EIRA ZONING COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT
2007-2008
Summary of Zoning Committee activities from May 2007 to March 2008
Zoning committee Members as of March 2008:
Allan Amis Mary Martin
Harvey Ettinger Nancy Johnston (chair)
Jeff Rosenberg Ross D’Emanuele (ex officio)
Summary of Activities
Review and actions on permit applications for variances and CUPs to the city:
Committee met July 24, 2007 with owner Travis Meldahl to consider application for a variance to reduce the south side yard set back for his property at 2447 Girard Avenue, S. Recommended approval, as did the EIRA Board, to the City Planning Commission, which approved the variance.
Application for demolition of an historical house at 2863 E Lake of the Isles was considered at a committee meeting September 6, 2007 and opposed by the Board in a recommendation to the Heritage Preservation Commission. A subsequent appeal filed by the History Committee of Lowry Hill to deny the demolition was upheld by the Mpls Zoning and Planning Committee on October 25th. Nancy Johnston wrote the City Planning Department and Inspections about the future of the property and learned that the owner must hire someone to do another historic presentation study of the house. Meanwhile the house is unoccupied.
Reviewed application and planning staff report of application for a front yard setback variance for a second story addition at 2647 E Lake of the Isles Pkwy. Sept. 10, 2007. No action taken.
Reviewed application and planning staff report on the NCA to re-establish a retail use of the property at 2901 James Ave, S. November 5, 2007. No action taken.
Reviewed application and planning staff report to deny an appeal for a storefront window of material that does not meet the Mpls Zoning Code, at 2204 Dupont Ave, S. January 3, 2008. No action taken.
Committee met with representatives of Kowalski’s Market at 2440 Hennepin Ave, S to discuss their application for a variance for a 90 foot curb cut for their loading area on 25th Street West. Committee recommended approval of the application, as did the EIRA Board, to the Board of Adjustment, which approved the variance. The committee plans to follow up with Kowalski’s to discuss pedestrian safety measures that could be taken for that area on W 25th Street.
Other activities of the committee:
Presentation by Arlene Fried at our May 8, 2007 meeting about Mpls Park Watch, an organization that has concerns about the Mpls Park Board’s plans and operations and specifically the construction at the Parade Stadium site.
Attended meetings on the new “Infill Zoning Ordinances” meeting in May 2007 and several meeting held about the Uptown Small Area Plan, though March 2008.
Beginning with a meeting on May 15, 2007, the first of three open meetings of a “working group” to consider the plans for an expansion of the Uptown YWCA were held. These meetings were organized and chaired by Zoning Committee member Mary Martin, who also invited representatives of the Kenwood Isles Condominiums, the Kenwood Isles Citihomes, and other neighbors from the EIRA community. Speakers from city planning and the YWCA made presentations, and the EIRA Board approved a recommendation (November 6, 2007) for inclusion of EIRA and others in a Neighborhood Advisory Council for any YWCA expansion planning, at this time on hold.
Met June 4, 2007 with Steve Maurelli, a member of the Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Zoning Committee, about that neighborhood’s development of a Land Use Plan for their neighborhood. More planning by the committee was done at a meeting on June 25th and subsequent meetings throughout this year, including discussion with staff of the MN and the Mpls Preservation Alliances and Carole Zellie, author of the Historical Context Study of East Isles.
Met on October 23, 2007 with Amanda Arnold, Principal City Planner for the Mpls Planning Department and Carol Ahlgren, City Planner with the Mpls Heritage Preservation Commission, to discuss land use (and the Uptown Small Area Plan), design guidelines, and historic preservation within the EIRA neighborhood.
Met on February 21, 2008 with staff of Project Success, a youth serving agency, interested in purchasing a duplex at 2200 Fremont Ave, S for their organization. Neighbors and others at the meeting expressed concerns and the agency subsequently withdrew their interest in the property.
Met on February 21, 2008 with Aaron Rubenstein, chair of the CARAG Zoning Committee about that organization’s concerns with the Calhoun Square developer’s plans for that site. EIRA did not make a recommendation at that time but attended the February 25th Mpls Planning Commission public hearing. The Commission delayed approval of the plans and asked developers to address the Commission’s concerns. The Calhoun Square developers’ representatives have been asked to make a presentation at a future EIRA Board meeting.
Reported by Nancy Johnston, chair EIRA Zoning Committee, April 1, 2008
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