Planning Committee Convened at 5:00 pm
4.1 Bridal Veil Falls Bridge Reconstruction
The board had a presentation from Tim Brown (MPRB staff) Kelly Moriarity (MPLS Public Works Dept) and Greg Brown (contracted civil engineer to MPLS)
The Board was presented with a variety of options ( 8 or 9) to replace the bridge and at the same time improve visibility of the falls, traffic flow, pedestrian and bike trails etc... some plans included rerouting traffic through the neighborhoods, others involved traffic circles and the approved plan calls for the road to be shifted to allow for a bigger bike, walking trail. By choosing this plan, which addresses the bridge over the falls and the widened trails, there is still the possibility for a scenic overlook and traffic circle to be added at some future date if funds become available ( Bridal Veil Falls is just north of the Franklin AV Bridge over the Mississippi on the east side of the river ). This plan was also chosen by the city and the neighborhood participants. Construction should begin in 2006.
Study report items
Bureau of Mines Property
Judd Rietkerk, director of Planning for the MPRB gave a presentation about the 27 acre property located just south of Minnehaha Park on the Mississippi that on it's southeastern corner is not far from the MPRB's Neiman Sports Complex. The site also includes Camp Coldwater Springs and 11 buildings in various states of disrepair and possible pollution clean up problems. The property also comes with a host of protective covenants (because of the springs and the proximity to Historic For Snelling) including height restrictions due to the airport and a "light recreational" factor ( to which no one had a definition). Keeping all of these factors in mind Director Rietkerk gave 3 suggestions to the board as possible directions staff could follow.
1) Do Nothing ... watch how the process goes and maybe be offered the site after someone else does demolition and clean up
2) Search out partners with the intent of creating a joint venture (DNR possibly)
3) Feasibility Analysis ... cost estimates, reuse schemes, funding sources etc....
Commissioner Kummer suggested attending the hearings so as to look ahead but not to appear as if we came with the "checkbook in hand"
Commissioner Erwin asks if demolition of the large building is necessary (estimated cost to demolish is $500,000)
Director Rietkerk points out that having been vacant in this climate for a number of years will probably mean and extensive and expensive rehab if the building is kept and that the MPRB is not in need of more office space.
Commissioner Erwin would like to pursue a combination of options 2 and 3 and asks again if the building could be saved and possibly lease out to which Director Rietkerk replies the building is in bad shape and any rents collected might revert to the federal government. He points out that if the MPRB "does nothing" they might be asked to take on the sight at a lesser cost than the $6 million the MAC had offered in a deal that did not go through. There can be advantages to not jumping in first.
Commissioner Young brings up a nugget from the past in that at one time the MPRB had considered the site for their headquarters, believes in reduce, reuse and recycle and wonders about saving the building and also prefers the combo 2 and 3 option, perhaps the Historical Society or the Native American communities would be possible partners.
Again the costs of rehabilitation vs. demolition are repeated (this time by Operations General Manager Mike Schmidt who toured the facility in 1998 and said the heating plants alone will be an expensive overhaul).
Commissioner Dziedzic mentions having been through the site on a 1998 tour and asks some questions about the derelict officers quarters at Fort Snelling and if the site is polluted, then recommends making No Bid on the property.
Commissioner Hauser also prefers the 2&3 combo and recommends the Urban Land Institute or the Brownfields group as possible partners
Commissioner Kummer mentions that the possible fuel containers might be addressed with the states petrofund.
Commissioner Berry Graves suggests keeping a judicious eye on the process.
Commissioner Olson questions that if the site has all these problems shouldn't the buyer get a deal to which Director Rietkerk says for the MPRB's purposes it has a negative value and should come with resources.
Commissioner Fine (who was also on the tour) agrees with the 2&3 options but states the property is important to the MPRB.
The committee adjourned at 5:57 and the regular meeting was convened for open time.
OPEN TIME
Judy Blasak (sp) of Linden Hills the mother of an 11th grade daughter who plays soccer for DeLaSalle (with younger children coming up through the ranks) makes
a plea for the MPRB to approve the plan for the DeLaSalle stadium. She comes as a citizen not an attorney or well connected political figure (though she was sitting with John Derus) to ask for their cooperation in the schools plans which will cost the MPRB nothing and will provide fields for their programming during the summer with in the city. She explains that the parents have only known for 2 weeks of the plan and have begun a writing campaign to show their support . She gives some statistics on the number of students and alumni within Minneapolis and states she doesn't understand the opposition to this plan.
End Part One ....Part 2, hikes in the golf rates, retirement and citizen awards and the Tin Fish folks taking on Minnehaha Park......
Liz Wielinski Columbia Park
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