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Recently I organized an informal meeting with neighbors about a potential development in SW Rochester.  This was not a required meeting, but rather an opportunity for neighbors to see the concept and offer suggestions.

I was disappointed to read a note (that was distributed, but not sent to me) by one of those neighbors, Dan Johnson.  I am sharing the note because it contains false information.  Many times neighborhoods don’t get to see concepts ahead of the time because developers fear people that act like Mr. Johnson.  Here is the note.

Wanted to let you know, right on the heels of the controversial  Orchard Hills project, developers are moving forward with the Fox Hill  Villas, the neighbors are concerned about the project and will be  submitting a petition against the proposed zoning change in June. Adding more traffic to an already unmanageable situation put many pedestrians  and small children playing in the park at risk. Also, there is many  wildlife living in the trees. owls, eagles and hawks, blue birds, and  many other migratory birds and land animals. Their homes will be  destroyed. The neighbors are not against urban sprawl, however they do  not believe that the proper animal, traffic and drainage studies given  the elevations have been thoroughly conducted. There are drainage projects down stream which have been delayed for many years, which will  be directly affected by this building project. Planning and zoning will be sending out the zoning cards just in time  for the May 30th meeting. Attached, is a letter which was sent out from  the builders and Michael Wojcik is very much in favor of the project and is working very close with the developers John Klopp and Mark Hanson,  Fox Hill LLC to help them. Wojcik has already secured a land swap with  Parks and Rec and they are moving very fast leaving the residents in  dust!!!!. Thank you, YoungeParkNeighbors and Friends.

Here are some issues:

1. I have not heard from any neighbors on a petition, Mr. Johnson would be the first.  I hope they will contact me or the developer if they have concerns.  I would rather talk to someone than have them sending notes like this behind my back.
2. Orchard Hills Villas were not controversial.  It passed planning and the city council unanimously, sales have been brisk, only a few neighbors objected, units are now more popular and valuable than surrounding properties.
3. Mr. Johnson asks about studies without ever having talked to anyone about what has and has not been done.
4. He states that I am very much in favor of the project.  Because I am likely to be in a quasi-judicial capacity I can take no stance on the project.  My role was to bring it to neighbors, gather input, suggest ideas, etc.  I have not and will not take a position until a public hearing at the city council chambers has taken place.  This is an irresponsible and inaccurate statement by Mr. Johnson.
5. Mr. Johnson suggests that I secured a land swap with the park.  I did no such thing, that process doesn’t even come to the city council and I was not involved in the decision.  Again this is a irresponsible and inaccurate statement by Mr. Johnson.
6. Mr. Johnson suggests we are moving “very fast and leaving the neighbors in the dust.”  He says this for a project that was just submitted.  He also fails to realize that he was given access to an informal meeting before the public would normally have a chance.  Mr. Johnson is complaining that a process that has not officially started is moving too fast.  Stew on that…

We are still waiting for a more detailed analysis of DMC, but here are some points to know.

1. the City (and no one else) creates the DMCC nonprofit corporation.  (The previous “Authority” no longer exists.
2. the City must approve the DMCC’s Development Plan.
3. any approved Development Plan (along with any project that implements the Plan) must comply with all of the City’s ordinances, comprehensive plans, and zoning ordinances.  ( I envision the Development Plan will find its way into the City’s Comprehensive Plan.)
4. the City issues the bonds.
5. the City constructs any and all public infrastructure projects.

I look forward to being able to make radical decisions on Broadway that MN-DOT would not allow.  Putting an “M” up on a skyway, for example…  I think as we reclaim our roadway we should shut it down to cars for a day and hold a celebration.  This is a key step towards making the East side of Broadway prosper.

Details on getting Broadway back are below.  This is not final.  I would not that this delays payments to Rochester more that I had expected.   I expect that this will happen in 3Q 2013

I am excited to share that today the bill to provide funding for our TH 63 release to the City and County per Agreements 00522 and 00523 will be passed and is expected to be signed into law by the Governor soon.  MnDOT is processing documents to accomplish the permanent release of TH 63 to you before the month ends, and after MSAS and CSAH designations occur, turnback payments can follow.

It is our intention make payment of $3,000,000 to the City of Rochester and $10,000,000 to Olmsted County in July of this year.  It is also our intention to make payments for years 2014 ($13,000,000 to the City and $10,000,000 to the County) and 2015 ($10,000,000 to the City).  If for any unforeseen reason funding becomes unavailable or delayed, I assure you that MnDOT will work to amend our agreements in order to resolve issues to our mutual satisfaction.

Here is yet another real world example of how bicycle access (in a cold climate city) improved the local business climate.

NYC DOT found that protected bikeways had a significant positive impact on local business strength. After the construction of a protected bicycle lane on 9th Avenue, local businesses saw a 49% increase in retail sales. In comparison, local businesses throughout Manhattan only saw a 3% increase in retail sales.

