted to reviewing The Wave project including review by the LUC and an Advisory Committee established specifically for The Wave, and the Board of the DMNA. It was discussed that the developers of The Wave and the Advisory Board had reached an impasse on design changes that the Advisory Board had requested.
Hauer moved and Rosenquist seconded a motion to deny DMNA support of The Wave project as presented to date. Sweet called for discussion. The motion passed with Sweet, Motes, Hauer, Rosenquist, Newsom, and Holt voting in favor and Parkin abstaining.
Little Wagon. The Little Wagon, which closed in December 2006, will reopen with new ownership in April 2007 by the current owners of Keegan’s Pub located at 16 University Avenue Northeast in the Nicollet Island East Bank Neighborhood.
A motion was made, seconded, and passed unanimously to forward a letter of approval for the new ownership and approval of granting of a Class C1 Food and Beverage license to the new owners.
Bootleggers. Bootleggers, located at 323 First Avenue North, is under new ownership. The owners (Korey Bannerman, Bob Carlson, Chris Mueller, and Tom DeQuattro) will offer live music and asked for the DMNA’s support in granting a Class A liquor license.
A motion was made, seconded, and passed unanimously to forward a letter of approval of the new ownership and approval of granting of a Class A Liquor license to Laura Boyd of Boyd & Associates representing the new owner of Bootleggers.
Global One Hotel.
Hauer announced the public hearing scheduled for February 22, 2007
regarding the proposed Global One Hotel to be erected on the site formerly
occupied by the Minnesota Department of Transportation Traffic Command Center
at 1125 Fourth Avenue South. Hauer will follow up with more details regarding
this event.
VIII.
Consideration of Minutes from January 9, 2007
IX.
Consideration of Financial Report from February 2007
Hauer moved and Motes seconded the motion
to receive and file the February 2007 financial document. Sweet called for
any discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
X.
NRP Implementation Committee Report by Kim Motes
Motes moved and Holt seconded a motion to use $10,000 from the remaining Downtown Identity Program funds toward the Walking Minneapolis initiative. Sweet called for any discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
Motes moved and Holt seconded a motion to keep the $25,000 for the Minneapolis Central Library Planetarium as originally allocated instead of redirecting those funds for an interim inflatable planetarium outreach tool. Sweet called for any discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
XI. Old Business / New Business / Other
Business
Website Redesign. Parkin will
give an update at the next monthly board meeting.
XII. Adjournment
Being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
Signed this ________ day of ________________________, 2007.
_______________________________
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Chair
Secretary