[0:14] >> WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MINNEAPOLIS PLANNING COMMISSION FOR AUGUST 4, 2025. MY NAME IS CHRIS MEYER AND I'M [0:20] CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION. AT THIS TIME I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL. >> APOLOGIES, I'M NOT QUITE [0:30] READY. >> OKAY. [0:42] >> OKAY. COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. >> HERE. [0:48] >> CHOWDHURY. >> PRESENT. >> CONLEY. >> PRESENT. >> GORDON IS ABSENT. [0:56] JONES. >> HERE. >> MEYER. >> HERE. >> SKJEFTE IS ABSENT. [1:03] THOMPSON IS ABSENT. WAGNER. >> HERE. >> WE HAVE SIX MEMBERS PRESENT. >> THAT IS QUORUM. [1:11] FIRST, WE'LL MOVE TO THE MINUTES OF JULY 21, 2025. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THOSE MINUTES? >> SO MOVED. [1:16] >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MINUTES? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? [1:22] >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? THE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED. NEXT WE WILL ORGANIZE OUR [1:27] AGENDA. THE STAFF RECOMMEND THAT ITEMS 4 [1:38] AND 5, LET'S SEE, WHICH ONE WAS THE CONTINUANCE, YEAH, 4 AND 5 [1:44] BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THAT SIX BE CONTINUED. [1:49] WE WILL DISCUSS ITEM SEVEN, AND THEN ALSO GOING TO DISCUSS ITEM EIGHT. [1:58] WAS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR ITEM NUMBER 4, 738 AND 800 TYLER [2:06] STREET NORTHEAST. YOU ARE? SO WE WILL DISCUSS ITEM FOUR AS WELL. WAS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST [2:12] THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR [2:18] 1500 44th AVENUE NORTH? ANYONE? ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL KEEP THAT ON [2:25] CONSENT. ITEM SIX WILL BE CONTINUED TO THE AUGUST 18TH MEETING AND 7 AND 8 WILL BE DISCUSSED. [2:30] IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THAT [2:36] AGENDA? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? [2:42] ABSTENTIONS? THAT IS ADOPTED. ALL RIGHT, SO I'LL FIRST OPEN THE HEARING FOR OUR CONSENT [2:52] AGENDA ITEM 1500 44th AVENUE. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE [2:58] PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM FIVE. COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM FIVE? [3:06] FR SEEING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THAT ITEM? ANY DISCUSSION? [3:11] ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? ITEM FIVE IS ADOPTED. [3:20] WE NEED TO HAVE A SEPARATE HEARING FOR OUR CONTINUANCE. SO I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM SIX, THIS IS [3:27] THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF 5117 HARRIET [3:36] AVENUE. SO IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT ITEM, YOU CAN DO IT TONIGHT OR YOU CAN DO IT WHEN IT COMES BACK ON THE AGENDA ON AUGUST 18TH. [3:44] DID ANYONE WANT TO SPEAK TO THE ITEM FOR CONTINUANCE? NOT SEEING ANY, SO I WILL CLOSE [3:49] THE PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR CONTINUANCE ITEM. IS THERE A MOTION TO CONTINUE ITEM 6 TO AUGUST 18, 2025? [3:56] >> MOVED. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [4:03] >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? ITEM SIX IS CONTINUED. [4:09] SO WE'LL GO TO OUR FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM. 734 AND 800 TYLER STREET [4:14] NORTHEAST. STAFF IS LINDSEY SILAS. [4:33] GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR MEYER AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. THE PROJECT BEFORE YOU IS 734 [4:38] AND 800 TYLER STREET NORTHEAST. THE SUBJECT SITE CONTAINS TWO [4:43] PARCELS. ONE OF THEM 734 HAS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND A DETACHED [4:48] GARAGE. 800 TYLER STREET NORTHEAST IS VACANT. THIS MAY SOUND FAMILIAR AS IT [4:53] WAS SUBJECT OF A RIGHT-OF-WAY VACATION IN OCTOBER 2024 TO [4:59] VACATE CEMETERY AVENUE IN THIS LOCATION. AND SO THAT LAND THAT WAS RETURNED TO 800 TYLER STREET [5:05] NORTHEAST AS PART OF THAT VACATION IS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT PARCEL. THE SITE IS NEAR THE [5:11] INTERSECTION OF TWO GOODS AND SERVICES CORRIDORS, BROADWAY STREET NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL AVENUE NORTHEAST. [5:16] THERE IS NO ALLEY AT THE SITE. THE ZONING IS CORRIDOR SIX BUILT [5:25] FORUM OVERLAY DISTRICT. THE APPLICANT HAS PROPOSED TO DEMOLISH THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND GARAGE AT THE SITE AND [5:31] CONSTRUCT A NEW FOUR-STORY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING WITH 34 DWELLING UNITS. [5:36] THERE'S NO VEHICLE PARKING PROPOSED FOR THE PROJECT. THERE ARE ONLY TWO APPLICATIONS REQUIRED, SITE PLAN REVIEW FOR [5:42] THE NEW FOUR-STORY BUILDING, AND A VARIANCE TO REDUCE THE MINIMUM FRONT YARD SETBACK FOR AN [5:49] ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER. HERE IS AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE SITE SHOWING THAT EXISTING SINGLE-FAMILY HOME. [5:55] AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S NO ALLEY ON THE SITE, THERE'S A RAILWAY SPUR RIGHT TO THE REAR OF THE [6:01] SITE BETWEEN THE SITE AND ELEVATED CENTRAL AVENUE. THIS IS THE PROPOSED FOOTPRINT [6:07] OF THE BUILDING, AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE FRONT YARD HERE IS THE [6:13] LOCATION OF THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER. AND THEN THERE'S A SMALL PATIO AT THE REAR. [6:18] SO THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING 34 DWELLING UNITS, A MIX OF STUDIO, [6:25] ONE-BEDROOM, AND TWO-BEDROOM UNITS. AND HERE'S SOME FLOOR PLANS. THIS IS THE FIRST FLOOR WHICH [6:31] INCLUDES A LARGE BIKE ROOM. THE APPLICANT IS EXCEEDING THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF LONG-TERM BICYCLE PARKING, AND ALSO HAS [6:37] SOME SHORT-TERM BICYCLE PARKING PROPOSED. AND THE UPPER UNITS OR THE UPPER FLOORS. [6:44] THE APPLICANT HAS PROPOSED THAT [6:50] THE PROJECT WOULD BE PASSIVE HOUSE CERTIFIED AND THERE'S SOME SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF YOU CAN SEE HERE. [6:55] AND THE BUILDING ELEVATIONS. SOME PHOTOS OF THE EXISTING, AND HERE IS A RENDERING OF THE [7:00] PROPOSED BUILDING. [7:05] FROM A COUPLE OF ANGLES. YOU CAN SEE THE DECKS AND THE PATIOS. LIKE I MENTIONED, TWO LAND USE [7:12] APPLICATIONS, A VARIANCE TO THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER. THE APPLICANT AND I AND A [7:18] REPRESENTATIVE FROM EXCEL WENT BACK AND FORTH ON THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMERS. ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMERS ARE [7:25] PERM PERMITTED OBSTRUCTIONS IN REAR YARDS WHERE THERE IS A PUBLIC ALLEY. THERE IS NO PUBLIC ALLEY [7:30] ADJACENT TO THIS SITE. XCEL HAS REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER [7:35] SERVICING. AND THE APPLICANT WENT BACK AND FORTH WITH XCEL AND REALLY THE ONLY LOCATION ON THE SITE THAT [7:40] WAS IDENTIFIED AS BEING APPROPRIATE WAS THE FRONT NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE YARD. [7:46] THERE'S NO VEHICULAR ACCESS TO THIS SITE. SO THERE'S NO OTHER WAY FOR TRUCKS TO GET INTO THE SITE TO [7:51] SERVICE THE TRANSFORMER. AND SO STAFF CONCLUDED THAT THE [7:56] FINDINGS ARE MET FOR THE VARIANCE DUE TO THE SITE CONSTRAINTS AND THE REQUIREMENTS FROM XCEL. FOR SITE PLAN REVIEW FOR THE NEW [8:03] BUILDING, THE PROJECT HAD ONLY THREE REQUESTS FOR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE, ONE FOR WINDOW AREA [8:09] ON THE GROUND FLOOR WHICH WAS NOT MEETING THE 20% REQUIREMENT. STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED A [8:14] CONDITION OF APPROVAL THAT THE APPLICANT COMPLY WITH THE STANDARD. THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IS NOT MEETING THE GROUND FLOOR [8:20] ACTIVE FUNCTIONS. REQUIREMENT 40% OF THAT LINEAR FRONTAGE IS INACTIVE COMPARED TO [8:27] THE MAXIMUM OF 30%. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING GRANTING ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE DUE TO [8:34] THE IRREGULAR SHAPE OF THE SITE AND NOT HAVING ACCESS TO AN ALLEY, SO NEEDING TO LOCATE SOME [8:39] OF THOSE UTILITY AND BIKE RAMPS OR USES ON THE GROUND FLOOR. AND THEN THE STANDARD FOR [8:45] REQUIRING A RESIDENTIAL DROP OFF AND PICK UP SPACE, STAFF IS [8:50] RECOMMENDING GRANTING ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE BECAUSE THE STANDARD SAYS THAT IT WILL NOT MANDATE A VEHICLE CURB CUT [8:57] WHERE ONE DOES NOT ALREADY EXIST, WHICH IS WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THAT STANDARD. SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING [9:03] APPROVAL OF BOTH APPLICATIONS. THERE'S ONE CONDITION RELATED TO TRANSFORMER SCREENING FOR THE VARIANCE, AND EIGHT CONDITIONS [9:09] FOR SITE PLAN REVIEW WHICH ARE STATED IN THE STAFF REPORT. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO [9:15] ANSWER QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU, LINDSEY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? [9:22] ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, LINDSEY. I WILL OPEN PUBLIC HEARING. A FEW NOTES ABOUT IT, FIRST WE [9:30] HAVE CAPTIONING FOR OUR MEETINGS. SO WE ASK EVERYONE TO SPEAK CLEARLY AND AT A MODEST TEMPO SO [9:36] THAT THEY CAN ACCURATELY TRANSCRIBE EVERYTHING. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING ON [9:47] ITEMS TONIGHT, SO WE ARE LIMITING PEOPLE TO TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER. WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE? [9:55] GO AHEAD AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PROJECT. >> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, MY [10:00] NAME IS CODY FISHER. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF -- SORRY, [10:05] IS THAT BETTER? I'M PRESIDENT OF FOOTPRINT DEVELOPMENT. CHAIR MEYER, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THANK YOU [10:10] FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CONSIDER THIS APPLICATION TONIGHT AND FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. I WON'T GO INTO ANY GREAT DETAIL [10:17] ABOUT THE VARIANCE REQUEST OTHER THAN THAT IT IS VERY MUCH REQUIRED IF ANYTHING IS TO GO AND BE DEVELOPED ON THIS PARCEL. [10:25] JUST TO ACCOMMODATE XCEL'S NEEDS FOR ACCESS FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE TRANSFORMER. [10:32] I WANTED TO TOUCH ON ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT SPECIFICALLY, AND THEN ALSO KIND OF THE COMMUNITY [10:38] ENGAGEMENT PROCESS UP UNTIL THIS POINT. IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL [10:46] BENEFITS, THE PROJECT WILL BE -- MEANS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THIRD-PARTY TESTED AND VERIFIED [10:51] FOR ITS ENERGY EFFICIENCY PERFORMANCE. IT WILL BE ABOUT 70% MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT THAN TYPICAL [10:58] CODE-MINIMUM NEW CONSTRUCTION. IT'S GOING TO BE ALL ELECTRIC. [11:04] THERE WILL BE NO FOSSIL FUEL ENERGY PUT INTO THIS BUILDING AT ALL. 40% OF THE BUILDING'S ENERGY [11:09] CONSUMPTION WILL COME FROM ROOFTOP SOLAR. ALL OF THESE THINGS, THIS TYPE OF ENERGY-EFFICIENT HEALTHY [11:15] HOUSING IS IN LINE WITH A NUMBER OF POLICY GOALS WITHIN THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. AND I'M PROUD TO BE PUTTING THIS [11:21] KIND OF PROJECT FORWARD IN THIS LOCATION. LOCATION IS REALLY CRITICAL. THIS IS A HIGHLY WALKABLE [11:28] TRANSIT ORIENTED AND BIKABLE LOCATION WITHIN STONE'S THROW OF A VARIETY OF DAILY NEEDS FOR THE [11:35] FUTURE RESIDENTS OF THIS BUILDING AND WILL MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN REDUCING [11:40] VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED FOR FOLKS WHO CHOOSE TO LIVE IN A BUILDING LIKE THIS WHICH IS VERY MUCH BIKE ORIENTED LIKE ANOTHER [11:46] PROJECT I HAVE ABOUT TWO BLOCKS AWAY ON VAN BUREN STREET. WHAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT THIS [11:52] LOCATION IS THE RELEASE OF KIND OF THE MNDOT'S PLANS FOR [11:58] REDESIGNING CENTRAL AVENUE WHICH INCLUDE GRADE-SEPARATED BIKE LANES, DEDICATED BUS LANE FOR [12:06] THE FUTURE FBRT LINE WHICH IS GOING TO HAVE A STOP EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THIS, SOME OF THE [12:11] HIGHEST QUALITY TRANSIT SERVICE IN THE CITY. WITH THAT, SHIFTING A LITTLE BIT [12:16] TO PUBLIC NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT. BEFORE PREPARING AND SUBMITTING OUR LAND USE APPLICATION, WE MET [12:24] WITH THE -- IN MAY WITH THE LOWER NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION'S HOUSING COMMITTEE [12:29] AND GAVE AN INITIAL CONCEPT TO GIVE A BUNCH OF REALLY HIGH QUALITY AND THOUGHTFUL [12:35] CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK. WE MADE A NUMBER OF CHANGES AROUND PROPOSED UNITS, HEIGHT, AND DENSITY BEFORE SUBMITTING [12:41] THE APPLICATION BASED ON THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FEEDBACK. AND THEN WE HAD A FOLLOW-UP [12:47] MEETING SUBSEQUENT TO THAT IN JULY WHERE WE HAD ANOTHER ROUND OF REALLY THOUGHTFUL INPUT [12:52] RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO THE TRASH ROLL OFF LOCATION ON THE [12:58] NORTH SIDE OF THE LOT BY THE TRANSFORMER, AND THE CONCERN THAT THAT MIGHT BE USED FOR TEMPORARY PARKING BY RESIDENTS. [13:04] SO WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME SIGNAGE ENHANCEMENTS AND [13:09] LANDSCAPING ENHANCEMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT USED IN THAT WAY BECAUSE IT'S ONLY INTENDED FOR XCEL ACCESS AND ROLLING OFF [13:15] DUMPSTERS. WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE AND THANKS FOR CONSIDERATION OF THIS AGENDA [13:20] ITEM. >> THANK YOU. AND TO CLARIFY WHAT I SAID BEFORE, WE GIVE TEN MINUTES FOR THE APPLICANT AND TWO MINUTES [13:26] FOR EACH SUBSEQUENT TESTIFIER. BEFORE YOU GO, COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE [13:31] APPLICANT BEFORE WE PROCEED WITH THE REST OF THE HEARING? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT TESTIFIER. [13:39] WHO RAISED YOUR HAND? GO AHEAD, COME UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US YOUR TESTIMONY. [13:47] >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS ANDREW. I'M THE PROPERTY OWNER DIRECTLY SOUTH OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AREA. I HAVE LIVED AT THIS HOUSE FOR [13:56] 22 YEARS, RAISED A FAMILY OF THREE KIDS THERE. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, LOVELY NEIGHBORHOOD. WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE BECAUSE THE [14:02] OTHER HOUSE WAS AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LOT AND THERE WAS AN EMPTY LOT BETWEEN US. IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE A CITY, FELT [14:07] MORE LIKE A SMALL TOWN. LOVE IT. ABSOLUTELY DON'T WANT A FOUR-STORY MONSTROSITY NEXT TO [14:13] ME. I'VE BEEN INVESTING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 20 PLUS YEARS. [14:19] I FEEL LIKE THIS IS GOING TO RUIN EVERYTHING I LOVE ABOUT MY HOUSE AND MY INVESTMENT. [14:24] MY 88-YEAR-OLD MOTHER NOW LIVES WITH ME. I WORRY ABOUT HER AND HOW THE NOISE OF CONSTRUCTION AND THE CHAOS OF CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO AFFECT HER. [14:31] I WORRY ABOUT HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT MY LIFE. MY POWER POLE IS NEXT TO THE [14:36] GARAGE PROPOSED TO BE TORE DOWN. MY POWER COMES FROM THAT POLE TO [14:41] THE BACK OF MY HOUSE. WHEN I LOOK AT THE PLANS, FAIRLY CLOSE TO THE BUILDING THAT'S [14:47] PROPOSED TO BEING BUILT. HAS ANYONE TALKED TO XCEL ABOUT THE ACCESS TO MY POWER POLE AND [14:52] MY CONNECTION THAT'S ON THAT LOT? I'M WORRIED ABOUT THAT. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN DURING CONSTRUCTION? ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE OUT MY [14:59] POWER? ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE PARKED UP AND DOWN THE STREET? THERE'S CURRENTLY NOT PARKING RIGHT NOW. I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE PARKING, [15:04] I'M WORRIED ABOUT CITY ACCESS. I'M WORRIED ABOUT GARBAGE ACCESS. I'M WORRIED ABOUT PLOWS. [15:10] FOUR-STORY BUILDING, THAT MEANS IF THERE'S A FIRE, YOU'VE GOT TO CALL THE LADDER TRUCK. IS A LADDER TRUCK GOING TO GET [15:15] BACK THERE? I HAVE THE ONLY FIRE HYDRANT ON THE STREET AT THE END OF MY 190 [15:21] FEET OF SIDEWALK. I UNDERSTAND THAT DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. [15:26] THESE ARE NOT APARTMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED HOUSING. THESE ARE NOT LOW INCOME, [15:32] THEY'RE NOT SECTION 8, THEY'RE NOT SUBSIDIZED, THESE ARE MARKET-RATE APARTMENTS. THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF [15:38] MARKET-RATE APARTMENTS WITHIN HALF A MILE OF ME. DOWN BY THE RIVER, UP ON BROADWAY, UP ON CENTRAL, OVER [15:46] HERE, OVER THERE. I DON'T GET IT. TWO CITY LOTS, TWO DUPLEXES, [15:53] WHATEVER. PLEASE, PLEASE HONOR THE COMMITMENT I HAVE MADE AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER TO THIS CITY. THANKS. [16:00] >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS TO THIS ITEM? GO AHEAD, INTRODUCE YOURSELF. [16:08] >> HELLO, MY NAME IS ARLENE [16:15] ZIMORA. LIKE ANDREW, I'VE BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 30 YEARS. [16:20] I BOUGHT THE HOUSE ON POLK STREET, BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD 30 YEARS, I RAISED TWO KIDS, NOW [16:26] GRANDKIDS. WE SHARE A FOUR BEDROOM HOUSE [16:31] TOGETHER. AND I LOVED LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND RAISING OUR FAMILY THERE. LIKE ANDREW, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT [16:38] THE PARKING. THERE IS NO PARKING ON THE WEST SIDE OF TYLER STREET THERE. I THINK THAT'S IN FRONT OF [16:44] ANDREW'S HOUSE. IT'S A VERY TIGHT STREET. IT'S ACTUALLY A ROUNDABOUT. AND IT'S ALREADY HARD ENOUGH FOR [16:50] FIRE TRUCKS AND AMBULANCE TO GET DOWN THAT STREET. [16:56] AND 34 UNITS COMES TO I GUESS 68 PEOPLE OR WHATEVER, OR MAYBE MORE. [17:02] YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AMAZON TRUCKS, FED EX TRUCKS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DELIVERY, UBER, [17:09] AND WHO KNOWS HOURS OF THE NIGHT WITH THAT MANY MORE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE MORE TRAFFIC. AND RIGHT NOW IT'S REALLY QUIET. [17:21] I ACTUALLY JUST RECENTLY HEARD ABOUT THIS, AND I'VE BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 30 YEARS. AND WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS, IT [17:28] TOOK MY BREATH AWAY. I'M REALLY SHOCKED THAT A [17:36] 34-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING WOULD BE SET RIGHT THERE AT THAT LOCATION, BECAUSE IT'S, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S HOUSES THERE, [17:42] THERE'S ONE APARTMENT BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET, BUT IT'S ONLY TWO STORIES, I THINK. AND IT JUST DOESN'T FIT IN THE [17:48] NEIGHBORHOOD. I DROVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALL OF THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS, THE VERY FEW IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE 2 OR 3 STORIES. [17:53] THIS IS FOUR STORIES. I JUST, I KNOW OTHER NEIGHBORS [18:01] HAVE EMAILED THEIR CONCERNS TOO, I HOPE YOU TAKE ALL OUR CONCERNS [18:06] UNDER CONSIDERATION. AND ONE THING I THINK THAT WE WERE WONDERING IF THERE WAS A TRAFFIC STUDY DONE FOR THIS [18:15] PROJECT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. NEXT SPEAKER. [18:22] GO AHEAD. INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. [18:31] >> HI, MY NAME IS CONNOR CAROL. I LIVE IN WARD 8, SO NOT CLOSE TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AT ALL. [18:36] BUT I HEARD ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND WANTED TO COME AND SPEAK IN FAVOR OF IT. I'M A RENTER MYSELF, AND I'M [18:43] VERY HAPPY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN KINGFIELD. AND WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF BIG APARTMENT BUILDINGS, [18:50] BIGGER THAN THIS ONE THAT HAVE GONE UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I THINK AT THE TIME THERE WERE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT PARKING AND CONGESTION AS WELL. [18:55] BUT NOW THAT THEY'RE UP AND PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN THEM, IT'S REALLY NOT BEEN A PROBLEM IN MY [19:02] NEIGHBORHOOD AT ALL. AND ACTUALLY I LIKE HAVING MORE PEOPLE AROUND WALKING THEIR DOGS AND WALKING THEIR KIDS AROUND [19:07] THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT CAN HAPPEN HERE AS WELL. ALL OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF WITH THE BUILDING, THE PASSIVE [19:15] HOUSE CONSTRUCTION, LIKE IF FOLKS ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THAT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GOOGLE IT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY COOL HOW [19:21] MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL MATERIALS FROM THE HOUSE THEY REUSE AND HOW ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY IT IS. THIS IS THE KIND OF BUILDING I [19:28] WOULD WANT TO LIVE IN. I SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN NORTHEAST MYSELF, BUT THIS IS A [19:33] NEIGHBORHOOD I MIGHT WANT TO LIVE IN SOME DAY. I LOOKED FOR APARTMENTS IN NORTHEAST BEFORE AND FOUND A [19:39] HARD TIME FINDING SOMETHING THAT WORKED FOR MY LIFESTYLE AND MY BUDGET. SO I JUST WOULD URGE THE [19:46] COMMISSION TO SUPPORT THIS VARIANCE, IT SEEMS REALLY REASONABLE TO ME AND KIND OF A [19:51] NO-BRAINER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. NEXT SPEAKER? NOT SEEING ANY. [19:57] BEFORE I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'M GOING TO ASK A QUESTION TO STAFF AND IF STAFF DON'T KNOW, I'LL ASK THE [20:05] APPLICANT. SO THE MAIN ITEM BEFORE US IS [20:11] JUST THE VARIANCE TO ACCOMMODATE XCEL. CAN YOU RESPOND TO ONE OF THE TESTIFIER'S QUESTION ABOUT THE [20:18] NEIGHBOR'S ACCESS TO XCEL, WAS THAT EXAMINED AT ALL? IS ANYTHING IN THIS PROJECT GOING TO IMPEDE THEIR ACCESS? [20:25] >> I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO XCEL ABOUT THE NEIGHBOR'S ELECTRICAL SERVICE. BUT CERTAINLY IF THE NEIGHBOR [20:32] WANTS TO SEND ME AN EMAIL OR CONNECT WITH ME AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE CAN COORDINATE A [20:37] CONVERSATION WITH MY CONTACT AT XCEL. >> I SEE THE APPLICANT STOOD UP. [20:49] >> I COMPLETED TWO PROJECTS IN COORDINATION WITH XCEL THAT REQUIRED TRANSFORMER UPGRADES ON [20:55] THEIR LOCATION SIMILAR TO THIS IN NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS. AND THE GENERAL PROCESS IS IT'S A TRANSITION. [21:02] THEY BRING IN THREE PHASE POWER LINES AND UPGRADE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE AREA. THE TRANSFORMER TAKES THE PLACE [21:10] OF A POLE BASED TRANSFORMER IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY, AND THEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS UPGRADED [21:17] BASICALLY. SO THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SEVERAL HOUR PERIOD WHERE XCEL [21:23] IS GOING TO BE TRANSITIONING THE NEIGHBOR'S POWER FROM THE POLE-MOUNTED TRANSFORMER TO THE GROUND TRANSFORMER. [21:29] THAT'S THE LIKELY SCENARIO AND HOW THESE THINGS TYPICALLY CHANGE OVER AS THEY UPGRADE THE [21:35] INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT THOSE PLANS GET SORTED OUT WHEN WE'RE KIND OF THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND THAT'S KIND OF ON XCEL'S TIMELINE AND [21:41] THEIR AGENDA. WE'RE SUBJECT TO THEIR AGENDA. >> THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY [21:46] QUESTIONS BEFORE I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? ALL RIGHT. PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. [21:52] COMMISSIONERS, COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. [21:59] >> THANK YOU. CAN WE STILL ASK STAFF? >> YES. >> I WOULD LIKE TO ASK WHAT SOME [22:05] OF THE SPEAKERS ASKED ABOUT A TRAFFIC STUDY, POTENTIALLY DID WE CONNECT WITH THE FIRE [22:12] DEPARTMENT? AND MAYBE I MISSED IT, I APOLOGIZE I WAS GOING THROUGH THE MATERIALS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BACK END WITH THE TRACKS? [22:18] LIKE JUST THE SAFETY BECAUSE THERE'S NOT REALLY AN ALLEY. [22:24] DO MY QUESTIONS MAKE SENSE? >> SURE. I CAN SPEAK TO JUST IN GENERAL THE PROJECT IS SUBJECT TO [22:31] PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT REVIEW. THAT'S A COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY ARE [22:37] LOOKING AT THE PROJECT INCLUDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ENSURING THAT THE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO EMERGENCY [22:43] VEHICLES, PUBLIC WORKS, ALL SORTS OF DIVISIONS IN PUBLIC WORKS LOOKING AT, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS IN THE EMAILS [22:49] THAT YOU WOULD HAVE RECEIVED ABOUT SURFACE WATER DRAINAGE. PUBLIC WORKS LOOKS AT THE PLANS [22:55] WITH AN EYE TO SURFACE WATER, SIMILAR WITH UTILITY CONNECTIONS, TRAFFIC, ALL OF [23:00] THAT COMES THROUGH THE PDR PROCESS. SO THIS PROJECT HAS SUBMITTED FOR A PRELIMINARY PDR AND THEN [23:06] HAS RECEIVED COMMENTS AND WILL REVISE THEIR PLANS TO UPLOAD AND WILL NEED APPROVAL BY ALL OF [23:12] THOSE DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO PROCEED TO THE BUILDING PERMIT STAGE. THIS PROJECT DID NOT REQUIRE A [23:18] TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT PLAN. THE THRESHOLD FOR RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS IS I THINK 250 DWELLING [23:25] UNITS AND THIS ONE ONLY HAS 34 DWELLING UNITS. AND ONE OF THE WAYS YOU CAN GET [23:32] POINTS IN TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT PLAN IS BY PROVIDING VERY LITTLE OR NO VEHICULAR [23:38] PARKING. SO THEY'RE ALREADY PROVIDING SOME OF WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEE THROUGH THAT PROCESS. [23:43] LET ME KNOW IF I ANSWERED EVERYTHING. >> IT WAS JUST THE SAFETY -- THANK YOU, I APOLOGIZE. [23:50] I'M STARING AT THE PICTURE RIGHT NOW, JUST THE SAFETY WITH THE RAILROAD TRACKS BEHIND IT. I DON'T KNOW, BUT IS THERE ANY [23:55] SORT OF SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO FULFILL FOR NEIGHBORS BECAUSE OF THAT [24:01] BACKLOG OF JUST SPACE IF THERE WERE AN EMERGENCY? >> NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. [24:10] IT IS STANDARD IN MINNEAPOLIS FOR PROPERTIES TO HAVE REAR ALLEY ACCESS. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PROPERTIES THAT DON'T HAVE ALLEY [24:16] ACCESS FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. I THINK PRIMARILY FIRE [24:23] INSPECTION IS LOOKING AT STREET ACCESS TO PROPERTIES VIA THE PUBLIC STREETS AND EMERGENCY [24:29] VEHICLES TEND NOT TO USE ALLEYS DUE TO THEIR LIMITED WIDTH ANYWAY. >> THAT I KNEW. [24:35] I HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION WHILE I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SORRY, IT'S ONE OF THE [24:41] VARIANCES. THE TRANSFORMER, THE VARIANCE OF THE FRONT YARD SPACE, DOES THAT [24:46] AFFECT STORM WATER TOO MUCH? THAT'S FOR THE ELECTRIC [24:51] TRANSFORMER. I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY IN THE PRESENTATION AND I APOLOGIZE IF [24:56] I WAS DEEP DIVING INTO SOMETHING I DIDN'T NEED TO DO. IS THAT A PROBLEM -- IS IT [25:02] CHALLENGING THAT WE WOULD EVEN NEED TO DO THAT OR IS IT GERMANE TO THE ENTIRE PROJECT? [25:10] >> FOR STORM WATER -- >> TO HAVE THIS VARIANCE, IS IT POSSIBLE TO BUILD WHAT WE NEED TO BUILD WITHOUT THE VARIANCE [25:18] FOR THE ELECTRIC TRANSFORMER? SORRY, THE VARIANCE IS THE [25:23] MINIMUM FRONT YARD SETBACK. I APOLOGIZE. I'M READING THE WRONG PART. >> THE VARIANCE IS TO REDUCE THE [25:30] MINIMUM FRONT YARD SETBACK FOR THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER. [25:36] THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER IS AT 1 FOOT FROM THE PROPERTY LINE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE SHOULDN'T BE AN IMPACT ON ANY [25:43] SORT OF SURFACE WATER DRAINAGE DUE TO THE TRANSFORMER. THERE IS A SMALL CONCRETE PAD FOR THE TRANSFORMER TO SIT ON, [25:49] BUT THE PROJECT IS STILL WELL BELOW ITS MAXIMUMS FOR [25:56] IMPERVIOUS SURFACE AREA FOR THE OVERALL SITE. THE PROJECT HAS BEEN INFORMED BY XCEL THAT THEY REQUIRE [26:02] TRANSFORMERS, SO WHETHER THE TRANSFORMER WITH THE CONCRETE PAD IS LOCATED IN THE FRONT YARD OR SOME OTHER LOCATION ON THE [26:08] SITE, IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE SURFACE THE SAME WAY. >> I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [26:14] >> OTHER COMMISSIONERS? >> ONE QUICK CLARIFICATION. THE APPLICATION NOTE SAID YOU [26:20] WOULD REQUIRE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SCREENING BECAUSE THE CURRENT SCREENING PROPOSED DOES NOT COMPLY. [26:25] DID I MISS WHAT THAT MIGHT BE? >> OH THAT'S RIGHT. SO THE CONDITION FOR THE [26:31] VARIANCE IS THAT THE APPLICANT COMPLY WITH OUR SCREENING STANDARDS WHICH IS THAT THE [26:37] TRANSFORMER BE FIRM MECHANICAL SCREENING. SO THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT NEEDS TO BE SCREENED ON ALL FOUR [26:45] SIDES WITH A CERTAIN OPACITY AND THE PROPOSAL, I THINK YOU CAN [26:51] SEE HERE, HAS REALLY ONLY SHOWN SCREENING ON TWO SIDES, AND SOME [26:58] OF THE SCREENING WAS TO PROVIDE YEAR ROUND SCREENING. THAT WAS IN PLACE SO WHEN THE APPLICANT COMES IN WITH THEIR [27:04] FINAL PLANS, THEY'RE SHOWING SCREENING ON ALL FOUR SIDES TO COMPLY WITH THOSE STANDARDS IN THE ZONING CODE. >> GREAT, THANK YOU. [27:09] >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR MOTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? I'LL GIVE MINE. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE [27:15] PEOPLE WHO CAME TO TESTIFY. I SYMPATHIZE WITH THE NUISANCES [27:21] THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION, WITH NEW NOISE, [27:28] AND TEMPORARY LOSS OF FACILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. [27:34] BUT IN OUR 2040 PLAN, WE REALLY TRIED TO ADVANCE OUR CLIMATE [27:41] GOALS AND THIS PROJECT CLEARLY FITS THAT ADDING MORE INFILL [27:48] DENSITY IN A WAY THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO PUBLIC TRANSIT AND REDUCING VMT. AND THIS PROJECT IS GOING ABOVE [27:55] AND BEYOND THAT WITH SOLAR PANELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. [28:02] SO I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT. THE ONLY THINGS THAT ARE IN OUR DOMAIN TODAY ARE THE VARIANCE AND THE SITE PLAN REVIEW. [28:12] SO THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP ABOUT OTHER THINGS AREN'T ANYTHING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION CAN TAKE ON. [28:19] FOR THE TRANSFORMER, THE EXPLANATION AND THE VARIANCE [28:25] SEEMED VERY REASONABLE. XCEL NEEDS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT. AND THE THRESHOLD FOR DENYING IT [28:33] WOULD BE PRETTY HIGH. SO I WILL SUPPORT THAT VARIANCE ALONG WITH THE SITE PLAN REVIEW. [28:41] ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A [28:46] MOTION? I WILL MOVE TO ADOPT STAFF FINDINGS. [28:51] >> SECOND. >> IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? [28:56] SEEING NONE, CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. [29:02] >> COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. [29:07] COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. >> AYE. >> THANK YOU. CHOWDHURY. [29:12] >> AYE. >> CONLEY. >> AYE. >> JONES. >> AYE. [29:22] >> SHEPPARD. >> AYE. >> WAGNER. >> AYE. >> THOMPSON. [29:28] >> AYE. >> MEYER. >> AYE. >> WE HAVE EIGHT AYES AND 0 [29:36] NAYS. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR PROJECT. [29:46] NO, THE TESTIFIER IS SAYING OUR VISUAL AND AUDIO ARE OUT OF SYNC. [29:52] >> FOLKS, I'LL HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE AV TEAM IN THE BACK ABOUT THAT IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME. THANK YOU. [29:59] >> I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE FROM WATCHING COUNCIL MEETINGS, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY OFTENTIMES. [30:04] >> THERE'S A NORMAL DELAY. >> OKAY. >> WE'LL WORK ON THAT. [30:09] THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> OUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER [30:19] SEVEN, THE EDMUND STREET RENAMING. [30:24] >> BEFORE YOU TODAY IS A PETITION TO RENAME EDMUND [30:38] BOULEVARD. THEY ARE REVIEWED JOINTLY BY CPED AND PUBLIC WORKS STAFF. [30:43] SO THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS A JOINT RECOMMENDATION FROM BOTH [30:50] DEPARTMENTS. IN ADDITION TO MYSELF ARE OTHERS [31:00] FROM PUBLIC WORKS TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. EDMUND BOULEVARD RUNS ROUGHLY [31:06] PARALLEL TO WEST RIVER PARKWAY BETWEEN 32nd STREET AND 46th STREET WITH AN INTERRUPTION [31:12] BETWEEN 42nd AND 44th. THE STREET IS CURVED GENERALLY [31:17] PARALLELING WEST RIVER PARKWAY. AS BOTH THE PARKWAY AND ADMIN [31:23] FOLLOW THE BLUFF LINE OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER GORGE RATHER THAN THE PRIMARY STREET. [31:32] ALONG ITS STREET, IT'S BORDERED BY PARKLAND TO ITS EAST ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH. AND TO ITS WEST, PRIMARILY BY [31:39] RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. THERE ARE 110 PARCELS THAT HAVE FRONTAGE ON EDMUND NOT INCLUDING [31:46] PARKLAND. 