I love complete streets and will fight for them.

Here is how Rochester can save time and money avoiding unnecessary elections. In the runoff for City Council President we wasted $69k, we would have wasted time had the election been more contests as well. There are some that think we aren’t as smart as Minneapolis or St. Paul and therefore can’t handle this. I disagree. We need to change our charter and pass Ranked Choice Voting now.

I am as supportive of this as one can be.

Edit: wasn’t the best cut and paste, tried to fix

FROM:                 Phil Wheeler, AICP, Planning Director

Mitzi A. Baker, AICP, Assistant Planning Director

RE:                        Rochester Planning & Policy Initiative:  Funding the Urban New Normal (F.U.N.N.)

Over the past year, our staff has addressed the needs, inputs, and process for a review of local policies that impact land use and transportation patterns. As mentioned in staff presentations at separate meetings of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Rochester Olmsted Council of Governments in January, the demographic and fiscal changes affecting our community necessitate a new approach to development and redevelopment. Assessing our policies and their impact on the future of Rochester is an essential step in updating, or developing, local land use and transportation plans and policies.  Expected growth provides great opportunity, but unless we plan – and plan to succeed –the City could fail to capture the best of the opportunities that lie ahead and could jeopardize the long term financial sustainability of the City. Read the rest of this entry »

Here is a great note I recieved explaining the history and reasons for passing Core Neighborhood Zoning.  I am glad that it passed, but 4-2 was disappointing.  I remain disappointed in some of the statements associating density with crime coming from the Eastside Neighborhood.

I will be unable to attend tonight’s meeting because of family obligations, so I thought I would send out an e-mail with my thoughts. Sean and/or Kellie from IK will be in attendance and will probably speak to this issue.

I ask that you support this tonight. It’s the first and an important step toward making a real change in our neighborhood.

The reason Imagine Kutzky was started back in 2004 was because of all the development pressure we were experiencing. Because the zoning code was created to address primarily cornfield and auto dependent development, it doesn’t fit with the urban style of development in the city’s core that was built pre- WW II. Then and still now, every new development requires an Incentive or Restricted Development, multiple variances and design modifications….because they are following these “rules” (zoning). The neighborhoods want walkability, good urban design, quality materials, landscaping, etc and the rules don’t mention that. So developers get mixed messages – the city rules say this and the neighborhoods say something different. It’s a frustrating process for everyone.

So that’s why we started Imagine Kutzky – To create a new set of rules that everyone can live with and make the process more predictable and efficient.

In 2006 we amended the Land Use Plan which is necessary if you are going to revise the zoning.

In 2005 we created Urban Design Guidelines, but since the city was not interested in a design review process/board, that idea was abandoned.

In 2007, we developed a comprehensive Form Based Zoning Ordinance – that means regulating what things actually look like – where the building go on the lot, where the parking goes, where the doors and windows should be, etc. It was full of pictures, graphics, plans and is meant to be easy to understand. Our goal was to make an ordinance that is simple to read, comprehensive (signage, lighting, landscaping, parking, etc) that would make development more predictable. It was not perfect. From 2007-2010, we met over 40 times with the planning staff to discuss and amend the specific language.

In late 2007 – 2008, we decided to move forward with the 2nd st. corridor study. This study re-enforced many of the Imagine Kutzky principles, and is also now a part of the city’s comprehensive plan.

In 2011 we (city planning staff and IK) decided to move forward with the “low hanging fruit”, which is the low density, single family areas – the CN-NR – which is before you tonight. This has been thoroughly vetted with numerous neighborhood meetings and dozens of IK meetings. It’s not perfect, but no ordinance is. We ask that you approve this tonight and support actually mapping it in the very near future (in Kutzky Park)….and then request that the Planning Dept. move forward with both the UR (urban residential) and the MS (main street) zoning ordinances ASAP. These are the edges and where the real development is occurring.

I’ve attached just a couple of pages from a Form Based Code, so that you can start to understand what that means. Imagine Kutzky, the 2nd st. Corridor Study and the Downtown Master Plan all call for Form Based Codes to be developed.

Thank you for your support.

Update 3: Most power back on

UPDATE: UPDATE:: RPU Working to Restore Power – Call (507) 280-9191 to Report Outages/Tree on Wires
Issued By:  Rochester Emergency Management Division Issued On:  5/3/13 11:36 AM Affected Jurisdictions:  Olmsted County
THIS IS A Routine Press Release
As of 11:00 am, Rochester Public Utilities is currently responding to 2500 1400 500 120 customers who are still without power.  Most of these are individual customers. Crews are still working on restorations.  At the peak, over 12,000 were without power.  Crews are still repairing downed lines and restoring service.  To report a power outage, call (507) 280-9191.
Your safety is important. Never touch a downed power line.  If a tree or branch fell on a power line, contact RPU Electrical Outage Center at (507) 280-9191
This report is current as of 11:00 am .
Follow outage reports on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rpuoutages  (“https://twitter.com/rpuoutages“)

THIS IS A Routine Press Release

Update 2:  Where to bring those trees and branches.

