David Brauer says:
"Anyway, I think Ken's tack with the race stuff is incomplete and
unfair. .... No one, save Ken, has mentioned a racial angle."
Avidor- I wasn't the first one to bring up the "racial angle"on this
matter. David Brauer did in a post on February 3rd :
David Brauer: "They (Ace Hardware) employ
a rainbow coalition of neighborhood residents..."
Avidor: I think if the ethnic make-up of the store's employees is
relevant then perhaps the ethnic make-up of the neighbors directly
effected by the loss of housing and the parking lot may be relevant
also.
Given the history of the environmental degradation of minority
communities (and it is Black History Month) I think the effects of this
project on the black community is definately relevant .
David Brauer: " The implication is that Ace Hardware
and the Kingfield Neighborhood Association wants those houses down
because
there are black people in them (as the Rondo planners did). "
Avidor: I really doubt that the Interstate planners put on white robes
and said "let's destroy some black neighborhoods." They felt that
Interstates were "progress" and some urban neighborhoods had to be
sacrificed. The urban neighborhoods they chose to destroy were the least
politically powerful and least likely to raise a fuss. It's like water
running downhill... it seeks the path of least resistance.
David Brauer: "There have been newspaper stories (Ken quoted 'em),
orange signs posted on
the trees in front for the committee hearings (not big enough for
drivers to
see from the street, but way big enough for neighbors). The only
neighbor
who testified at the Planning Commission was in support of Ace's plan.
Yeah,
he was white, but I hope that doesn't disqualify him. We've had two
neighborhood board meetings now, one public meeting, email list
announcements (which I realize not everyone gets), but I can tell you
through all of it most Kingfielders - and most neighbors - have been in
support of the plan. "
Avidor: The story I think David is refering to was in the SWJ on Jan
28th...the Ace Hardware story is at the end of a larger story on
affordable housing , no headline about the KNA....so I didn't see it
until Saturday.
As for the two meetings David says were held on the parking
lot...quoting again from February 3rd:
David Brauer:" Most of us didn't know about Ace's
proposal until the day of the meeting (our zoning committee only heard
it the day before), so the house-loss issue was a surprise. Adding to
the head-in-the-vise feeling, Ace had already purchased the properties
and was itching to get going."
...And...
"Some board members asked for a delay, and there was some logic to doing
this since it was being sprung upon us. However, Ace's good citizenship
and the idea that the fundamentals wouldn't really change led the board
to ultimately approve the upzoning recommendation 9-2 ."
Avidor: As for notification, I only received an email AFTER the KNA made
their decision. I still don't think adequate discussion has taken place
on this matter and I urge everyone to contact the Mayor and the City
Council (Before March 1st) and tell them that we need more time to work
out a comprehensive plan for parking and traffic at Nicollet and 38th
Street.
-Ken Avidor
Kingfield
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