107 OF THOSE UTILIZE EDMUND BOULEVARD ADDRESSES. [31:53] OF THOSE THERE ARE 103 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AND DUPLEXES. [31:59] WHILE THERE ARE SOME SMALL BUSINESSES OPERATING AT THESE PROPERTIES, THERE ARE NO [32:04] PRINCIPAL NONRESIDENTIAL USES THAT USE AN EDMUND BOULEVARD ADDRESS. [32:09] IT'S CURRENTLY NAMED FOR EDMUND WALTON WHO WAS A PROMINENT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER IN THE CITY AT [32:15] THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY. HE INSTITUTED THE RACIALLY [32:23] RESTRICTIVE -- IN MINNESOTA. THE CONCERN THAT HONORING WITH WALTON IN A STREET NAME HAS BEEN [32:32] A SIGNIFICANT TOPIC OF CONVERSATION. WE HAVE WORKED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE AND TO COME UP WITH A ROUTE [32:39] FORWARD LEADING TO THE SUBMISSION OF THIS RENAMING PETITION. THE PROPOSED STREET NAME IS INTENDED TO HONOR LENA OLIVE [32:46] SMITH. LENA SMITH WAS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN LICENSED AS AN ATTORNEY IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND WAS A [32:52] LOCAL CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER. WITH A LONG CAREER FOCUSED PRIMARILY AROUND FIGHTING RACIAL [32:59] DISCRIMINATION IN HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT. SINCE SENDING OUT NOTICES FOR THIS APPLICATION, WE HAVE [33:05] RECEIVED 38 SEPARATE SETS OF PUBLIC COMMENTS. SIX OF THOSE COMMENTS WERE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKETS WITH THE AGENDA. [33:11] THE REST OF THOSE YOU'VE RECEIVED AT THE START OF THE MEETING TONIGHT. [33:16] STAFF'S REVIEW OF THIS PETITION IS LIMITED TO THE SPECIFIC STANDARDS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE [33:21] STAFF REPORT WITH GENERAL FOCUS ON ENSURING THE NEW STREET NAME MEETS ALL OF THE CITY'S STANDARD [33:28] CRITERIA FOR STREET NAMES AND IDENTIFYING THAT THERE ARE NOT SIGNIFICANT ISSUES OR PUBLIC COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPLEMENTING THE RENAMING. [33:34] STAFF HAS FOUND THAT THE PROPOSED RENAMING MEETS THESE STANDARDS AND RECOMMENDS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION [33:40] RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE PETITION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. JEFF, BEV, AND I ARE ALL [33:45] AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, ANDREW. ARE THERE QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW [33:51] BEFORE WE PROCEED TO THE PUBLIC HEARING? [33:56] COMMISSIONER SHEPPARD? >> I HAVE ONE QUESTION. WHAT IS THE TIME PERIOD OF WHICH [34:01] THIS NAME CHANGE WOULD ROLL OUT? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TAKES [34:06] ACTION TONIGHT ON MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THE ITEM THEN ADVANCES TO THE [34:13] BUSINESS HOUSING AND ZONING COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. FROM THERE THEIR ACTION WOULD GO [34:19] TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL, AND THEN ON TO THE MAYOR AND ON TO PUBLICATION. [34:26] IF EVERYTHING ADVANCES WITHOUT ANY CONTINUANCES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THE STREET RENAMING [34:32] WOULD BE EFFECTIVE AT ITS PUBLICATION WHICH WOULD BE SEPTEMBER 22nd. [34:38] THE PROCESS OF HAVING ACTUALLY ALL OF THOSE CHANGES OCCUR THROUGH READDRESSING AND THROUGH [34:43] STREET SIGNS AND THAT SORT OF THING WOULD TAKE SOME TIME. THERE WOULD BE, THERE'S A PERIOD [34:49] IN BETWEEN, FOR EXAMPLE WITH THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, THE ADDRESSES ARE LINKED AND YOU [34:55] HAVE UP TO 18 MONTHS WHERE MAIL ADDRESSED TO EITHER ADDRESS IS STILL DELIVERED. THAT SORT OF THING. BUT THE OFFICIAL EFFECTIVE DATE [35:03] WOULD BE SEPTEMBER 22nd ASSUMING THERE ARE NOT DELAYS IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. >> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU. >> ANYONE ELSE? [35:10] COMMISSIONER THOMPSON? >> THANK YOU. IN THE MINNEAPOLIS CODE OF [35:16] ORDINANCES IT TALKS ABOUT THAT 2/3 OF THE PEOPLE WHO OWN [35:23] PROPERTY ABUTTED TO BE SIGNED FOR THE APPLICATION. AND I REQUESTED THIS APPLICATION TEN DAYS AGO AND DIDN'T RECEIVE [35:29] IT. ARE THE 2/3 OF THE SIGNED PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE PETITION? >> CHAIR MEYER AND COMMISSIONER [35:37] THOMPSON, I BELIEVE THAT PETITION -- I'M SORRY, THAT STANDARD IS FOR A PETITION INITIATED BY THE PUBLIC. [35:43] I BELIEVE THAT -- AND I DON'T HAVE THE ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF ME. BUT I BELIEVE THAT ELECTED [35:48] OFFICIALS HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUBMIT A PETITION ON THEIR OWN. AND IF KIMBERLY HAS THAT [35:53] LANGUAGE -- >> IS THAT THE STANDARD? >> THAT'S CORRECT. THE 2/3 REQUIREMENT ONLY APPLIES TO PETITIONS FOR STREET [36:00] RENAMINGS THAT ARE INITIATED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. STREET RENAMING CAN ALSO BE INITIATED BY A CITY COUNCIL [36:06] MEMBER AND THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE A 2/3 CONSENT FROM PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG THE STREET? [36:11] >> THANK YOU. BECAUSE FOR CLARIFICATION BECAUSE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN [36:17] ASKING ME TOO, WHAT IS THAT THRESHOLD OR IS IT UNILATERAL? AND IS THAT PUBLICLY KNOWN TO [36:23] THE CITIZENS? >> THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT FOR CONSENT SIGNATURES TO BE SOUGHT [36:29] WHEN A STREET RENAMING IS BROUGHT FORWARD BY A CITY [36:34] COUNCIL MEMBER. I DON'T KNOW HOW PUBLIC THAT IS. >> THANK YOU. THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION. THANK YOU. [36:39] >> ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, ANDREW. I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC [36:45] HEARING. WE'LL HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT WHO IS SOMEONE YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE. [36:59] >> GIVE US ONE SECOND TO SET UP [37:09] HERE. >> BEFORE YOU START, I'LL JUST SAY, SO FAR I HAVE 40 PEOPLE WHO [37:15] HAVE SIGNED UP. IF YOU AREN'T ONE OF THOSE 40, IF YOU HAVEN'T FILLED ONE OF THESE OUT, PLEASE DO SO IN THE [37:21] NEXT FEW MINUTES. YOU CAN GO OVER TO RACHEL AROUND THE SIDE HERE, BECAUSE I'M GOING [37:28] TO ACCEPT PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU FIVE MINUTES TO ADD YOUR NAME IF YOU WANT TO BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE [37:33] ABLE TO WRAP UP THIS ITEM SO THAT WE CAN FINISH ON TIME BEFORE WE LOSE OUR CAPTIONERS. THANK YOU. [37:43] >> GREAT. HELLO EVERYONE. [37:48] MY NAME IS AURIN CHOWDHURY. [37:54] I AM A MEMBER OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL, HOWEVER I WILL BE RECUSING [37:59] MYSELF FROM THE VOTE TODAY AS I AM THE APPLICANT. TODAY, I DO NOT STAND HERE ALONE, I STAND WITH MY NEIGHBORS [38:05] FROM WARD 12 AND EDMUND BOULEVARD UNITED IN A SHARED VISION FOR JUSTICE AND CHANGE. [38:10] I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEP GRATITUDE TO MY PREDECESSOR, [38:16] COUNCILMEMBER EDMUND JOHNSON WHO USED THE SAME PROCESS AND PAVED [38:23] THE WAY FOR US TODAY. NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO, NEIGHBORS CAME TO ME WITH A CRITICAL CONCERN. [38:29] EDMUND BOULEVARD HONORS A FIGURE WHO WAS A HARMFUL ACTOR IN OUR HISTORY. [38:34] A MAN WHO ACTIVELY UPHELD RACIAL SEGREGATION THROUGH COVENANTS [38:40] AND CONTRIBUTED TO DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF BLACK, BROWN, JEWISH, AND ARAB [38:45] COMMUNITIES IN MINNEAPOLIS. AS A WOMAN OF COLOR AND SOMEONE WHO HAS LISTENED CLOSELY TO THE VOICES OF BIPOC NEIGHBORS, I CAN [38:51] SAY THIS PLAINLY, HONORING SOMEONE WHO HAS PLAYED A SYSTEMIC ROLE IN HARMING [38:57] COUNTLESS BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS UNACCEPTABLE. HONORING SOMEONE WHO FOUGHT TO KEEP US, OUR FAMILIES OUT OF OUR [39:03] NEIGHBORHOODS IS UTTERLY UNACCEPTABLE. BUT HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS TODAY, [39:10] WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CHANGE. BERAH -- BY RENAMING THIS STREET [39:15] TO LENA SMITH BOULEVARD, WE UPLIFT THE STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN ERASED OR DISMISSED. [39:20] WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE OURSELVES ON THE HARMS OF THE PAST AND HOW THEY CONNECT TO THE DISPARITIES OF TODAY. [39:27] WE SHINE A LIGHT ON THE REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF LENA OLIVE SMITH, THE FIRST AFRICAN [39:33] AMERICAN ATTORNEY IN MINNESOTA WHOSE LEGACY WE WILL EXPLORE IN OUR PRESENTATION TODAY. [39:41] THIS EFFORT THAT IS MY FULL SUPPORT BECAUSE QUITE SIMPLY, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. IT REFLECTS THE CORE VALUES AND [39:48] THE MISSION OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, TO CELEBRATE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED AND TO EDUCATE OURSELVES AND OUR [39:55] COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ROOTS OF RACIAL AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES. THIS UNDERSTANDING IS CRUCIAL IF [40:00] WE ARE TO DISMANTLE THOSE DISPARITIES AND BUILD A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE. I AM PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL TO [40:07] EVERY NEIGHBOR WHO HAS ENGAGED IN THIS OVER THE YEARS. YOUR VOICE AND COMMITMENT HAS MADE THIS A TRUE [40:12] COMMUNITY-DRIVEN EFFORT. WITH THAT, I'M HONORED TO HAND THE FLOOR OVER TO SOME OF MY FELLOW NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE WORKED [40:20] TIRELESSLY ON THIS CAUSE. >> MY NAME IS MARK BRANT. [40:25] I LIVE IN THE LONG FELLOW NEIGHBORHOOD. EDMUND BOULEVARD WAS NAMED FOR [40:31] EDMUND WALTON. A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER IN THE EARLY 1900s. [40:37] THE EARLIEST COVENANT KNOWN APPEARS ON THE RIGHT SLIDE OF THIS SLIDE. BASICALLY THEY SAID UNLESS [40:42] YOU'RE WHITE, YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO OWN OR RENT A PROPERTY. THE MAP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE [40:47] SLIDE IS SHOWING COVENANTS THAT SPREAD THROUGH ONE OF MINNEAPOLIS'S NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE EARLY 1900s. [40:57] MANY NEIGHBORHOODS IN MINNEAPOLIS WERE BLANKETED WITH [41:03] COVENANTS LEADING TO THE WIDE RACIAL DISPARITY IN HOME OWNERSHIP THAT WE STILL STRUGGLE WITH TODAY. AND THAT'S THE LEGACY OF EDMUND [41:10] WALTON. THERE'S MORE ABOUT HIM ON PAGES 8 AND 9 OF THE PACKET THAT YOU RECEIVED AND COVENANTS ARE [41:16] DISCUSSED IN PAGES 2 THROUGH 6. ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, A COUPLE OF US HEARD THE STORY OF EDMUND [41:23] WALTON AND STARTED TO TELL THE STORY TO OUR NEIGHBORS, INITIALLY SLOWED BY THE PANDEMIC, BUT AFTER THAT MORE [41:29] NEIGHBORS JOINED THE EFFORT AND WE BEGAN WORKING WITH THE LONGFELLOW COMMUNITY COUNCIL AND WITH COUNCILMEMBER AURIN [41:37] CHOWDHURY. WE HAVE TALKED WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN MANY DIFFERENT SETTINGS. HERE WE ARE AT AN EARTH DAY RIVER CLEAN UP AND AT SUNBEAN [41:49] COFFEE. WE WERE DOOR KNOCKING, FLYERING, AND COMMUNICATION VIA DIRECT [41:54] MAIL. HERE'S A DOOR KNOCKING TEAM ON THE LOWER PART OF THE SCREEN AFTER AN AFTERNOON SESSION ON [42:01] EDMUND BOULEVARD. AND THE LOWER PART YOU SEE A MEETING OF WARD 12 RESIDENTS WE [42:07] HELD IN MARCH. WE'VE GOTTEN PRESS FROM THE PUBLICATIONS AT RIGHT. OTHER OUTREACH HAS INCLUDED [42:13] CHURCH GROUPS SUCH AS THE FRIENDSHIP FEST OF THE GREATER FRIENDSHIP MISSIONARY BAPTIST [42:19] CHURCH AND EVEN SCHOOL VISITS SUCH AS THIS SESSION AT ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL THAT YOU'VE SEEN ON THE LOWER PART OF THE SLIDE. [42:24] THERE'S MORE ABOUT ALL OF OUR OUTREACH ON PAGES 13 AND 14 OF THE PACKET. [42:35] >> I'M LAURA TRIPLET, I LIVE AT 3506 EDMUND BOULEVARD. [42:41] AFTER ALL OF THAT OUTREACH EARLIER THIS YEAR, COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY CREATED A SURVEY TO [42:46] MAKE SURE THAT THE NAME CHANGE IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS AND TO KIND OF HAVE SOME [42:52] INTEGRITY TO THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY. WE HAD 599 PEOPLE RESPOND. [42:58] OF THOSE WHO RESPONDED, 69% OF EDMUND RESIDENTS WANT A NAME [43:05] CHANGE. 80% OF WARD 12 RESIDENTS WANT A NAME CHANGE. [43:10] AND WE INCLUDED THE BROADER COMMUNITY BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE INTERACT WITH THE NAME AND THE STREET SIGNS. [43:16] IT'S NOT JUST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PRIVILEGED TO LIVE ON THAT STREET RIGHT NOW. THERE'S DELIVERY DRIVERS, THERE'S POSTAL WORKERS, THERE'S [43:22] KIDS FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WALKING DOWN TO THE RIVER SEEING THOSE SIGNS. [43:28] SO THIS SHOULD BE A COMMUNITY DECISION AND THE COMMUNITY WANTS THE NAME CHANGED. YOU CAN VIEW ALL OF THE DATA IN [43:34] THE PACKET AND ALSO IN THE PACKET, YOU'LL SEE LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS [43:40] REALTORS ASSOCIATION, THE LONGFELLOW COMMUNITY COUNCIL AND [43:45] MINNESOTA REPRESENTATIVE SENATOR MIRA. WE'VE ALSO LISTENED TO CONCERNS [43:51] FOR ONE REASON INCLUDED, WHILE WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN OPEN [43:59] GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION, YOU COULD JOIN ANYTIME, I ONLY JOINED ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE HAD [44:07] SOCIAL MEDIA SITES, DOOR KNOCKING, A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES. [44:12] NUMBER TWO, THIS IS A -- WHOA. NUMBER TWO, WHY DON'T WE JUST REDEDICATE IT TO A DIFFERENT [44:19] EDMUND? THIS SOUNDS EASY, BUT IT'S NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY. [44:24] FIRST OF ALL, IT WOULD BE AN INVISIBLE CHANGE. THE PUBLIC MAY OR MAY NOT EVER KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENED. [44:30] AND SO IT'S ROOTED IN CONVENIENCE, NOT IN JUSTICE. [44:38] SECONDLY, THE SPECIFIC EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING HAS [44:44] PROBLEMS. EDMUND PHELPS WAS A PARKS BOARD MEMBER IN THE EARLY 1900s. [44:50] HE ALREADY HAS A PARK NAMED AFTER HIM. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE WAS ON THE PARK BOARD FOR LIKE 20 YEARS. WE ALL KNOW THAT PARKS WERE NOT [44:57] EVENLY DISTRIBUTED AROUND THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS GOT MORE PARKS, BETTER PARKS, MORE PARK [45:04] RESOURCES. AS OPPOSED TO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE PRIMARILY BROWN AND BLACK [45:09] PEOPLE. AND SO, WHAT'S MORE, IS REAL ESTATE VALUES ARE TIED TO THINGS LIKE PROXIMITY TO PARKS. [45:16] AND SO REDLINING AND RACIAL COVENANTS ARE TIED TO PROXIMITY TO PARKS. [45:21] SO IF WE WANT TO CLEARLY REPUDIATE EDMUND WALTON, WHAT HE [45:27] DID, CHANGING FROM THIS EDMUND TO THIS EDMUND IS NOT CLEAR, IN [45:33] FACT IT'S QUITE MURKY. IT'S QUITE AMBIGUOUS, I WOULD EVEN SAY IT'S OFFENSIVE TO MAKE [45:38] THAT CHANGE. SO THAT'S WHY EDMUND ISN'T A GOOD OPTION. THIS IS A WASTE OF CITY [45:44] RESOURCES. ACTUALLY MOST OF US ARE VOLUNTEERS. [45:49] THE PUBLIC GOOD AND THE PUBLIC SENTIMENT VALUE THAT WE'LL GET FROM THIS CHANGE IS WORTH IT. FINALLY, THIS DOESN'T MATTER AND [45:55] IT'S PURELY SYMBOLIC. THIS DOES MATTER. [46:00] SYMBOLS MATTER. THE WORDS WE USE MATTER. AND ALL OF THE MULTITUDE OF [46:07] CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD OVER THESE YEARS AND THE VOTES THAT WE GOT ON THE SURVEY SHOW THAT A [46:15] LOT OF PEOPLE CARE THIS MATTERS TO THEM. >> I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY KIND [46:21] OF GO OVER THE SUPPORT THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS TO SMOOTHLY UPDATE THEIR ADDRESSES [46:26] FOLLOWING THE STREET RENAMING. REALLY APPRECIATE CITY STAFF BEING COMMUNICATIVE JUST TO [46:31] HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THEM. THE CITY WILL MANAGE THE ENTIRE RENAMING PROCESS INCLUDING UPDATING ALL GIS AND INTERNAL [46:39] SYSTEMS, ESPECIALLY EMERGENCY SERVICES, FIRE, AND POLICE. WITH HENNEPIN COUNTY, ADDRESS [46:45] INFORMATION IS INTEGRATED. SO THAT WILL BE UPDATED AUTOMATICALLY. SINCE I SPONSORED THIS [46:52] APPLICATION, THE COST OF THE STREET SIGNS WILL NOT BE ASSESSED TO RESIDENTS. THERE WILL NOT BE AN ASSESSED [46:59] COST. WE WILL ALSO BE DOING OUTREACH TO KEY PARTNERS, PROACTIVELY [47:05] CONTACT THE UTILITY COMPANIES, XCEL AND CENTER POINT AS WELL AS USPS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE [47:10] THE UPDATED ADDRESS INFORMATION AND TAKE SOMETHING OFF THE PLATE OF RESIDENTS. THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS WILL [47:15] ALSO SEND A LETTER TO RESIDENTS THAT CAN BE