TREE DEBRIS – HOW TO HANDLE; WHERE TO TAKE LIMBS
Issued By:  Rochester Emergency Management Division Issued On:  5/3/13 12:31 PM Affected Jurisdictions:  Olmsted County
THIS IS A Routine Press Release
May 3, 2013
The record heavy snow (“http://www.crh.noaa.gov/arx/?n=may0213“)  that fell on Rochester impacted trees throughout the city. Work on fallen trees continues in the days and weeks ahead.  While some tree debris is the responsibility of the city, other tree debris removal falls upon individual owner.  How can you tell the difference?
Public trees are along the curb in the public right-of-way, in a boulevard, or in park land.  Private trees are in yards (behind the sidewalk), or other “non-public” sites.  Homeowners often handle their own tree debris.  If help is needed, be sure to contact a licensed tree professional (see Parks website for a list (“http://www.rochestermn.gov/departments/park/forestry/index.asp“) ).
Homeowners who handle their own tree debris are responsible for removal.  Here are two locations that will accept woody/vegetative debris from the May 2 Historic Winter Storm:
Hathaway Tree Service, 2555 50th Avenue NW, Rochester.
Logan’s Tree Service, 4026 70th Avenue NW, Byron
Park and Recreation Forestry crews will be working for several days and weeks on the removal of downed limbs.  The priority for downed tree and limb removal is:
Trees or branches in roadways   Public trees that block driveways   Trees or branches over sidewalks   Other tree debris locations
If a public tree is down in the City of Rochester, call Parks and Recreation Department at (507) 328-2525.  Safety factors to consider:
Use a tree professional licensed in Rochester   Wear eye and hand protection   Use hearing protection   Beware of partial tree limbs, or trees under stress – a wrong cut can bring a tree branch down and cause injuries or death.  If in doubt, hire a licensed tree professional – don’t take a chance
If a tree is contacting a power line, report to Rochester Public Utilities at  (507) 280-9191  Never take a chance with a tree on a wire – consider it to be charged with electricity and call RPU to handle.
For more information, contact Ken Jones, City of Rochester, Deputy Emergency Management Director at 507-328-2824 or kjones@rochestermn.gov.   ###

Update #1:

RPU Working to Restore Power – Status Report
Issued By:  Rochester Emergency Management Division Issued On:  5/2/13 3:26 PM Affected Jurisdictions:  Olmsted County
THIS IS A Routine Press Release
Rochester Public Utilities is currently responding to 2500 customers who are still without power.  Crews are still working on restorations.  Earlier, more than 12,000 were without power. RPU is planning to have crews out working overnight to restore power.  Recovery operations will continue until all power is restored.  To report a power outage, call (507) 280-9191.
Please be patient, as crews are working hard to restore power.  While much has been accomplished, remaining power outage issues will be addressed as soon as possible.
Your safety is important. Never touch a downed power line.  If a tree or branch fell on a power line, contact Rochester Olmsted Non-emergency Dispatch at (507) 328-6800.

THIS IS A Routine Press Release

I usually put out the latest data on #twitter @votewojcik follow me if you don’t already.

Emergency Operations for City Agencies
Issued By:  Rochester Emergency Management Division Issued On:  5/2/13 10:29 AM Affected Jurisdictions:  Olmsted County
THIS IS A Routine Press Release
At 10:00 am, all City of Rochester agencies report higher than normal operations due to the heavy snowfall.  Parks Department Forestry crews are busy clearing fallen trees from roadways.  Public Works is performing normal snow removal.  Police Dept. is responding to cars stuck in roadways, medical calls, and other assistance.  Fire Dept. retained higher staffing at shift change, and is responding to wires down, medical calls, and other assistance.
All city departments are responding to priority calls first, and will take care of other issues when free to respond.
If you need medical assistance, call 911
For wires down, call non-emergency (507) 328-6800
For fallen trees, call Parks at (507) 328-2525

What an amazing video! People prioritizing a library over taxes! Just remember our library lost a battle against the tea party. But I continue the fight.

I don’t want Rochester to ever forget that we have the busiest library in the state of Minnesota. The city council asked for an expansion to be part of our sales tax proposal only to have Rep. Greg Davids and the Tea Party legislators remove it, against the will of Rochester at the state level. We will have fixed this injustice when we restore the funding for this needed and worthy project.

DMC is getting better from a local governance perspective.  The state house bill is far better and is the version being supported by the Rochester City Council.

Comparison Document

Big thanks to assistant city administrator and former Mouseketeer Gary Nuemann for putting this together.*

Here is why the house version is far better: Read the rest of this entry »