The Print Edition of Wedge LIVE!
Researchers at the Metropolitan Council have produced a slide show titled “We still need more housing.” The numbers come from permit data collected across the 7-county Minneapolis-St. Paul region. Below are some of the slides, capturing the scale of our regional housing shortage. View the whole thing here.
Continue reading “Met Council: We Still Need More Housing”
On July 11, 2018, a local man with a passion for pigeons would cross paths with a Minneapolis planning official at a Wedge neighborhood VFW hall. It was a packed and raucous public meeting hosted by City Council President Lisa Bender. The purpose: to gather feedback from her constituents on the city’s 2040 long range plan.
During a question and answer session about an hour into the meeting, one of Bender’s constituents named Zack Mohlis used a phrase that would live in infamy: “white pastoralism.” Those two words would forever and inexplicably link him with Minneapolis director of Long Range Planning, Heather Worthington.
Continue reading ““White Pastoralism” and the Fake Outrage That Never Ends”
Here’s how the debate about neighborhood association reform and funding in Minneapolis has unfolded so far:
And it’s left me confused trying to figure out what the debate is even about anymore. Neighborhood associations still hate it, even though it’s so tepid I can’t imagine what it is they don’t like about it. In watching the council conversations, I have a hard time figuring out what we’re trying to achieve.
I do want to give thanks to Ward 3 Council Member Steve Fletcher for being as confused as I am. I found this three minute video very reassuring:
Continue reading “Steve Fletcher is as confused as I am about Neighborhoods 2020”
The City Council’s PECE Committee held a public hearing last week to debate neighborhood organization oversight and funding.
About a week before the meeting, the Neighborhood and Community Relations Department revised their “Neighborhoods 2020” recommendations to remove all the the parts of the diversity action plan proposal that would actually require accountability from city-funded neighborhood organizations.
Continue reading “More urgency needed on oversight of neighborhood orgs”
[*Special Edina Coverage* made possible by readers like you.]
Edina’s City Council approved a draft comprehensive plan last Tuesday. While it’s not nearly as ambitious as the 2040 plan approved last year in Minneapolis, the Edina plan has still attracted some organized opposition.
Continue reading “Edina debates a comprehensive plan”
[This local news coverage made possible by readers like you.]
Next Thursday, the Minneapolis Planning Commission will discuss a proposed ordinance from Council President Lisa Bender that would prohibit new drive-through facilities throughout the city.
If adopted by the City Council, it would prevent the construction of new drive-throughs for banks, drugstores, and fast food restaurants (or any other “facility which accommodates automobiles and from which the occupants of the automobiles may make purchases or transact business”).
Continue reading “Minneapolis considers ban on new drive-throughs”
In an effort to stop a process to change the name of Calhoun Parkway, Tom Austin of “Save Lake Calhoun” has submitted a petition signed by over 300 lakeside homeowners to the Minneapolis Park Board. You’ll remember Tom Austin from his recent Star Tribune opinion piece in which he railed against the “elites” forcing a lake name change on “everyday Minnesotans.”
Continue reading ““Save Lake Calhoun” petition shows lakeside homeowners united against Bde Maka Ska”
[This local news coverage made possible by readers like you.]
Dallas-based developer High Street Residential has plans for a grocery store and 130 apartments at 47th and Cedar Ave near Lake Nokomis in South Minneapolis. The site’s existing grocery store, Bergan’s, would be replaced with a Lunds and Byerly’s.
Continue reading “Grocery and 130 apartments planned for 47th and Cedar Ave S”
[This local news coverage made possible by readers like you.]
On Thursday, a Minneapolis neighborhood organization held the first of three meetings about the possibility of no longer naming their neighborhood for John C. Calhoun — a 19th century political figure from South Carolina who was a vigorous proponent of slavery. Among 15 residents who spoke, there was strong sentiment against continuing to use “Calhoun” in the name of the East Calhoun Community Organization (ECCO).
Continue reading “East Calhoun residents speak out against keeping name of pro-slavery historical figure John C. Calhoun”
[This local news coverage made possible by readers like you.]
On Monday, the Richfield Planning Commission split 3-3 on a recommendation by planning staff to reduce parking minimums in mixed use zoning districts. In areas near transit, the plan would reduce minimum requirements from 1.5 to one space per unit. Outside of areas with high frequency transit, parking minimums would be made consistent with existing rules in high-density zoning districts — 1.25 spaces per unit.
Continue reading “Richfield Considers Lowering Parking Minimums”