USED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF VEHICLE SERVICES [47:20] TO WAIVE ALL FEES FOR UPDATING ID'S. AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, LONGFELLOW COMMUNITY COUNCIL AND [47:26] RECLAIMING EDMUND IS OFFERING VOLUNTEER SERVICES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DROP IN AND GET [47:31] ASSISTANCE WITH ADDRESS UPDATES, THEIR MAIL UTILITIES, AND ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE MEMBERS OF RECLAIM [47:38] EDMUND WHO ALSO WILL HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR ADDRESS. >> OVER A PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS, [47:45] WE COLLECTED OVER 60 NAME SUGGESTIONS -- >> I'LL ASK YOU TO WRAP UP [47:50] QUICKLY. >> WRAP IT UP QUICK, OKAY. LENA SMITH BOULEVARD WON [47:55] OUTRIGHT. AND WHO IS LENA SMITH? SHE'S AMAZING. YOU HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKET. SHE WAS A TRANSFORMATIONAL CIVIC [48:02] LEADER. YOU CAN SEE SOME INFORMATION HERE. SHE DEFENDED A BLACK FAMILY WHO [48:08] WAS TRYING TO LIVE IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS AND HAD ROCKS THROWN, ANGRY MOBS OF WHITE [48:14] PEOPLE CHASING THEM DOWN THE STREET. SHE'S SOMEONE MINNESOTANS CAN BE PROUD OF. [48:19] WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF HER. IN CONCLUSION, THIS TAKES US IN [48:26] THE RIGHT DIRECTION, IT WOULD ALIGN WITH THE CITY MISSION, THE 2040 GOALS. [48:32] AND IT'S OVERDUE AND THE COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN SO LET'S DO THIS NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. [48:41] >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT BEFORE WE PROCEED WITH THE REST OF THE HEARING? [48:47] >> ACTUALLY I DID HAVE ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION. AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE DATA [48:53] YOU SHOWED SHOWING 79, 31, AND 5. IT APPEARS TO AGGREGATE SEVERAL [49:00] DIFFERENT SOURCES. I'M CURIOUS WHAT'S THE METHODOLOGY BETWEEN THOSE TWO? [49:07] >> SO THERE WERE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO RANKED THE NAMES THAT THEY WANTED AND MADE A [49:13] COMMENT THAT WAS LIKE YES, ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS, BUT THEY DIDN'T HIT YES OR [49:19] NO, AND THEN THERE WERE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO SAID DO NOT RANK, DO NOT RANK, DO NOT RANK, [49:24] PLEASE DON'T DO THIS IN THE COMMENTS, BUT THEY DID NOT HIT NO. THERE WAS ALSO A PORTION OF [49:30] TIME, A BRIEF PERIOD WHERE THERE WASN'T THAT SURVEY QUESTION WORKING FOR PEOPLE TO ANSWER THAT, AND SO THAT'S HOW WE DID [49:37] INFERRED AND WE ALSO TRIED TO REACH OUT TO RESPONDENTS WHO [49:42] DIDN'T MAKE THAT CLEAR AND TRIED TO UPDATE THAT ACCORDINGLY. >> EXCELLENT, SO THOSE ARE TWO [49:48] DIFFERENT DISTINCT POPULATIONS SETS OF DATA RIGHT THERE? >> YES. >> THEY ARE TRULY ADDITIVE IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT? [49:56] >> THEY'RE ADDITIVE, YES. >> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU. [50:01] >> THANK YOU. >> ANYONE ELSE? JUST A REMINDER IF EVERYONE, IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP, PLEASE SIGN UP, I'M ONLY GOING TO CALL [50:10] PEOPLE WHOSE NAME IS ON THIS LIST. PLEASE BE FORGIVING IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAME. [50:15] FIRST WE HAVE STEVE BRANT. IS STEVE RIGHT HERE? WELCOME, STEVE. [50:20] INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. AND ON DECK WILL BE LAJUNE [50:30] LANGE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS STEVE BRANT. I LIVE AT 3916 PLEASANT AND HAVE [50:37] FOR 49 YEARS. JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE USED TO SEEING ME ON YOUR SIDE [50:44] OF THE DAIS, I AM NOT SPEAKING HERE TODAY AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BET OR A MEMBER, BUT RATHER [50:50] THESE ARE MY PERSONAL VIEWS. I AM SPEAKING AS THE FIRST REPORTER TO BRING THE WORK OF [50:57] PREJUDICE AND THE UGLY STAIN OF [51:02] REAL ESTATE COVENANTS TO PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE IN A REPORT IN THE [51:08] STAR TRIBUNE. I'M ALSO SPEAKING AS SOMEONE WHO AFTER RETIREMENT JOINED THE WORK [51:14] AND PERSONALLY SCANNED MORE THAN 9,000 DEEDS FLAGGED BY OPTICAL SCANNERS TO VERIFY WHETHER THEY [51:20] INDEED CONTAINED RACIALLY DISCRIMINATORY LANGUAGE. RENAMING EDMUND BOULEVARD ERASES [51:27] THE STREET NAMING HONOR ACCORDED TO EDMUND WALTON WHO PLAYED A [51:34] LEADING ROLE IN SEGREGATING MINNEAPOLIS. LISTEN TO 1 EDMUND BOULEVARD COVENANT. [51:39] THE SECOND PARTY OF THE SECOND PART AGREES THAT THE PREMISES SHALL NOT BY ANY TIME BE [51:46] CONVEYED, MORTGAGED OR LEASED TO ANY PERSONS OF CHINESE, JAPANESE, TURKISH, NEGRO, [51:54] MONGOLIAN OR AFRICAN-BLOODED DESCENT. BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE ARE EVEN UGLIER COVENANTS THAN THAT. [52:00] THAT'S WHAT EDMUND WALTON BROUGHT TO MINNEAPOLIS. I'M GRATEFUL TO COUNCILMEMBER [52:07] CHOWDHURY FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING AND GETTING IT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. [52:15] IT BECOMES THE FIRST ORGANIZATION TO COMPLETE THE HISTORY OF ANY CITY'S [52:20] RACIALLY-RESTRICTIVE DEEDS. RENAMING EDMUND BOULEVARD ALSO [52:25] HONORS THE LEGACY OF NAACP LEADER'S LENA SMITH IN FIGHTING [52:31] DISCRIMINATION, MOST NOTABLY IN THE CASE OF ARTHUR AND EDITH LEE WHICH WAS ALLUDED TO EARLIER. [52:37] JUST AS SIGNIFICANT TO ME, IT MEANS MY GRANDDAUGHTER WILL NO LONGER LIVE THREE DOORS FROM THE STREET NAMED FOR A RACIST. [52:49] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE LAJUNE LANGE WHO WILL BE FOLLOWED BY PAT PAULSON. [52:57] WELCOME, INTRODUCE YOURSELF, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M LAJUNE [53:04] LANGE. I'M A RETIRED JUDGE. LENA SMITH HAS BEEN RESPECTED IN BOTH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN [53:10] COMMUNITY AND THE BAR FOR MANY, MANY YEARS FOR HER SERVICE FOR HER ADVOCACY AND FOR HER [53:18] INTEGRITY. SHE COMES FROM A FAMILY THAT HAS SERVED MINNEAPOLIS SINCE THE LATE 1800s. [53:27] THE FAMILY IS DR. BROWN. SO DR. BROWN WAS OUR FAMILY PHYSICIAN. HE TOLD ME LENA SMITH WAS HIS [53:34] AUNT AND HE ASKED ME TO GIVE HER [53:40] HER PROPERS IN HISTORY AND HANDED ME HER DIPLOMAS AND I [53:46] WORKED WITH ANN JERGENS, GAVE HER THAT MATERIAL, GAVE THE [53:52] HISTORICAL SOCIETY INFORMATION. AND WE ALSO HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN [53:57] WARD 12 IN TERMS OF SERVICE. SO WE WORKED THROUGH THE [54:02] INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE TO SAVE FIRE STATION NUMBER 24 WHICH WAS ABOUT TO BE [54:08] DEMOLISHED AND GOT LANDMARK STATUS FOR THE ALL BLACK FIRE STATION THAT WAS DESIGNATED BY [54:15] THE FIRE CHIEF IN 1907. WE ALSO HAVE GREATER FRIENDSHIP [54:21] MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH WHICH IS IN WARD 12 OVER 200 MEMBERS ARE ACTIVELY FOLLOWING THESE [54:30] ISSUES AND ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND WE ALSO HAVE A CHARTER SCHOOL CALLED FRIENDSHIP ACADEMY [54:36] WHICH IS AT 3320 EAST 41ST STREET. FRIENDSHIP ACADEMY WAS RELIEVED [54:47] WHEN THE AVENUE WAS CHANGED TO [54:54] CHEATHAM. SO THESE NAMES AND WHO THEY REPRESENT ARE KNOWN BY THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY BE CHANGED. [55:00] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [55:06] NEXT WE HAVE PAT PAULSON FOLLOWED BY PENNY PETERSON. [55:12] >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. I'M PAT PAULSON AND I'M A PAST [55:18] PRESIDENT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS AREA REALTORS. I'VE BEEN SELLING HOUSES IN THE COMMUNITY FOR 40 YEARS. [55:24] I GO BACK PRIOR TO THE FAIR HOUSING ACT OF 1968 WHICH DIDN'T [55:31] STOP DISCRIMINATION. AND IN FACT SINS OF THE PAST [55:38] HAVE A TENDENCY TO BLEED INTO THE FUTURE AND WE CAN SEE THE HUGE RACIAL DISPARITY GAPS IN [55:43] HOME OWNERSHIP TO THIS DAY. SO WE DO HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. [55:49] THIS IS ONE STEP, ONE IMPORTANT STEP. WORDS MATTER, NAMES DO MATTER. [55:54] BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AT ANY RATE, I'M SPEAKING STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF THIS. [56:01] I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR COMING TOGETHER AND PUSHING THIS FORWARD. [56:07] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. PENNY PETERSON WHO WILL BE [56:12] FOLLOWED BY KIRSTEN DELAGARD. [56:25] >> MY NAME IS PENNY PETERSON AND I LIVE IN THE MARCY HOMES [56:30] NEIGHBORHOOD. I WAS ONE OF THE COFOUNDERS OF MAPPING PREJUDICE AND I'M THEIR PROPERTY SPECIALIST. [56:36] EDMUND WALTON WAS A DEVELOPER WHO WAS PROUD OF HIS USE OF RACIAL COVENANTS. FIRST A DEFINITION OF RACIAL [56:43] COVENANTS, THEY ARE LEGAL CLAUSES INSERTED IN DEEDS THAT PREVENT PEOPLE OF COLOR FROM [56:48] OWNING OR OCCUPYING PROPERTY. WHEN I BEGAN LOOKING AT THESE COVENANTS IN MINNEAPOLIS, I DISCOVERED THE FIRST ONE IN 1910 [56:54] IN THE LONGFELLOW NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE SEVEN OAKS EDITION. [57:02] IT WASN'T UNTIL I WENT TO THE MINNEAPOLIS HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND READ EDMUND WALTON'S DIARIES [57:08] AND LETTERS THAT I UNDERSTOOD THAT EDMUND WAS THE AUTHOR OF THESE FIRST RESTRICTIONS. [57:15] MOTIVATED BY PROFIT, EDMUND CONSTRUCTED A SYSTEM OF RACIAL [57:20] SEGREGATION BY RESERVING CERTAIN AREAS FOR WHITES ONLY. THEY WOULD HAVE ALL SORTS OF AMENITIES SUCH AS GOOD SCHOOLS [57:25] AND PARKS, WHILE OTHERS WOULD NOT. NOW HERE I WAS GOING TO READ THE FIRST RACIAL COVENANT, BUT [57:31] MR. BRANT DID THAT, SO I'LL PASS. [57:36] EDMUND'S DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES WERE PROFITABLE FOR HIM AND COPIED BY OTHER [57:42] DEVELOPERS. SOON MUCH OF MINNEAPOLIS WAS SUBJECT TO RACIAL COVENANTS. BY 1919, HE WAS PLEASED ENOUGH [57:47] WITH HIS SCHEME TO PUBLISH AN ADVERTISEMENT IN THE MINNEAPOLIS TRIBUNE WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED [57:53] BY HIMSELF, HE INCLUDED THE EXPLICIT RACIAL LANGUAGE OF HIS EARLIER COVENANTS AND ADDED [58:01] ANTI-SEMITIC ONES AS WELL. WALTON WAS NO LONGER HIDING, HE WAS PROUDLY BROADCASTING HIS [58:08] INTENTION AND BELIEFS. MEANWHILE IN 1910, HE HAD NAMED A BOULEVARD FOR HIMSELF. [58:14] I IMPLORE YOU TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE CITY STREET SO IT WILL NO LONGER HONOR THIS PERNICIOUS [58:19] PRACTICE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE KRISTIN DELEGARD [58:27] FOLLOWED BY ANN. >> HELLO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS KRISTIN DELEGARD. [58:32] I'M ONE OF THE COFOUNDERS OF MAPPING PREJUDICE ALONG WITH PENNY PETERSON WHO IS THE WORLD-CLASS RESEARCHER WHO [58:39] DOCUMENTED THAT THE FIRST RACIAL COVENANT IN MINNEAPOLIS WAS PUT INTO PLACE BY EDMUND WALTON. [58:45] THE PRACTICE HE PIONEERED CONTINUED. SCORES OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS BORROWED HIS WORDS AND INSERTED [58:52] THESE SAME CLAUSES INTO PROPERTY RECORDS ALL OVER THE STATE OF [58:57] MINNESOTA. SO MAPPING PREJUDICE HAS WORKED WITH MANY OF YOU, THANK YOU TO IDENTIFY THESE RECORDS. WE HAVE MAPPED 8,000 RACIAL [59:04] COVENANTS IN MINNEAPOLIS ALONE. AND MORE THAN 34,000 ACROSS THE STATE. AND OF COURSE AS A PREVIOUS [59:10] SPEAKER SAID, THE FAIR HOUSING ACT MADE THESE ILLEGAL, BUT OUR DATA ILLUSTRATES HOW THEY [59:15] CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE CITY. COVENANTS WERE USED EXPLICITLY TO SEGREGATE MINNEAPOLIS. [59:20] THEY MADE LARGE SECTIONS OF THE CITY EXCLUSIVELY WHITE AND THESE [59:25] PATTERNS OF SEGREGATION CONTINUE TODAY. COVENANTS STEERED INVESTMENT [59:32] INTO WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DIDN'T HAVE COVENANTS WERE REDLINED WHICH [59:38] CUT OFF DEPRESSED PROPERTY VALUES MADE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS VULNERABLE TO URBAN RENEWAL. [59:44] SO RACIAL COVENANTS MATTER TODAY BECAUSE THEY PROVIDED THE FOUNDATION FOR A SERIES OF [59:50] DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES THAT KEPT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WHITE FROM FINDING STABLE, AFFORDABLE [59:55] HOUSING. THEY BLOCKED HOME OWNERSHIP. AND TODAY THE TWIN CITIES HAS THE LARGEST RACIAL HOME OWNERSHIP GAP IN THE COUNTRY. [1:00:01] AND OUR NATION OF COURSE HAS A 10 TO 1 RACIAL WEALTH GAP. AND THESE DISPARITIES GROW OUT [1:00:08] OF THE HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED BY MAPPING PREJUDICE. SO THAT HISTORY IS WHY I'M HERE [1:00:13] TONIGHT. MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, I CALL ON YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACT ON THIS HISTORY. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN [1:00:19] PRESERVING HISTORY AND HONORING PEOPLE FROM THE PAST. AND THE NAMES OF OUR STREETS AND PARKS DO THE LATTER, CULTIVATING [1:00:26] OUR COLLECTIVE MEMORY. THEY COMMUNICATE OUR SHARED VALUES AND OUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE. [1:00:31] EDMUND WALTON WILL NEVER BE MY NORTH STAR FOR MINNEAPOLIS AS HE PLAYED AN OUTSIZED ROLE IN [1:00:39] GERMINATING OUR CONTEMPORARY RACIAL DISPARITIES. PLEASE STRIP HIS NAME FROM ONE OF OUR CITY'S MOST BEAUTIFUL [1:00:44] STREETS AND THIS IS A SMALL BUT IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS RACIAL JUSTICE. >> THANK YOU. [1:00:51] ANN FOLLOWED BY REBECCA GILLETTE. [1:00:56] ANN -- >> JERGENS. [1:01:02] THAT'S FINE. >> IT SAYS SON ON MY SIGN ON HERE. >> I'M SORRY. SOMEONE SIGNED FOR ME. [1:01:07] I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE -- I READ AN ARTICLE [1:01:14] ABOUT LENA SMITH FOLLOWING A DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR ASKING [1:01:19] ME WHO WAS A PROFESSOR AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY AT A NATIONAL CONFERENCE ASKED ME WHO IS THIS LENA SMITH, CAN YOU GET ME SOME [1:01:26] INFORMATION ABOUT HER. THIS WAS IN THE EARLY '90s. I CAME HOME TO MINNESOTA FROM [1:01:31] THIS CONFERENCE, I WAS A PROFESSOR AT WILLIAM MITCHELL LAW SCHOOL WHICH SHE HAD GONE TO, A PREDECESSOR SCHOOL. [1:01:37] AND NO ONE HAD HEARD OF HER. AND I THOUGHT WELL THAT'S ODD, THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN ATTORNEY [1:01:42] IN MINNESOTA AND NO ONE HAS HEARD OF HER. AND SO I -- OF COURSE THE BLACK [1:01:48] COMMUNITY HAD HEARD OF HER AND KNEW OF HER. AND JUDGE LANGE, I'M SO GLAD TO [1:01:55] SEE YOU HERE TODAY. [1:02:00] BUT THE WHITE COMMUNITY OR THE REST OF THE AND THE YOUNGER COMMUNITY DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT HER. SO I SPENT FIVE YEARS [1:02:05] RESEARCHING HER. IT ENDED IN AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN 2001 AND IT WAS REALLY MEANT [1:02:10] AS A SPRINGBOARD AND PEOPLE HAVE USED IT IN REALLY WONDERFUL WAYS TO EXPLORE THIS HISTORY. [1:02:17] I WOULD SAY THE ARTHUR AND EDITH LEE SEGREGATION CASE IS ONE THAT GOT NATIONAL PRESS AT THE TIME [1:02:25] IN 1931. BUT THE 5-YEAR-OLD LITTLE MARY [1:02:31] LEE, MY RESEARCH ASSISTANT TRACKED HER DOWN AND I WENT AND INTERVIEWED HER AND SHE TALKED [1:02:38] ABOUT HOW THE NEIGHBORS -- SHE TALKED ABOUT THE TRAUMA OF PEOPLE GATHERING OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE EVERY NIGHT. [1:02:44] THEY POISONED HER DOG. THE POLICE DROVE HER TO THE [1:02:50] SCHOOL TO KINDERGARTEN EVERY DAY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS SAFE FOR HER TO WALK. [1:02:56] THEY LOVED THE HOUSE BECAUSE IT WAS TWO BEDROOMS ON THE SAME FLOOR. MEANWHILE, THE WHITE ATTORNEY [1:03:02] FROM THE AMERICAN LEGION WAS COUNSELING THE FAMILY JUST TAKE A VACATION AND GIVE THE WHITE [1:03:08] NEIGHBORS TIME TO RAISE MONEY AND BUY YOU OUT. MY TIME IS UP, WHAT I WANT TO [1:03:13] SAY IS THESE STORIES ARE IMPORTANT TO REVIVE AND MEMORIALIZE. [1:03:19] LENA SMITH WAS A CHAMPION FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE TREATED IN [1:03:24] SHAMEFUL WAYS AND WE NEED TO REMEMBER HER. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [1:03:30] NEXT WE HAVE REBECCA GILLETTE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL CORY. [1:03:38] >> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS REBECCA GILLETTE AND I'M THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT [1:03:44] LEAD AT MAPPING PREJUDICE. I KNOW THAT MANY SPEAKERS BEFORE ME HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE HISTORY [1:03:49] OF THESE TWO PEOPLE AND THE ACTIONS THAT THEY TOOK IN THE PAST. SO I DON'T NEED TO REITERATE [1:03:55] THAT. WHAT I WANT TO ADD IS WHAT IT TOOK TO ARRIVE TODAY. OVER THE PAST YEAR, I WATCHED [1:04:01] THE LONGFELLOW COMMUNITY IN THIS PROCESS. THEY STARTED WITH COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THEY INVITED EVERYONE [1:04:10] AND ANYONE INTO THE DISCUSSION. SOMETIMES IT WAS CHALLENGING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WHEN EMOTIONS ROSE. [1:04:16] STILL, THEY DID THE WORK, DID IT INTENTIONALLY, AND EVEN WHEN THERE WAS FEEDBACK LATER IN THE [1:04:23] PROCESS, THAT THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH VOICES, THEY STOPPED, DID A RESET, AND OPENED THE PROCESS [1:04:28] AGAIN TO BE SURE THAT IT WAS INCLUSIVE, TO MAKE SURE THAT AS [1:04:34] MANY COMMUNITY VOICES WERE HEARD. AND BECAUSE OF THE INTENTIONAL TIME THAT THEY TOOK, THEY [1:04:39] EDUCATED MANY MORE PEOPLE ABOUT THIS HISTORY. THEY OPENED UP MORE [1:04:45] CONVERSATIONS MODELING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS HOW TO BE CRITICAL THINKERS, TO EMBRACE COMMUNITY DIALOGUE, TO WITNESS [1:04:53] CIVIC LESSONS WE'RE DEMONSTRATING HERE TODAY. AND WHEN HARM WAS COMMITTED TO [1:04:58] THE COMMUNITY, TO DO THE REPAIR WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY. SO TO ME IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE, WE [1:05:04] HAVE A STREET NAMED AFTER SOMEBODY WHO EMBEDDED RACIST PRACTICES ON A STRUCTURAL LEVEL [1:05:11] THAT HAD HARMFUL IMPLICATIONS, DECADES AND DECADES ALL THE WAY [1:05:16] UP TO TODAY WHERE WE SEE STARK RACIALIZED SPACES IN [1:05:21] MINNEAPOLIS. OR WE CAN DECIDE TO PUT LENA SMITH ON A STREET SIGN, THE [1:05:27] PEOPLE HAVE ASKED FOR, TO HONOR A WOMAN WHO ALL CAN BE PROUD OF. [1:05:32] AS ONE OF MY FAVORITE POETS, SANYA SANCHEZ WROTE IN HER POEM [1:05:39] REBIRTH, WE CAN SAY WE QUOTE LEFT A TRAIL FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW WHEN THEY RETURNED HOME AS ALL MUST SURELY DO TO MAKE [1:05:45] PAST FUTURE TENSE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. WE HAVE MICHAEL CORY FOLLOWED [1:05:51] BY -- [1:06:01] >> MY NAME IS MICHAEL CORY. I'M A PUBLIC HISTORIAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. THAT WAS NOT TWO MINUTES. [1:06:09] MY NAME IS MICHAEL CORY AND I'M A PUBLIC HISTORIAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, I STUDY THE HISTORY OF RACISM IN [1:06:15] THE TWIN CITIES. AND PEOPLE SOMETIMES ASK US WHY DOES THIS HISTORY THAT USED TO BE ALL BUT FORGOTTEN MATTER [1:06:22] TODAY. WHY BOTHER CHANGING A RANDOM STREET NAME WHEN THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF STREET NAMES ACROSS THE CITY THAT NO ONE KNOWS THE [1:06:28] ORIGINS OF. IT MATTERS BECAUSE THE STREET AS WE HAVE HEARD TONIGHT WAS NAMED IN EDMUND WALTON'S NAME FOR A [1:06:35] REASON. HE WAS HELD UP AS SOMEONE TO BE LOOKED UP TO, SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTED SOMETHING THAT [1:06:44] SHOULD BE ASPIRED TO. EDMUND WAS AN INNOVATOR IN [1:06:50] RACIAL SEGREGATION. WHO TESTED THE WATERS TO SEE HOW [1:06:56] MUCH RACISM RESIDENTS WOULD [1:07:01] TOLERATE. MY PARENTS DIDN'T CHOOSE TO LIVE THERE BECAUSE OF THAT COVENANT. THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT UNTIL YEARS [1:07:06] LATER. THE PEOPLE ON EDMUND BOULEVARD DIDN'T MOVE THERE TODAY BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. [1:07:13] NOW WE KNOW AND WE CAN'T UNKNOW THAT. NOW WE KNOW, WE ARE INVOLVED. [1:07:19] AND IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SAY WE ACKNOWLEDGE THIS HISTORY AND WE WANT TO BE PART OF SOMETHING DIFFERENT. FORTUNATELY TODAY AS WE'VE [1:07:25] HEARD, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR A PATH-BREAKING WOMAN, LENA OLIVE SMITH WHO'S TRULY [1:07:31] WORTHY OF COMMEMORATION AND EMULATION. WHEN LIQUOR -- LENA OLIVE SMITH [1:07:38] SAW INJUSTICE, SHE SAID NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THINGS YOUR WAY BECAUSE IT'S SCARY OR [1:07:43] INCONVENIENT TO STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT. RIGHT NOW HISTORY IS UNDER ATTACK AND MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS [1:07:50] ARE BEING THREATENED. [1:07:55] W WHAT A PERFECT CHANCE TO HONOR LENA OLIVE SMITH AS A ROLE [1:08:03] MODEL. THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE HAVE -- FOLLOWED BY ROBERT BAKER. OKAY, THANK YOU. [1:08:10] >> HELLO, MY NAME IS GREG DENOFRIO. I'M A PROFESSOR OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND PUBLIC HISTORY [1:08:15] IN THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. NOW MORE THAN A DECADE AGO, MY [1:08:22] STUDENTS AND I LEARNED ABOUT LENA OLIVE SMITH AS A PART OF A PROJECT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS [1:08:28] IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS DOCUMENTING THE HISTORY OF WHAT'S NOW WIDELY KNOWN AS THE ARTHUR AND EDITH [1:08:34] LEE HOUSE. AS A RESULT OF OUR WORK, THE ARTHUR AND EDITH LEE HOUSE IS [1:08:41] LISTED IN THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PLACES IT'S ALSO LISTED AS A CITY LANDMARK. MY STUDENT AND IS BECAME IN AWE [1:08:46] OF THIS INCREDIBLE WOMAN, LENA OLIVE SMITH THAT THE LEES TURNED [1:08:52] TO FOR HELP AND REPRESENTATION WHEN MOBS OF THOUSANDS, WHAT MINNEAPOLIS NEWSPAPERS REFERRED TO AS RIOTS TURNED UP ON THEIR [1:09:00] FRONT LAWN TO TRY TO TERRORIZE THEM OUT OF THEIR HOUSE. LENA SMITH WAS A QUOTE WORTHY PERSON AND I WANT TO READ YOU [1:09:05] ONE OF THOSE QUOTES. IN 1932, SHE WAS QUOTED IN A MINNEAPOLIS NEWSPAPER SAYING SOME OF THOSE FAVORING A LESS [1:09:12] CONFRONTATIONAL APPROACH TO SEGREGATION WERE RAISED IN THE SOUTH AND ARE USED TO CATERING TO WHITE MEN. [1:09:17] I AM FROM THE WEST AND FEARLESS. I'M USED TO DOING THE RIGHT [1:09:23] THING WITHOUT REGARD TO MYSELF. OF COURSE BATTLES LEAVE THEIR SCARS, BUT I'M WILLING TO MAKE THE SACRIFICE. [1:09:29] I THINK IT'S MY DUTY. IT'S A HARD PLACE TO BE ON THE FIRING LINE, BUT I'M MIGHTY GLAD [1:09:34] I'M THERE. 100 YEARS AGO, LENA OLIVE SMITH WORKED TO MAKE MINNEAPOLIS A [1:09:40] MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE CITY. IN 2025, MINNEAPOLIS NEEDS TO BE [1:09:45] REMINDED OF HER LIFE, HER WORK, AND HER FEARLESSNESS NOW MORE THAN EVER. THANK YOU. [1:09:59] >> NEXT WILL BE KRISTIN EDDIE FOLLOWED BY ARIANNA. [1:10:06] >> THANK YOU, SORRY. MY NAME IS KRISTIN EDDIE. I'M A RESIDENT OF EDMUND [1:10:12] BOULEVARD. I AM EXTREMELY PROUD TO BE HERE TODAY WITH MY RECLAIMING EDMUND [1:10:18] PARTNERS. I WANT TO TELL A STORY ABOUT THE TIMELINE OF THIS. THIS HAS BEEN A FIVE YEAR EFFORT. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED FOR TWO [1:10:23] YEARS. IT IS TIME THAT WE MAKE THIS CHANGE. I AM FULLY IN FAVOR OF THIS AND SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AND I IMPLORE [1:10:29] YOU, LET'S DO THIS NOW. >> THANK YOU. [1:10:35] AR ARIANNA GROUPER FOLLOWED BY MORGAN SMITH. [1:10:41] >> HI EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ORIANA GROUPER, I'M 14 YEARS OLD AND I LIVE ON [1:10:49] EDMUND BOULEVARD. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF CHANGING THE NAME OF OUR STREET. I MAY BE YOUNG, BUT I UNDERSTAND [1:10:55] THAT THE PEOPLE WE CHOOSE TO HONOR SAY A LOT ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE VALUE AS A COMMUNITY. RIGHT NOW OUR STREET IS NAMED [1:11:00] AFTER EDMUND WALTON. THIS IS A NAME FROM A TIME WHEN THINGS WERE VERY DIFFERENT AND DOES NOT REPRESENT WHO WE ARE [1:11:07] TODAY. WE ARE GROWING, WE'RE CHANGING, AND OUR STREET SHOULD REFLECT THAT. [1:11:12] LENA SMITH IS SOMEONE WHO PUT IN HARD WORK TO MAKE OUR CITY A WELCOMING PLACE AND SHE DESERVES [1:11:17] TO BE RECOGNIZED. THIS IS WHERE I LIVE, WHERE I WALK HOME FROM SCHOOL, WHERE MY NEIGHBORS GREET EACH OTHER, AND [1:11:23] WHERE KIDS RIDE THEIR BIKES AND PLAY BASKETBALL. THIS STREET IS PART OF MY LIFE AND I WANT TO BE PROUD OF IT, [1:11:28] NOT JUST FOR HOW IT LOOKS, BUT ALSO FOR WHAT IT STANDS FOR. CHANGING THE NAME IS NOT ABOUT [1:11:34] ERASING HISTORY, IT'S ABOUT CHOOSING TO TELL A BETTER STORY. A STORY THAT INCLUDES ALL OF US. [1:11:39] A NAME THAT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME. ONE THAT REFLECTS OUR SHARED VALUES AND FUTURE. [1:11:45] SO I'M ASKING YOU, LET'S PICK A NAME THAT'S FORWARD LOOKING AND INSPIRES THE NEXT GENERATION OF [1:11:51] KIDS GROWING UP ON THIS STREET. LENA SMITH IS THAT NAME. THANK YOU. [1:11:57] >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MORGAN SMITH FOLLOWED BY MARY SWANSON. [1:12:06] >> HELLO, I'M MORGAN SMITH. I AM A RESIDENT ON EDMUND BOULEVARD. I'M ALSO A PARENT RAISING KIDS [1:12:12] ON EDMUND BOULEVARD. AND I AM VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF A NAME CHANGE. [1:12:20] EDMUND WALTON HAS CAUSED DEEP ENDURING HARM TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. AND CHANGING OUR STREET NAME [1:12:27] DOES NOT CAUSE HARM TO ANYONE. INCONVENIENCE TO THE PRIVILEGED IS NOT HARM. [1:12:33] ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CITY IS OFFERING EXTENSIVE SUPPORT TO HELP US WITH AN ADDRESS CHANGE. [1:12:40] EQUITY TAKES WORK. BUT NOT CHANGING THE NAME WOULD CONTINUE TO CAUSE HARM TO A LOT [1:12:45] OF PEOPLE. I WANT MY KIDS TO GROW UP LISTENING ABOUT COURAGE AND [1:12:50] SOLIDARITY AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY. AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO TEACH THAT LESSON TO THE KIDS ON [1:12:55] EDMUND BOULEVARD AND IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THAN THIS RENAMING PROCESS YEARS IN THE MAKING AND [1:13:01] THE ABILITY TO REJECT OUR RACIST [1:13:06] HISTORY OF THE PAST AND REFLECT OUR EVOLUTION AS A SOCIETY. RENAMING RATHER THAN [1:13:12] REDEDICATING TO ANOTHER WHITE MAN IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THOSE WHO WERE HISTORICALLY [1:13:17] EXCLUDED FROM PUBLIC RECOGNITION LIKE LENA OLIVE SMITH. SHE WAS A CHAMPION FOR CIVIL [1:13:23] RIGHTS WAY BACK BEFORE IT WAS POSSIBLE AND WELL BEFORE IT WAS SAFE. SHE IS A ROLE MODEL AND I WOULD [1:13:30] BE PROUD TO LIVE ON A STREET NAMED AFTER HER. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MARTIN SWANSON [1:13:37] FOLLOWED BY ELLEN LUKER. DO WE HAVE MARIN HERE? [1:13:47] >> HELLO. MY NAME IS MARIN SWANSON. I'M A RETIRED ATTORNEY. I AM A VOLUNTEER WITH JUST [1:13:55] DEEDS, HELPING PEOPLE DISCHARGE RACIAL COVENANTS, AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE GROUP SEEKING TO RENAME EDMUND BOULEVARD. [1:14:00] THE MAIN FOCUS THAT I WANT TO SPEAK TO IS A RECENT UNSIGNED [1:14:07] LETTER YOU ALL RECEIVED FROM A GROUP THAT SEEKS TO REDEDICATE THIS STREET TO EDMUND PHELPS. [1:14:14] AND I AGREE WITH THE SUGGESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE RECENTLY THAT THE IDEA THAT FOR THE [1:14:20] CONVENIENCE OF A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE, A STREET THAT IS NAMED AFTER A WHITE SUPREMACIST AND [1:14:28] SEGREGATIONIST SHOULD BE CHANGED TO BE NAMED AFTER ANOTHER WEALTHY WHITE BUSINESSMAN MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. [1:14:35] AND THIS WOULD BE IN LIEU OF NAMING THE STREET AFTER A CHAMPION OF CIVIL RIGHTS WHO [1:14:43] WE'RE JUST STARTING TO LEARN ABOUT. SHE BECAME A LAWYER ONE YEAR AFTER WOMEN GOT THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN THIS COUNTRY. [1:14:49] ISN'T THAT STUNNING? AND HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THIS [1:14:55] CITY WERE MASSIVE. I WONDER IF ANY WHITE MAN FULLY [1:15:01] UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AMONG A SMALL GROUP OF -- OR A [1:15:07] GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT IS THE FIRST TO ACHIEVE THIS STATUS AND [1:15:12] TO ACCOMPLISH THESE THINGS THAT SHE DID. NAMING A STREET FOR HER WILL [1:15:18] PROVIDE A CLEAR PUBLIC BENEFIT. IT WILL BE AN OCCASION FOR EDUCATION AND REPAIR AND [1:15:23] CELEBRATION. THE COST WILL BE NOMINAL, THE [1:15:29] INCONVENIENCE WILL BE MINIMAL, RENAMING EDMUND BOULEVARD AFTER [1:15:36] LENA SMITH WILL REPUDIATE PART OF OUR RACIST HISTORY. REDEDICATING EDMUND BOULEVARD TO [1:15:44] EDMUND PHELPS WILL SURELY NOT. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE -- FOLLOWED BY ED DUBOSE. DO WE HAVE ELLEN? [1:15:52] >> YES, MY NAME IS ELLEN. I AM AN AFFILIATED ASSISTANT [1:15:58] PROFESSOR AT THE MEDICAL SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA [1:16:03] DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY. BUT I'M NOT HERE REPRESENTING ANY ORGANIZATION, JUST MYSELF, [1:16:10] MY HUSBAND AND I AND OUR FAMILY HAVE LIVED ON EDMUND BOULEVARD FOR 49 YEARS. [1:16:15] I CAME HERE TO SAY THAT I FELT [1:16:21] THAT THE PLANNING DID NOT MEET MINNEAPOLIS'S CRITERIA FOR [1:16:26] STREET RENAMING. A STREET SHOULD BE NAMED ONLY IF THERE WILL BE PUBLIC BENEFIT [1:16:31] THAT CLEARLY OUTWEIGHS THE PUBLIC CONFUSION AND COSTS THAT [1:16:37] WOULD BE CREATED BY THE NAME CHANGE. I FEEL TODAY THAT COST HAS BEEN [1:16:46] MINIMIZED, REPRESENTATIVE CHOWDHURY SAYS THAT RESIDENTS WON'T BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR [1:16:53] PAYING FOR STREET SIGNS, BUT ALL TAXPAYERS WILL. [1:16:59] AND CERTAINLY THERE IS COST THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR ESPECIALLY LONG-TERM [1:17:07] RESIDENTS LIKE OURSELVES WHO MUST TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND [1:17:12] EFFORT TO NOTIFY PEOPLE ABOUT CHANGE. [1:17:17] ALSO THE ANALYSIS REPORTS THAT [1:17:25] WARD 12 OFFICE PARTNERED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK TODAY ABOUT HOW THAT HAPPENED. [1:17:32] WE PERSONALLY DID NOT FEEL PARTNERED WITH. WE FELT THAT OUR IDEAS WERE NOT [1:17:39] INCLUDED. IT WAS AS THOUGH THERE WAS AN AGENDA. AND MY HUSBAND WHO TEACHES [1:17:45] SURVEY METHODS ACTUALLY POINTED OUT HOW THE ACTUAL SURVEY OF [1:17:54] OPINIONS WERE WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY TO GET A FOREGONE [1:17:59] CONCLUSION. I HAVE QUESTIONED WHAT THE PURPOSE IS FOR RENAMING THE [1:18:06] STREET. I NO LONGER FEEL CONFUSED AFTER HEARING SUCH ELOQUENT COMMENTS [1:18:15] ESPECIALLY FROM THE 14-YEAR-OLD WHO TALKED ABOUT THE, NOT ERASING HISTORY, THAT WAS MY [1:18:20] CONCERN. HOW DO WE ERASE HISTORY. >> CAN YOU PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS? >> BUT CERTAINLY WE DO HAVE A [1:18:27] FUTURE TO INSPIRE YOUNGER GENERATIONS TO EMULATE THE KIND [1:18:34] OF EXAMPLE THAT LENA SMITH HAS [1:18:39] LIVED FOR ALL OF US. I HAVE WONDERED ABOUT WHY WE [1:18:47] CAN'T JUST KEEP EDMUND AND NAME IT AFTER ANOTHER EDMUND WHO HAS [1:18:52] BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR HIS WORK WITH THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK BOARD -- >> WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO THE [1:18:57] NEXT SPEAKER. YOUR TIME HAS ELAPSED. COULD YOU PLEASE WRAP UP? >> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU [1:19:05] CONSIDER THAT OPTION. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE FRED DUBOSE FOLLOWED BY STEPHEN KING. [1:19:15] >> HELLO, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS FREDERICK DUBOSE. I AM THE OWNER OF SUNBEAN COFFEE [1:19:24] SHOP. I WAS ALSO A MEMBER ON THE RECLAIMING EDMUND COMMITTEE. I THINK I EVERYONE DID A REALLY [1:19:30] GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING HOW BAD EDMUND WITH AS AND HOW GREAT THE ALTERNATIVE NAME IS. [1:19:35] BUT WHAT I'M SEEING HERE IS THERE'S A THEME OF CONVENIENCE. AND I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THAT REALLY QUICK. [1:19:41] AND I'D LIKE FOR EVERYBODY TO [1:19:47] UNDERSTAND THAT ALTHOUGH I DO UNDERSTAND A NAME CHANGE COULD BE INCONVENIENT, THERE IS NOTHING MORE INCONVENIENT THAN [1:19:53] BEING DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE A HOME FOR YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF YOUR [1:19:59] SKIN. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE STEPHEN KING FOLLOWED BY BEN HOWRY. [1:20:05] >> MY NAME IS STEPHEN KING. I LIVE IN THE 4500 BLOCK OF EDMUND BOULEVARD WITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER. [1:20:10] I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT I [1:20:16] WOULD CONSIDER A MILQUETOAST RESPONSE OF KEEPING THE NAME EDMUND BUT REDEDICATING IT. [1:20:21] IF I GIVE YOU A NICE, COLD TALL OF MILK AND DRANK IT AND THEN [1:20:32] WRETCHED BECAUSE IT WAS SPOILED AND I SAID -- IT'S LIKE SPOILED MILK. YOU LIKE IT, DON'T YOU? [1:20:38] WITH RESPECT TO ANYONE IN THE ROOM, EDMUND AS A NAME IS A SPOILED MILK. [1:20:44] IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE. MY SECOND POINT IS ABOUT THE INCONVENIENCE, THE INCONVENIENCE OF CHANGING THE NAME AND [1:20:51] ADDRESS. LAY IT ON ME, GIVE ME AS MUCH INCONVENIENCE AS YOU'VE GOD. I CANNOT WAIT TO DELETE WALTON [1:20:58] AS AN ADDRESS WHEN I SIGN UP FOR CERTAIN THINGS. I CANNOT WAIT TO TYPE THE NAME LENA SMITH BECAUSE AT A TIME [1:21:04] WHEN IT FEELS HELPLESS, I WILL HAVE DONE THE SMALL THING I CAN DO TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD. [1:21:11] THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE HAVE BEN HOWRY FOLLOWED BY LISA SHAFFER. [1:21:23] >> MY NAME IS BEN HOWRY. I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF RENAMING EDMUND BOULEVARD TO [1:21:30] LENA SMITH BOULEVARD. NEIGHBORS HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO RAISE AWARENESS OF WALTON'S [1:21:36] LEGACY. HE WAS THE FIRST REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER IN MINNEAPOLIS TO USE RACIAL COVENANTS TO BAN [1:21:43] NON-WHITE NON-CHRISTIAN PEOPLE FROM OWNING HOMES. THESE COVENANTS SPREAD ACROSS [1:21:48] THE CITY AND IT'S EFFECTS WE STILL SEE TODAY. THE HARM HAS BEEN MADE VISIBLE. [1:21:54] AND TO KEEP THIS NAME IS TO KNOWINGLY PRESERVE A LEGACY OF [1:22:02] EXCLUSION. RENAMING THE STREET ISN'T ABOUT ERASING HISTORY, IT'S ABOUT CHOOSING THE HISTORY WE HONOR. AND LENA SMITH REPRESENTS THE [1:22:08] HISTORY WE SHOULD REPRESENT. REPLACING WALTON'S NAME WITH HERS WILL BE A PUBLIC [1:22:13] DECLARATION THAT WE REJECT EXCLUSION AND STAND FOR EQUITY AND COMMUNITY. THE DISCOURAGES RAISED ABOUT THE [1:22:20] INCONVENIENCE OF AN ADDRESS CHANGE PALE IN COMPARISON TO GENERATIONAL HARM CAUSED BY [1:22:26] RACIST POLICIES STARTED IN MINNEAPOLIS BY EDMUND WALTON. [1:22:32] STRUCTURAL RACISM HASN'T BEEN UPHELD THROUGH ONLY LAWS, IT'S BEEN UPHELD BY THE EVERYDAY ACTION OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE WHO [1:22:38] DIDN'T PROFIT FROM IT. PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T ASK QUESTIONS, WHO DIDN'T REFLECT, AND WHO ALLOWED EXCLUSION TO BECOME THE [1:22:44] NORM. TODAY WE HAVE A CLEAR OPPORTUNITY TO ACT, TO REFLECT, TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AND CHOOSE A NAME THAT REPRESENTS THE VALUES [1:22:49] THAT WE WANT THIS CITY TO EMBODY. OUR REFUSAL TO CHANGE THIS NAME SIGNIFIES INACTION WHEN CLEAR [1:22:55] ACTION CAN BE TAKEN. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE LISA SHAFFER WHO [1:23:01] WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JOE LARSON. DO WE HAVE LISA? >> COMMISSIONER MEYER, WE DO [1:23:07] HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM SO IT MIGHT TAKE THEM A MINUTE TO GET THERE WHEN THEIR NAME IS CALLED. [1:23:13] IN THE MEANTIME WE'LL GO TO JOE LARSON AND IF LISA IS IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM, WE CAN RETURN TO [1:23:22] THAT NAME. [1:23:28] GO AHEAD. >> MY NAME IS JOE LARSON. I'VE BEEN A PART OF THIS EFFORT SINCE THE BEGINNING MORE THAN [1:23:34] FIVE YEARS AGO ALONG WITH MY NEIGHBOR, MARK. WE STARTED OUT WITH A COUPLE OF [1:23:40] GOALS. FIRST OF ALL, TO CONFRONT AND REPLACE A STREET NAME THAT REPRESENTS A DOCUMENTED EXAMPLE [1:23:46] OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM IN OUR CITY. SECOND, IT WAS NOT SIMPLY THE [1:23:54] RENAMING BUT RATHER TO ENGAGE OUR NEIGHBORS IN LEARNING THIS HISTORY AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE VERY REAL IMPACTS [1:24:03] COVENANTS HAD AND HOW SOME OF US CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM THE COVENANTS THAT EDMUND WALTON [1:24:09] CHAMPIONED. I'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY HONORED TO [1:24:15] HEAR MY NEIGHBORS SPEAK TODAY ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND IN FACT HAVE TAKEN A NUMBER OF MY [1:24:20] SPEAKING POINTS OUT OF HERE. SO I WILL NOT SPEND MY TIME THERE. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT [1:24:26] THAT LENA OLIVE SMITH FOUGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, DEFENDED BLACK HOMEOWNERS AGAINST UNJUST [1:24:33] FORECLOSURES, AND CONFRONTED THE KU KLUX KLAN IN MINNEAPOLIS. [1:24:39] SHE CHALLENGED SEGREGATION IN PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS AND USED THE LAW AS A TOOL FOR RACIAL [1:24:46] JUSTICE. I THINK IT IS INCREDIBLY FITTING THAT WE REPLACE A MAN WHO SOUGHT TO EXCLUDE WITH A WOMAN WHO [1:24:52] FOUGHT TO INCLUDE. SHE IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF PERSON WHOSE NAME SHOULD BE ETCHED INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR [1:24:58] CITY NOT AS A TOKEN, BUT AS A REFLECTION OF THE COURAGE, [1:25:03] PERSISTENCE, AND JUSTICE WE ALL STRIVE FOR. SYMBOLS MATTER. PLEASE HELP US UPDATE OUR CITY [1:25:09] STREETS TO REFLECT THE VALUES OUR COMMUNITY STANDS FOR. THANK YOU. [1:25:19] >> I'M GOING TO ASK PEOPLE TO STOP CLAPPING SO WE CAN MOVE QUICKLY BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF [1:25:26] SPEAKERS TO GET THROUGH AND WE'RE GOING TO LOSE OUR CAPTIONING AT 7:30 AND WE HAVE ANOTHER MAJOR AGENDA ITEM TO GET TO AFTER THIS ONE. [1:25:32] DON'T INTERRUPT SO WE CAN GET THROUGH MORE EFFICIENTLY. ARE YOU JESSIE? >> I AM. >> YOU CAN GO NEXT. [1:25:38] >> THANK YOU TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS, TO COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY AND [1:25:45] EVERYONE ATTENDING THIS DEMOCRATIC HEARING. THANK YOU FOR THIS POWERFUL TESTIMONY. MY HEART IS GLAD HEARING ALL OF [1:25:53] THIS. MY NAME IS JESSE McCLUNG. COVENANTS ARE ON MY CITY BLOCK IN COOPER AND A COVENANT AS [1:26:00] MICHAEL SAID EARLIER WAS ON MY CHILDHOOD HOME IN THE CITY OF [1:26:07] ST. PAUL. YOU'LL FIND COVENANTS IN MANY DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS IN [1:26:12] MINNEAPOLIS UP TO DULUTH, ST. CLOUD, MANKATO, ROCHESTER, ALL [1:26:17] STARTED WITH EDMUND WALTON IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS. WE KNOW THE IMPACTS OF HIS COVENANTS EXTEND MUCH FURTHER [1:26:23] THAN A SINGLE STREET THAT HE NAMED AFTER HIMSELF WITHOUT COMMUNITY INPUT. [1:26:29] AND OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PERFECT BUT IT'S A [1:26:34] GOOD DAMN MORE DEMOCRATIC THAN WHAT WAS DONE BEHIND CLOSED [1:26:41] DOORS. YES, ANY CHANGE OF ADDRESS PROCESS IS AN INCONVENIENCE, I WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS. WE IN RECLAIM EDMUND BOULEVARD [1:26:50] ARE DEDICATED TO HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS IN THAT PROCESS. BUT INCONVENIENCE IS TOO MILD A TERM TO DESCRIBE THE RACIAL [1:26:56] DISPARITIES IN HOUSING FACED BY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BLACK, BROWN, ASIAN, INDIGENOUS, AND [1:27:03] JEWISH PEOPLE WHO WERE EITHER BORN INTO SEGREGATED TWIN CITIES METRO AREA OR WHO MOVED HERE [1:27:08] SINCE 1910. [1:27:13] LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN AND MUST MOVE PAST THE RACIAL HARMS OF ITS ACTIONS. [1:27:21] LET'S AFFIRM THE WORK OF LENA OLIVE SMITH. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [1:27:28] DO WE HAVE LISA SHAFFER? I'LL COME BACK TO THEM ONE MORE TIME AT THE END. NEXT WE HAVE MILES ARTIST WHO [1:27:34] WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ROBERT BRITAIN. [1:27:42] >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MILES ARTIST, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR THE MINNEAPOLIS REALTORS [1:27:47] ASSOCIATION. I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF MAR TO VOICE SUPPORT FOR THE NAME [1:27:53] CHANGE OF EDMUND BOULEVARD TO LENA SMITH BOULEVARD. [1:27:59] WALTON HARMED OUR COMMUNITIES AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE RACIAL HOME OWNERSHIP GAP WE SEE TODAY. AT MAR WE CONDEMN IT AND WE [1:28:05] SUPPORT THE RENAMING OF EDMUND BOULEVARD. LAST YEAR OUR DEI AND GOVERNMENT [1:28:10] AFFAIRS COMMITTEE WROTE A LETTER OF SUPPORT RECOGNIZING AND APOLOGIZING FOR THE HAND OUR [1:28:16] ASSOCIATION HAD IN CREATING ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RACIAL DISPARITIES IN HOUSING IN THE [1:28:21] NATION, PARTICULARLY FOR BLACK MINNESOTANS. IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK WITH COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY AND [1:28:27] THE LONGFELLOW COMMUNITY COUNCIL TO SEE THIS CHANGE. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I AM EXCITED TO KNOW THAT LENA OLIVE SMITH, A [1:28:34] BLACK LAWYER, LIKE MYSELF, WILL BE THE NAME PEOPLE SEE WHEN THEY [1:28:39] PASS BY. LENA SMITH'S LIFELONG FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, HOUSING EQUITY, AND CIVIL RIGHTS ARE THE QUALITIES [1:28:45] WE MUST LIFT UP, CELEBRATE AND RECOGNIZE. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME [1:28:51] AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ROBERT BRITAIN FOLLOWED BY HARMONY CAIN. [1:28:59] DO WE HAVE ROBERT? OKAY, NOT SEEING ROBERT, WE'LL CHECK AGAIN AT THE END. [1:29:05] HARMONY CAIN? AND AFTER HARMONY WILL BE STEPHEN BELTON. [1:29:13] >> HELLO. I MIGHT NOT BE TALL ENOUGH FOR THIS MICROPHONE. HI, MY NAME IS HARMONY CAIN. [1:29:18] I LIVE ON EDMUND BOULEVARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE 45TH BLOCK OF EDMUND [1:29:23] BOULEVARD. MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, NEIGHBORS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. I LIVE WITH MY HUSBAND AND MY [1:29:29] 6-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER ON EDMUND BOULEVARD. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, MY [1:29:35] CURIOUS DAUGHTER ASKED ME WHO IS EDMUND? NOT LONG AGO BEFORE STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY WAS AT OUR [1:29:42] FINGERTIPS, IT WAS POSSIBLE AND LIKELY TO LIVE ON THE STREET FOR DECADES WITHOUT KNOWING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ITS NAME. BUT TODAY WE KNOW. [1:29:47] WE KNOW WHO WE HONOR WHEN WE DRIVE DOWN EDMUND BOULEVARD. WE KNOW THE IDEALS HE HELD AND [1:29:53] THE PRACTICES HE CHAMPIONED. WE KNOW THE KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD HE ENVISIONED AND WHO WAS [1:29:58] EXCLUDED FROM IT. ARMED WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE, WE FACE A MORAL DECISION, WHO WILL WE CHOOSE TO UPLIFT AND WHAT [1:30:05] LEGACY WILL WE CHOOSE TO CARRY FORWARD? SOME PEOPLE PROPOSE THE EASY OPTION, QUIETLY REDEDICATING THE [1:30:13] STREET TO A MORE PALATABLE EDMUND. BUT AS A HALF MEASURE THAT RISKS [1:30:18] BEING FORGOTTEN AND LEAVES THE ORIGINAL HARM LARGELY IN TACT. [1:30:24] RENAMING THE STREET FOR LENA OLIVE SMITH LEAVES A LASTING [1:30:29] MESSAGE. WE WOULDN'T JUST BE RESHAPING A NAME, WE'D BE RESHAPING HOW OUR [1:30:35] CITY CHARTS A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE. WE WOULD SHOW WE DON'T CELEBRATE SYSTEMIC HARM, WE HONOR THOSE [1:30:42] WHO FOUGHT TO END IT. YES THIS MEANS NEW SIGNS, ADDRESS UPDATES, INCONVENIENCE, [1:30:48] BUT THESE ARE INVESTMENTS IN OUR CIVIC VALUES. SUCH CHANGES STRENGTHEN [1:30:54] COMMUNITY IDENTITY AND GIVE RESIDENTS A DEEPER SENSE OF BELONGING. MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THE NAME [1:31:00] CHANGE TO LENA SMITH BOULEVARD. LET OUR MAPS REFLECT OUR HIGHEST VALUES AND SIGNAL NOW AND FOR [1:31:05] GENERATIONS TO COME THAT WE STAND ON THE SIDE OF JUSTICE, EQUALITY, AND RESPECT. THANK YOU. [1:31:10] >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE STEPHEN BELTON FOLLOWED BY CYNTHIA TOM. [1:31:22] >> I'M STEPHEN BELTON. SHOULD BE A NO-BRAINER IN 2025 [1:31:31] TO CHANGE THE NAME. WHETHER IT'S TO SOMEONE ELSE OR JUST SPECIFICALLY TO GET RID OF [1:31:36] THE NAME OF EDMUND WALTON. BUT SADLY, IT IS NOT A [1:31:44] NO-BRAINER. IT SHOULD BE A TIME WHEN WE MAKE NO SAFE HAVEN FOR RACISTS, NOT [1:31:51] HISTORICALLY, AND NOT CONTEMPORARY RACISTS. SADLY, THERE ARE ARGUMENTS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED THAT YOU [1:31:58] HAVE HEARD THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR TODAY THAT THEY [1:32:04] REALLY ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE [1:32:09] SAME ARGUMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THE FIGHT TO REMOVE CONFEDERATE [1:32:18] FLAGS AND FIGHT TO MOVE CONFEDERATE STATUES. WE HEARD THE ARGUMENTS THAT THIS IS OUR TRADITION, WE'VE DONE IT [1:32:24] THIS WAY FOR YEARS, THAT IT'S A FINANCIAL BURDEN AND THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE PROPER NOTICE. [1:32:30] WELL, YOU'VE HEARD ARGUMENTS TODAY ABOUT WHY THOSE AUSPICIOUS [1:32:36] ARGUMENTS, I WON'T REPEAT THEM. EXCEPT FOR ONE REGARDING THE LACK OF NOTICE. [1:32:41] I'M ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT NOBODY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY RECEIVED NOTICE IN 19 WHATEVER IT WAS WHEN EDMUND WALTON NAMED [1:32:47] THAT STREET AFTER HIMSELF. AND SO I WILL SAY THIS TO MY NEIGHBORS, I'VE LIVED ON EDMUND [1:32:55] BOULEVARD, IT WILL BE 30 YEARS NOW THIS MONTH, AND TO MY NEIGHBORS, I WOULD SAY TO YOU, [1:33:00] YOU WILL BE INCONVENIENCED. IT WILL COST A SMALL SUM, YOUR TRADITIONS WILL BE UPENDED AND [1:33:07] YOUR HISTORY REROUTED. BUT I SUGGEST THAT YOU CONSIDER IT A DEPOSIT, A SMALL [1:33:12] CONTRIBUTION TO REPAIR A CENTURY OF RACIAL INJUSTICE. [1:33:18] HERE'S WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO PEOPLE, ONE WHO'S BLACK, ONE WHO'S WHITE. [1:33:23] ONE FEMALE, ONE MALE. ONE WORKING CLASS, ONE [1:33:30] PRIVILEGED CLASS. I KNOW MY TIME IS UP. ONE IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, ONE WAS A CIVIL IMPEDIMENTS [1:33:37] ACTIVIST. ONE A TRAILBLAZER, ONE A TRAIL BLOCKER. HERE'S WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU, [1:33:44] LENA SMITH FOUGHT FOR JUSTICE, THE OTHER GUY FOUGHT FOR PROFIT. THERE IS A POETIC JUSTICE IN [1:33:50] RENAMING THIS STREET AFTER LENA SMITH. I URGE YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING. >> THANK YOU. [1:33:58] NEXT WE HAVE CYNTHIA TOWN FOLLOWED BY LILIAN ANDERSON. DO WE HAVE CYNTHIA? [1:34:12] >> MY NAME IS CYNTHIA TOWN, AND I'M GOING TO CEDE MY TIME [1:34:18] BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS SAID EVERYTHING BETTER THAN I COULD PROBABLY SAY MYSELF. SO THANK YOU. I SUPPORT THE CHANGE. [1:34:23] >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE LILLIAN ANDERSON FOLLOWED BY DEV. [1:34:28] >> HELLO, MY NAME IS LILLIAN ANDERSON. I SUPPORT THE CHANGE AND JUST [1:34:36] LISTENING TO EVERYONE SPEAK, I'M VERY EMOTIONAL RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, COMING FROM AFRICA, MY [1:34:49] GREETING HERE LET'S JUST SAY THERE'S BEEN IGNORANCE. I FOUND OUT DURING GEORGE FLOYD, THAT'S WHAT I FOUND OUT WHAT WAS [1:34:55] GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD I LOVE. I RAISED MY BEAUTIFUL KIDS THERE. [1:35:01] JUST IMAGINE ME LIVING IN THAT HOUSE BEING THE FIRST BLACK PERSON TO LIVE IN THAT HOUSE, MY [1:35:06] HOUSE. LOOKING AT ALL OF THAT AND [1:35:12] EVERYTHING THAT THE RACIAL COVENANT, READING EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON, I WAS BLOWN [1:35:17] AWAY. I JUST -- YOU KNOW I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON. [1:35:24] BUT THANKS TO MY PARTNER IN CRIME, CYNTHIA GOT ME INVOLVED [1:35:29] WITH THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING TO KNOW EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON. AND JUST READING ABOUT THE [1:35:36] NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I REALLY TRULY SUPPORT THAT THAT NAME SHOULD BE CHANGED BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MUCH [1:35:45] GOING ON. WITH EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON, AND ME BEING FROM A COUNTRY WHERE I NEVER KNEW RACIAL [1:35:56] SEGREGATION, THIS WAS JUST -- BUT HALF OF THEM WHAT THEY SAID WAS THINGS I WAS GOING TO SAY. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING [1:36:04] ME THIS OPPORTUNITY. THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE DEB LEVITT FOLLOWED [1:36:10] BY JACKIE GAR. [1:36:16] >> MY NAME IS DEB LEVITT. I'VE LIVED IN MINNEAPOLIS FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND I'M A RECENT [1:36:26] RESIDENT, TO BE RESIDENT. WE BOUGHT A HOUSE ON EDMUND BOULEVARD. WE'RE EXCITED. [1:36:31] WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE THE WORK TO RIGHT THIS [1:36:36] INJUSTICE. THIS IS OUR TIME TO ADDRESS THE HISTORICAL INJUSTICE THAT WE LIVE WITH EVERY DAY AS WE WALK, [1:36:42] AS MANY OF OUR FOLKS HAVE SAID HERE ON EDMUND BOULEVARD. SO I THINK THIS IS A TIME TO CELEBRATE. AND I THINK THIS IS A TIME TO [1:36:48] REALLY REJOICE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS TOGETHER. AND IT'S MORE ABOUT WHEN WE KNOW [1:36:54] BETTER, WE DO BETTER. AND NOW TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, WE'RE TRYING TO COME TOGETHER [1:37:00] AND DO BETTER. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY AS SIMPLE AS THAT. SURE, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME [1:37:05] PEOPLE THAT IT'S TOUGH TO HAVE CHANGE, RIGHT. IT'S TOUGH TO HAVE CHANGE. THAT'S TRUE IN OUR LIVES. [1:37:10] BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE GREATER GOOD. [1:37:15] AND IF THE 14-YEAR-OLD WHO SPOKE TODAY REALLY RESONATED TO ME. LET'S LISTEN TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE [1:37:21] LIVING ON THIS STREET WELL AFTER WE'RE GONE. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING THE TIME TODAY TO LISTEN [1:37:26] TO ALL OF US. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE JACKIE GAR FOLLOWED BY WILL STAHILI. [1:37:34] >> HI, I'M JACKIE GAR AND I'M PART OF THE 86% OF THE GREATER [1:37:41] WARD 12 THAT SUPPORT THIS CHANGE AND I'LL CEDE THE REST OF MY TIME AS WELL BECAUSE EVERYONE SAID EVERYTHING SO ELOQUENTLY. [1:37:50] BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE CREATED TREMENDOUS VALUE IN OUR COMMUNITY BY BRINGING THIS [1:37:56] FORWARD AND TAKING US THROUGH THIS EDUCATIONAL CHANGE PROCESS. [1:38:03] I SUPPORT IT. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE -- THAT WILL BE [1:38:13] FOLLOWED BY KIRSTEN. >> COMMISSIONERS, I HAVE TO SAY TODAY HAS BEEN A REAL LEARNING [1:38:19] EXPERIENCE. I'VE PROBABLY LEARNED MORE TODAY THAN SEVERAL YEARS I'VE WORKED ON THIS PROJECT. [1:38:24] AND I THINK THE BIG THING IS THAT AND I LIVE ON EDMUND. [1:38:30] THERE WERE NO KNOCKS ON MY DOOR. ONLY ONE MEETING I WENT TO IN DECEMBER OF '24, I BELIEVE IT [1:38:35] WAS. THAT WAS JUST BY CHANCE I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT. SO I THINK THAT'S MAYBE THE FRUSTRATION THAT THERE JUST [1:38:43] WASN'T IT SEEMED FOR SOME THERE WASN'T MUCH CONTACT AND INVOLVEMENT IN THIS PROCESS. BUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED TODAY, I [1:38:50] HAVE TO SAY IT MAKES ME WONDER WHY IT'S TAKEN 59 YEARS TO HONOR THIS WOMAN SINCE HER DEATH. [1:38:57] MAYBE EDMUND BOULEVARD ISN'T ENOUGH. MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER STREET LIKE HER HOME ON 5th AVENUE, [1:39:04] MAYBE THAT SHOULD BE THE WHOLE THING SHOULD BE RENAMED. BUT I UNDERSTAND, I ACCEPT THE CHANGE AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I [1:39:10] HAVE TO SAY. >> THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE HAVE KIRSTEN L. [1:39:17] KIRSTEN? [1:39:24] LICHSHERFELD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT NAME. NEXT WE HAVE CAROL BECKER WHO [1:39:29] WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY JORDAN [1:39:38] BELTON. >> MY NAME IS CAROL BECKER, LIVE AT 3201 -- AVENUE SOUTH. [1:39:45] I'M COOL WITH THE RENAMING, BUT I HAVE TO ASK IF YOU WANTED TO HONOR SOMEBODY, WHY DIDN'T YOU HONOR SOMEBODY FROM THE [1:39:51] COMMUNITY, FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SOMEBODY WHO'S LIVED ON EDMUND BOULEVARD FOR 30 [1:39:56] YEARS? AND SOMEBODY WHO WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR AND SOMEBODY WHO IS THE FIRST FEMALE [1:40:03] MAYOR. BECAUSE I THINK SHE DESERVES HONORING AND SHE IS ACTUALLY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. [1:40:08] AND IF THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT STREET, THEN WHEN IS THE NEXT STREET THAT WE SHOULD BE [1:40:14] HONORING HER? BECAUSE I KNOW HER AND SHE'S AMAZING AND SHE WAS A TRAILBLAZER AND EVERY ONE OF THE [1:40:20] THINGS THAT YOU GUYS SAID THAT YOU WANTED TO NAME THE STREET AFTER HER, SHE IS. EXCEPT SHE LIVES ON THE STREET. [1:40:27] AND SHE'S LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO I WISH THAT YOU WOULD THINK ABOUT THAT WHEN YOU MAKE THIS CHOICE. [1:40:33] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE JORDAN BELTON [1:40:38] FOLLOWED BY HAZEL HILL. [1:40:44] >> HELLO. MY NAME IS JORDAN BELTON. I WANT TO FIRST THANK THE [1:40:53] RENAMING COMMITTEE AND COUNCILOR CHOWDHURY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I GREW UP ON EDMUND BOULEVARD [1:41:00] AND I LIVE THERE TODAY. WITH THAT SAID, I RECENTLY ATTENDED ONE OF THE COMMUNITY [1:41:07] GATHERINGS ON THE EDMUND BOULEVARD NAMED CHANGE. I WANT TO SPEND A FEW COMMENTS [1:41:13] ON THE ARGUMENT AGAINST THE CHANGE. PART OF WHAT I HEARD WERE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PRESERVATION [1:41:18] HISTORY, AND TRADITION. TO THAT POINT, I WANT TO SAY I [1:41:23] BELIEVE IN TELLING THE FULL STORY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HISTORY AS A CITY. [1:41:29] I BELIEVE EDMUND WALTON IS A PART OF THAT HISTORY, HIS STORY SHOULD BE TOLD. MANY WHO WANT TO SEE THE NAME [1:41:36] CHANGED WOULD AGREE WITH THESE POINTS. BE THAT AS IT MAY, TELLING THIS [1:41:42] HISTORY BY NAMING A STREET AFTER EDMUND GOES AGAINST LONG HELD [1:41:47] TRADITIONS ABOUT HOW AND WHY WE NAME OUR STREETS. AS A COMMUNITY WE'VE NAMED THEM AFTER DEMOGRAPHIC PLACES FOR [1:41:53] OBVIOUS REASONS, WE'VE ALSO NAMED THEM AFTER PEOPLE. AND WHEN YOU DO THIS, IT'S GENERALLY BEEN TO MEMORIALIZE, [1:41:59] TO HONOR, TO CELEBRATE, AND TO COMMEMORATE PEOPLE WITH A PUBLIC [1:42:04] LEGACY THAT EVERYONE CAN GET BEHIND, AT LEAST ON SOME LEVEL. [1:42:10] EDMUND WALTON PROUDLY BASED HIS PUBLIC LEGACY ON RACIAL COVENANTS AND AS SUCH, HE [1:42:15] CLEARLY DOES NOT FIT THIS STANDARD. THE VALUES HE FOUGHT FOR ARE INCONGRUENT WITH MINE, MY [1:42:22] FAMILIES, AND MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS. AS YOU'VE HEARD, THEY ARE INCONGRUENT WITH THE VERY [1:42:27] EXISTENCE OF MY FAMILY AS OWNERS OF PROPERTY ON OUR BLOCK. THEY ARE INCONGRUENT WITH THE FACT THAT WE LIVE IN A COMMUNITY [1:42:34] WITH WHITE AMERICANS, WITH OUR WHITE NEIGHBORS. [1:42:39] THIS PAVES THE WAY TO A NEW FUTURE WHERE ALL PEOPLE AND MY FAMILY CAN BE RESPECTED AND [1:42:45] REPRESENTED. LENA SMITH BELIEVED IN EQUALITY BETWEEN ALL AMERICANS, EDMUND [1:42:51] LTON DID NOT. >> NEXT WE HAVE HAZEL HILL FOLLOWED BY ED CULLER. [1:42:59] >> HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS HAZEL HILL. I'M 14 YEARS OLD AND I LIVE A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM EDMUND [1:43:05] BOULEVARD. I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF RENAMING EDMUND BOULEVARD TO [1:43:12] LENA SMITH BOULEVARD. EDMUND WALTON BECAME THE FIRST PERSON IN MINNESOTA TO INCLUDE [1:43:17] RACIALLY RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS IN DEEDS. [1:43:25] WALTON HELPED TO CREATE A SYSTEM WHERE PEOPLE WERE SEPARATED JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE. [1:43:30] THE HOME I LIVE IN ONCE HAD ONE OF THESE RACIST COVENANTS PUT ON IT. MY FAMILY RECENTLY AMENDED THE [1:43:36] DEED ON OUR HOUSE TO REMOVE THIS LANGUAGE. AND EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS OVER [1:43:41] 100 YEARS AGO, THE EFFECTS ARE STILL FELT TODAY. THAT LEGACY DOESN'T REFLECT THE VALUES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE [1:43:47] LIVE IN TODAY. NOW THIS BOULEVARD IS WHERE CHILDREN PLAY, MY NEIGHBORS WALK THEIR DOGS, AND THE COMMUNITY [1:43:53] COMES TOGETHER. I RIDE MY BIKE ALONG IT ALMOST EVERY OTHER DAY TO VISIT MY BEST FRIEND. [1:43:58] IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, BUT I BELIEVE ITS NAME SHOULD REFLECT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND THE [1:44:03] VALUES WE SHARE. LENA SMITH WAS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN LAWYER IN MINNESOTA. SHE FOUGHT AGAINST THE SAME KIND [1:44:10] OF DISCRIMINATION THAT WALTON HELPED TO SPREAD. RENAMING THE BOULEVARD AFTER HER WOULD SEND THE MESSAGE THAT WE [1:44:16] ARE NOT AFRAID TO FACE OUR PAST AND THAT WE ARE CHOOSING A FUTURE BASED ON EQUITY, COURAGE, AND JUSTICE. [1:44:22] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ED CULLER FOLLOWED BY SYLVIE. [1:44:32] >> HI, I'M ED CULLER. THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ALL OF US TODAY. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME READING [1:44:39] EVERY COMMENT ONLINE ABOUT WHY PEOPLE SUPPORTED THIS AND WHY THEY OPPOSED IT. AND ONE THAT STUCK OUT TO ME WAS A COMMENT OPPOSING THIS. [1:44:46] AND THE REASON THEY OPPOSED IT WAS BECAUSE LENA SMITH DIDN'T HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE [1:44:52] NEIGHBORHOOD. WELL, THE REASON LENA SMITH DIDN'T HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, DO WE NEED TO REALLY GET INTO THAT? [1:45:00] SO THAT'S ONE THING I HADN'T HEARD SAID TODAY SO TAKE CARE. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE SYLVIA FOLLOWED BY [1:45:08] JOSHUA AND I CAN'T READ THE LAST NAME BUT -- >> HE'S NOT HERE, HE LEFT. [1:45:15] GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS SYLVIE. I LIVE ON EDMUND BOULEVARD WITH [1:45:23] MY HUSBAND JOSHUA AND OUR TWO SONS. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF RENAMING [1:45:28] EDMUND BOULEVARD. AS A BLACK WOMAN RAISING TWO BIRACIAL BOYS, I'M AWARE OF HOW [1:45:35] OFTEN OUR SOCIETY SENDS THE MESSAGE WE DON'T BELONG. [1:45:41] SOMETIMES IT'S SUBTLE. MORE OFTEN NOW IT'S FROM OUR PRESIDENT QUESTIONING THE [1:45:48] LEGITIMACY OF OUR FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT, TO THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD MILES FROM OUR [1:45:53] HOME, TO THE RACIAL COVENANT ATTACHED TO OUR PROPERTY WHICH SAID MY CHILDREN AND I COULDN'T LIVE IN THAT HOUSE. [1:45:59] THESE MESSAGES DON'T JUST AFFECT ADULTS, THEY REACH OUR CHILDREN. WHEN OUR OLDEST CHILD WAS TWO, [1:46:05] WE TAUGHT HIM OUR ADDRESS AS A SAFETY MEASURE. HE PROUDLY MEMORIZED IT BUT NOW [1:46:14] AFTER LEARNING ABOUT THE LEGACY OF THE MAN OUR STREET IS NAMED [1:46:19] AFTER, HE NO LONGER WANTS TO SAY OUR ADDRESS ALOUD. THIS RESONATED WITH ME. AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A [1:46:24] GREAT MOVE TO CHANGE THE NAME TO SOMEBODY HE COULD BE PROUD OF. HERE WE HAVE A CHANCE TO SEND A [1:46:30] DIFFERENT MESSAGE, A MESSAGE THAT SAYS YOU BELONG, YOU MATTER. IN A WORLD WHERE SO MANY [1:46:38] INJUSTICES FEEL OUT OF OUR CONTROL, THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE MUST DO. THANK YOU. [1:46:45] >> THANK YOU. YOU SAID JOSHUA HAS LEFT SO NEXT [1:46:50] WILL BE ROANN CRAMER FOLLOWED BY KAREN MARTIN. [1:46:56] >> HELLO, I'M A RECENT TRANSPLANT FROM SOUTHWEST MINNEAPOLIS TO THE LOVELY EDMUND [1:47:04] BOULEVARD. DAYS BEFORE I MOVED IN ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS TOLD ME ABOUT THE [1:47:10] RENAMING OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS IN FRONT OF US. AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT [1:47:16] BUYING THIS HOUSE UNTIL I FOUND OUT WHY IT WAS EDMUND BOULEVARD. [1:47:24] I NO LONGER WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT STORY. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE STORY OF LENA SMITH AND I URGE YOU TO [1:47:32] MOVE THIS FORWARD AND RENAME THE BOULEVARD. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE KAREN MARTIN [1:47:37] FOLLOWED BY OUR LAST SIGN UP, AUDI SOLENI. AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE OTHER [1:47:42] THREE WE MISSED EARLIER. DO WE HAVE KAREN MARTIN? [1:47:47] NOT SEEING KAREN, DO WE HAVE AUDI SOLANI? [1:47:59] AD? >> I BELIEVE SHE'S IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM. >> OKAY. [1:48:10] WE CAN WAIT FOR ADAY. WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT DO WE HAVE LISA SHAFFER OR ROBERT [1:48:17] BRITAIN OR KRISTIN L? [1:48:32] ARE YOU ADAY? >> YES, I AM. >> WELCOME. >> THANKS FOR WAITING. >> SURE. >> INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU [1:48:38] HAVE TWO MINUTES. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ADAY SOLANI. [1:48:43] I AM A WARD 12 RESIDENT. I WILL START BY TELLING YOU, I MIGHT TELL YOU A JOKE, BUT I [1:48:50] WILL NEVER TELL YOU A LIE, BUT TODAY I'M NOT GOING TO DO EITHER. STREET NAMES ARE NOT NEUTRAL, [1:48:55] THEY'RE NOT PERMANENT EITHER NO MATTER HOW MANY UNCOMFORTABLE CHANGES PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH. [1:49:00] THIS WASN'T THE FIRST STREET TO BE RENAMED, IT WON'T BE THE LAST. TO THE NEIGHBORS CLAIMING THAT [1:49:05] THIS IS GOING TO BE SHOVED DOWN THEIR THROATS OR CAUSE AN INCONVENIENCE, OUR PROPERTY [1:49:10] TAXES YOU PAY EVERY YEAR WITHOUT COMPLAINT. THERE'S A SAYING WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER YOU DO BETTER. [1:49:17] DOING BETTER DOES TAKE EFFORT. FOR THOSE RESISTING THAT CHANGE, [1:49:22] THAT LEVEL OF EFFORT IS A CHANGE OF ADDRESS FORM. REFLECT ON HOW MINOR THAT IS, ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD UPROOT THEIR ENTIRE [1:49:29] LIVES IN PURSUIT OF DIGNITY AND SAFETY. THIS ISN'T ABOUT A STREET SIGN, IT'S ABOUT WHETHER PEOPLE WHO START THEIR SENTENCES WITH I'M [1:49:36] NOT A RACIST BUT ARE READY TO SIT WITH THIS COMFORT OF REALIZING THAT THEY'D RATHER [1:49:41] PROTECT THEIR OWN COMFORT THAN CONFORM WITH THE SYSTEMS THAT CREATED IT, AND QUITE FRANKLY [1:49:47] YOU'RE NOT CONFRONTING THE SYSTEMS TODAY, YOU'RE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN [1:49:52] COLONIALIZATION, BUT THAT'S A CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY. THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER CHOWDHURY AND ALL OF THE [1:49:57] NEIGHBORS WHO WORKED TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. LENA SMITH BOULEVARD IS A PUBLIC GOOD AND LASTLY, I WANT TODAY [1:50:05] SAY ON THE PUBLIC RECORD, THERE ARE FOUR CRITERIA FOR RENAMING THE STREET WHICH IS WHY IT CAN'T [1:50:11] BE NAMED -- SHE'S STILL ALIVE. >> THANK YOU, ADAY. THAT WAS OUR LAST SIGN-IN [1:50:21] SPEAKER. ONE MORE TIME TO THE PEOPLE WE MISSED. DO WE HAVE LISA SHAFFER? ROBERT BRITAIN? [1:50:29] KIRSTEN LICHEFELD OR KAREN [1:50:36] MARTIN? COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE TESTIFIERS BEFORE I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I'M NOT SEEING ANY, SO I'M GOING [1:50:42] TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO TESTIFIED. COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE [1:50:48] DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS, OR ANY MOTION? COMMISSIONER SHEPPARD? [1:50:53] >> I WOULD MOTION TO APPROVE. >> IS THERE A SECOND? [1:51:00] DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER THOMPSON? >> CAN I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION TO THE APPLICANTS. >> WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING. [1:51:07] >> SORRY. I ALWAYS GET CONFUSED BY THAT. IT'S FINE. [1:51:12] >> COMMISSIONER SHEPPARD. >> ON YOUR NEIGHBOR, ISABELLE, I BELIEVE ISABELLE WAS EDMUND'S [1:51:20] WIFE. I KNOW YOU'VE DONE FIVE YEARS OF HARD WORK, I'M NOT ENCOURAGING YOU TO START AGAIN WITH RECLAIM [1:51:28] ISABELLE. BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND IT'S AN HONOR TO BE YOUR NEIGHBOR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. [1:51:34] I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT SHOWED UP TO TESTIFY. I AM VERY PROUD TO REPRESENT YOU ON THE COUNTY BOARD. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT STOOD [1:51:44] OUT TO ME FROM THE STAFF REPORT AND ALSO KIND OF WHAT WE HEARD WAS IT'S VERY CLEAR TO ME, [1:51:49] THERE'S VERY CLEAR GUIDELINES ON RENAMING STREETS, AND WHAT CPED, [1:51:55] PUBLIC WORKS, AND COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY HAVE DONE IS OUTLINED [1:52:02] WHY THIS MEETS THAT CRITERIA. THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND AS A [1:52:08] PLANNING COMMISSION TO RIDE WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS. WHAT I WILL ADD IS A COUPLE OF KEY POINTS AND THAT'S THAT SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED [1:52:13] ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MINNEAPOLIS WHO LIVES ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FROM THE ARTHUR AND EDITH HOUSE, IT'S [1:52:19] NOT LOST ON ME WHAT THIS CITY LOOKS LIKE TODAY, WHAT IT MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE IN 1907 AND [1:52:28] WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US TODAY AND WHAT OUR OBLIGATION IS TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND TO [1:52:34] FUTURE YOUNG PEOPLE. I HEARD WORDS LIKE DISRUPTION AND BURDEN AND INCONVENIENCE AND AS I THINK IT WAS THE OWNER OF [1:52:41] SUNBEAN WHO SAID, IMAGINE THE DISRUPTION AND INCONVENIENCE OF TRYING TO BUY A HOME, THAT'S [1:52:47] SOMETHING THAT MY GRANDMOTHER EXPERIENCED WHEN SHE MOVED INTO THE BRYANT NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE 1950s. [1:52:55] I THINK THAT THIS IS A SIGN OF MANY THINGS TO COME. I WAS PRESENT WHEN WE RENAMED [1:53:03] DITE TO CHEATHAM AVENUE. I AM VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE RESIDENTS WHO SHOWED UP TODAY, [1:53:09] MY NEIGHBORS ALTHOUGH I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HIAWATHA TO SHARE HOW OVER FIVE YEARS YOU ALL CAME [1:53:15] TOGETHER IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE THIS CHANGE THAT IS SIGNIFICANT. IT IS NOT SYMBOLIC. TO ME THE PRESERVATION OF [1:53:20] HISTORY IS THE PRESERVATION OF THE LEGACY OF LENA OLIVE SMITH. [1:53:25] AND SO A FEW FOLKS HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE CHOOSE TO REMEMBER AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A [1:53:30] PERFECT WAY OF DOING THAT. AND I AM HONORED TO ACTUALLY BE A PART OF THE VOTE TO DO THAT, [1:53:37] BUT I WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT YOU ALL COMING TO TESTIFY TODAY, WITHOUT YOUR WORK OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. [1:53:43] I HOPE YOU CONTINUE THIS WORK. I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF READING MYSELF ABOUT BLACK HISTORY IN [1:53:48] MINNESOTA SPECIFICALLY STARTING IN ABOUT 1867. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ ABOUT FORT SNELLING AND SOME OTHER [1:53:56] SIGNIFICANT AREAS AROUND ST. ANTHONY AND HOW THAT REALLY PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT PART IN OUR [1:54:01] HISTORY OF OUR CITY AND HOW IT ALIGNS WITH OUR MISSION AND VISION AND VALUES AS A CITY. [1:54:08] SO I'M VERY GLAD THAT THE PRESENTATION STARTED WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS A GREAT GROUNDING. SO THANKFUL THAT YOU ALL CAME. [1:54:16] THANKFUL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR NEIGHBORS ARE ALSO PASSIONATE ABOUT, THAT I SHARE [1:54:22] THAT PASSION WITH AND AM CONNECTED TO. WITH THAT, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER [1:54:28] CONLEY. COMMISSIONER. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR MEYER. I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF AND I THINK EVERYONE HAS SAID THINGS MUCH [1:54:34] MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN I'LL BE ABLE TO. BUT I JOINED THE PLANNING COMMISSION BECAUSE OF A DEEP [1:54:40] INTEREST IN ZONING AND LAND USE [1:54:45] AND UNFORTUNATELY LIKE THE HISTORY OF ZONING AND LAND USE [1:54:51] IN OUR COUNTRY IS LITTERED WITH THESE EXAMPLES LIKE THESE RACIAL [1:54:57] COVENANTS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THESE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY. I'LL ADD A NOTE THAT ANYONE [1:55:03] AFFECTED BY THIS OR IN THE COMMUNITY WHO'S WATCHING, ONE BOOK I READ ABOUT THIS THAT WAS [1:55:08] TRANSFORMATIVE TO ME IS THE COLOR OF LAW. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE ALL GET EDUCATED AS A COMMUNITY AND WE REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW THESE [1:55:15] KIND OF SEEMINGLY SMALL CHANGES WHEN THEY ACCUMULATE CAN PUSH US FORWARD. SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE STAFF [1:55:21] REMMENDATION. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WAGNER. OTHER COMMISSIONERS? [1:55:28] COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. [1:55:39] >> STREET NAMING IS INTERESTING AND POWERFUL AND ALWAYS SPARKS DEBATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. [1:55:46] IT INVOLVES SOME MINOR PRACTICAL CHALLENGES, UPDATING MAPS AND [1:55:51] ADDRESSES. BUT I REALLY BELIEVE THESE ACTIONS ARE IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE CIVIC EFFORTS. [1:55:58] I APPLAUD EVERYBODY FOR THEIR TIME AND RURAL COMMITMENT AND PASSION. THEY CREATE A MORE JUST AND [1:56:04] REPRESENTATIVE PUBLIC SPACE THAT REFLECTS OUR COMMUNITY'S EVOLVING VALUES AND IMPORTANT [1:56:10] HISTORY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. [1:56:20] >> ANYONE ELSE? I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY, THE [1:56:26] RECLAIM EDMUND BOULEVARD GROUP, THE MAPPING PREJUDICE GROUP, FOR ALL OF THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE ON [1:56:31] THIS. I THINK IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY VALUABLE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND FOR OUR BODY IN PARTICULAR [1:56:38] TO HAVE A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF ALL OF THIS HISTORY. AND ESPECIALLY TO MAPPING PREJUDICE, THEY WERE INVOLVED IN [1:56:43] THE 2040 PLAN TO HELP US REMEDY A LOT OF THIS. A POINT THAT I JUST WANT TO ADD [1:56:52] ON TO ALL OF THIS IS THAT WHEN FORMAL SEGREGATION WAS ABOLISHED IN THE '60s, THAT DIDN'T PUT AN [1:56:58] END TO IT, IT GOT REPLACED WITH CLASS-BASED SEGREGATION THROUGH [1:57:04] ZONING. IT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT THAT IT WAS IN THE '70s, FOLLOWING THE 1968 FAIR HOUSING ACT THAT WE [1:57:10] BEGAN TO SEE MUCH MORE RESTRICTIVE ZONING ACROSS THE [1:57:17] UNITED STATES AND IN MINNEAPOLIS AND THAT IS A LARGE PART OF WHAT SHAPED THE 2040 PLAN TRYING TO [1:57:23] REMOVE THOSE EXCLUSIONARY BARRIERS. SO I THINK THIS HAS JUST REALLY BEEN FANTASTIC TO HAVE ALL OF [1:57:30] THIS TO HELP REMIND PEOPLE OF THAT HISTORY AND TO CONTINUE MAKING PROGRESS TO REMOVE THOSE [1:57:36] EXCLUSIONS. WITH THAT, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO PLEASE [1:57:43] TAKE THE ROLL. >> COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. >> AYE. [1:57:49] >> COMMISSIONER CONLEY. >> AYE. >> JONES. >> AYE. >> SHEPPARD. [1:57:55] >> AYE. >> THOMPSON. >> YES. >> WAGNER. >> AYE. >> MEYER. [1:58:00] >> AYE. >> WE HAVE SEVEN AYES. >> THAT IS ADOPTED. [1:58:14] NEXT WE HAVE ITEM EIGHT, THE MINIMUM HEIGHT ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENT. AND STAFF IS MEI-LING SMITH. [1:58:35] IF WE CAN ASK YOU ALL TO MOVE CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE SO WE CAN PROCEED WITH OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, THANK YOU. [1:59:03] PLEASE MOVE CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE SO WE CAN PROCEED WITH THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. [1:59:37] >> SHOULD I JUST START THE PRESENTATION? THIS IS REVIEW ANYWAY. [1:59:42] GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS MEI-LING SMITH. I'M CPED STAFF. [1:59:48] WE'RE WORKING ON A TEXT AMENDMENT AND ALSO A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT. [1:59:55] I THINK I'LL JUST WAIT A SECOND. THEY'RE ALMOST OUT. [2:00:25] MY NAME IS MEI-LING SMITH. I WORK FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND CPED PLANNING DIVISION. [2:00:31] I'M A PRINCIPAL PLANNER. [2:00:37] WE HAVE BEEN EXPLORING OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, SOME COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS [2:00:43] AND ALSO ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENTS TO ADDRESS THE POSSIBILITY OF ALLOWING [2:00:49] ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY IN THE COMP PLAN AND ZONING CODE TO ALLOW FOR SHORTER BUILDING HEIGHTS IN SOME SCENARIOS. [2:00:54] SO WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING A FEW DIFFERENT AREAS. SO A LITTLE BACKGROUND, [2:01:00] MINNEAPOLIS 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ESTABLISHED 14 BUILT FORM DISTRICTS TO GUIDE DEVELOPMENT [2:01:06] FOR EVERY PARCEL IN THE CITY. IN 2021, THIS WAS CODIFIED IN THE FORM OF BUILT FORM OVERLAY [2:01:13] DISTRICTS. SO EVERY SINGLE PARCEL IN MINNEAPOLIS HAS A BUILT FORM OVERLAY DISTRICT THAT TELLS YOU [2:01:18] HOW SHORT OR TALL YOU'RE ALLOWED TO GO. [2:01:25] THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF DISTRICTS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A MINIMUM [2:01:31] HEIGHT REQUIREMENT. IT'S TWO STORIES UP TO TEN STORIES YOUR MINIMUM HEIGHT REQUIREMENT DEPENDING ON WHERE [2:01:37] YOU DECIDE TO BUILD. IN GENERAL THESE ARE AREAS CLOSEST TO TRANSIT LIKE LIGHT RAIL STATIONS OR OTHER REALLY [2:01:43] HIGH INVESTMENT AREAS AND KEY AMENITIES AND CERTAINLY DOWNTOWN. [2:01:51] THIS IS A VERY ZOOMED OUT MAP [2:01:57] SHOWING THE CITY, WE'VE SEEN [2:02:04] MANY BENEFITS OF HAVING MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM HEIGHT REGULATIONS. [2:02:09] THIS HAS DISCOURAGED UNDERDEVELOPMENT ON THESE KEY CORRIDORS WE'VE SEEN. THIS IS THE INTENDED IMPACT. [2:02:15] WE WANT TO INCENTIVIZE AND BE ABLE TO WORK WITH DEVELOPERS TO [2:02:22] HAVE A MORE ROBUST DEVELOPMENT THAN MIGHT BE NORMALLY THOUGHT [2:02:27] OF. SPEAKING IN TERMS OF HEIGHT, BUILDING HEIGHT IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN EASIER COMMUNICATION TOOL [2:02:35] THAN USING FLOOR AREA RATIO OR DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE, EXCUSE [2:02:40] ME. SO THIS IS JUST AN EASIER TOOL FOR COMMUNICATING NOT ONLY TWO DEVELOPERS AND ARCHITECTS BUT [2:02:49] ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY. MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM HEIGHT REGULATIONS HAVE ALSO INCREASED THE PREDICTABILITY OF THE [2:02:55] OVERALL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. SO YOU'VE PROBABLY EXPERIENCED THERE ARE FEWER CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS COMING BEFORE THE [2:03:00] PLANNING COMMISSION, FEWER VARIANCES AND IT'S JUST LED TO A SMOOTHER APPLICATION PROCESS [2:03:05] WE'VE FOUND OVERALL. AND ALSO, IF YOU WISH TO [2:03:11] INCREASE HEIGHT ON A PARTICULAR [2:03:16] PARCEL, IF YOU HAVE A DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT YOU WANT TO [2:03:23] DO EXCEEDS WHAT IS ALLOWED BY HEIGHT, IN MOST DEVELOPMENT [2:03:29] DISTRICTS, YOU CAN APPLY FOR A PREMIUM BY PROVIDING AMENITIES. SO THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE WAY [2:03:34] THAT WE CAN INCREASE HEIGHT, WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO GO THROUGH A C.U.P. OR A VARIANCE NOW. [2:03:41] SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN SIX APPROVED VARIANCES BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THE FIRST THREE WERE JUST [2:03:48] REBUILDING AFTER THE CIVIL UNREST IN 2020. AND THEN THERE WERE THREE OTHERS THAT WERE NOTABLE, THAT'S THE [2:03:58] BIOCHAR PRODUCTION FACILITY. THE PROPOSAL WAS FOR A ONE-STORY BUILDING. BUT TRANSIT 15 REQUIRES A [2:04:05] FOUR-STORY MINIMUM. THIS IS A PRODUCTION USE AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID APPROVE THIS. YOU ALSO APPROVED A MINIMUM FAR [2:04:12] VARIANCE. THE INDIAN HEALTH BOARD IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE. TRANSIT 20 REQUIRED SIX STORIES [2:04:18] AND THE PROPOSAL WAS FOR A THREE-STORY MEDICAL CLINIC. AND THEN HENNEPIN HEALTHCARE [2:04:24] PURPLE RAMP EXPANSION AT 600 PARK AVENUE, THIS IS IN TRANSIT 30 DISTRICT WHERE THE REQUIREMENT IS TEN, AND THE [2:04:31] APPLICANT SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED A VARIANCE TO ALLOW NINE STORIES. [2:04:40] THERE WERE TWO DENIED BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION. FIRST BEING 2725 UNIVERSITY [2:04:47] AVENUE. THIS IS A STRAIGHTFORWARD MARKET RATE MIXED DEVELOPMENT. THIS WAS DENIED. THEY WERE PROPOSING A [2:04:53] SEVEN-STORY DEVELOPMENT AND THE REQUIREMENT WAS TEN. THERE WERE NO PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES THAT WERE EVIDENT. [2:04:58] AND THEN THE CHASE BANK DEVELOPMENT, THIS WAS A SIX-STORY REQUIREMENT, AND THE [2:05:04] PROPOSAL WAS FOR A ONE-STORY BANK. AND SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY WITHDRAWN AFTER PLANNING [2:05:09] COMMISSION. ONE THING THAT WE'VE NOTED IS THAT A LOT OF THE ISSUES SEEM -- [2:05:15] OR A LOT OF THE TENSION HAPPENS TO BE IN THE TRANSIT DISTRICTS. THIS IS KIND OF WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND FOR DEVELOPMENT, [2:05:23] BUT THERE'S A TENSION BETWEEN WHAT OUR ZONING CODE IS SAYING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO AND WHAT APPLICANTS ARE TRYING TO DO. [2:05:30] SO SEVEN OF THE EIGHT VARIANCES THAT WE REVIEWED WERE IN A TRANSIT DISTRICT. THERE WAS ONE IN CORRIDOR SIX. [2:05:44] SO TRANSIT DISTRICTS SEEM TO BE CAUSING THE MOST IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES COMPARED TO CORRIDOR [2:05:49] SIX THAT'S THE MAIN DRAG IN A NEIGHBORHOOD YOU MIGHT SEE A CORRIDOR SIX. AND CORE 50 IS YOUR DOWNTOWN [2:05:56] AREA. THERE'S A TEN-STORY MINIMUM IN TRANSIT 30 AND CORE 50. TEN STORIES IS TRICKY BECAUSE [2:06:02] THAT REQUIRES A MORE EXPENSIVE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION TYPE THAN [2:06:10] THE NEXT MORE INTENSE SIX-STORIES. BY DEFAULT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE BUILDING [2:06:15] TYPE, AND THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS TO EVEN CONSIDER BUILDING IN TRANSIT 30 [2:06:22] DISTRICTS OR IN CORE 50. PRODUCTION USES TEND TO BE [2:06:29] SHORTER IN SCALE. AS A RESULT THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE MEETING F.A.R. AND HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS. [2:06:35] SO AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE LIKE BIOCHAR OR OTHER SMALL SCALE LIKE A BUSINESS OWNER WHO'S HAD [2:06:41] THEIR PROPERTY FOREVER AND THEY WANT TO BUILD AN ADDITION, THEY MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE DOING IT WITHOUT GETTING A [2:06:47] VARIANCE AND DEMONSTRATING PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. THEN PRINCIPAL USES WITHOUT A PRINCIPAL STRUCTURE, THESE ARE [2:06:53] ESSENTIALLY PROHIBITED IF YOU'RE IN A MINIMUM HEIGHT AREA OF CORRIDOR SIX OR HIGHER LIKE A [2:06:59] PUBLIC PARK OR A COMMUNITY GARDEN OR SERVICE PARKING LOT OR [2:07:06] UTILITY USES. SO THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY NOT [2:07:14] ALLOWED TO MOVE FORWARD. [2:07:19] HOWEVER THE WAY IT'S IMPLIED THIS AMENDMENT SEEKS TO ADDRESS THIS DISCREPANCY IN THE ZONING [2:07:25] CODE. SO THIS IS A MAP OF WHERE THE [2:07:31] PR2 PRODUCTION PROCESSING DISTRICT, WE HAVE TWO PRODUCTION DISTRICTS IN THE ZONING CODE AND THIS IS THE MOST INTENSE ONE. [2:07:36] THIS IS A MAP OF WHERE PRODUCTION PR2 ZONING DISTRICTS [2:07:45] EXIST, BUT ALSO HAS A MINIMUM HEIGHT REQUIREMENT. IN MANY CASES WE'VE TRIED TO [2:07:52] MATCH BUILT FORM DISTRICTS TO OTHER REGULATIONS INCLUDING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER CRITICAL [2:07:58] CORRIDOR AREA. THAT WOULD BE ALONG THE RIVER FRONT. SO THAT'S LIKE A CORRIDOR SIX AREA. BUT THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT [2:08:04] ARE VERY CLOSE TO TRANSIT STATIONS AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING MORE HIGHER INTENSE TRANSIT DISTRICTS. [2:08:09] SO THESE AREAS HAVE AT LEAST TWO [2:08:17] STORIES OR TALLER. SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS WE WERE THINKING OF AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE [2:08:27] WANT WANT TO HAVE AS FEW EXCEPTIONS AS POSSIBLE, WE DON'T WANT TO PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS. [2:08:33] WE WANT A UNIFORM TYPE OF WAY TO ADMINISTER MINIMUM HEIGHT. THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE SITUATIONS WE CAN'T THINK OF, SO [2:08:38] WE'RE NOT LISTING OUT EVERY SINGLE USE THAT WE THINK [2:08:45] QUALIFIES FOR AN EXCEPTION. BUT OF COURSE WE'LL PROPOSE A FEW. [2:08:50] MINIMUM FLOOR AREA RATIO IS STILL A METRIC THAT EXISTS IN MANY OF THESE DISTRICTS SO WE WANT TO PRESERVE THAT AND NOT [2:08:57] MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THAT. THAT'S GOING TO ENSURE THERE IS A MINIMUM LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY. THERE ARE A FEW EXCEPTIONS TO [2:09:03] THAT WHICH I WILL SHOW YOU. [2:09:12] WE WERE WONDERING IF THIS SHOULD BE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO REDUCE MINIMUM HEIGHT OR SOME OTHER CASE BY CASE REVIEW. [2:09:18] THAT JUST OPENS UP WAY TOO MUCH DISCUSSION, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT OUR CITY ATTORNEYS WOULD RECOMMEND. AND ALL OF THIS IS TO SAY WE'RE [2:09:25] STARTING TO THINK ABOUT HOW [2:09:30] MINIMUM HEIGHT ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THE NEXT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE. WE'RE PROPOSING THESE CHANGES [2:09:36] FOR NOW AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION. SO THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS [2:09:41] TO LOWER THE MINIMUM HEIGHTS FOR BOTH TRANSIT 15 AND TRANSIT 20. [2:09:47] WE WOULD LIKE TO REDUCE TRANSIT 15 FROM 4 TO 3 STORIES AND [2:09:53] TRANSIT 20 WOULD BE REDUCED FROM 6 TO 4 STORIES KEEPING MINIMUM F.A.R. IN PLACE AND THEN WE [2:09:59] WOULD NOT PROPOSE ANY CHANGES TO CORRIDOR SIX, TRANSIT TEN, OR TO CORE 50. [2:10:11] THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS TO CHANGE TRANSIT 30 AS IT EXISTS [2:10:18] TODAY. SO RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST ONE DISTRICT. IN THE COMP PLAN WE WOULD [2:10:23] DIFFERENTIATE TRANSIT 30. AND THEN IN THE ZONING CODE, WE [2:10:30] WOULD STRIKE TRANSIT 30 ALTOGETHER AND CREATE TWO [2:10:36] TRANSIT 30 DISTRICTS, TRANSIT 30A, AND TRANSIT 30B. [2:10:41] TRANSIT 30A WOULD BE IDEAL TO HOW IT IS TODAY WITH THE TEN STORY MINIMUM. AND THAT WOULD BE IN THE DOWNTOWN OFFICE CORE AND THE [2:10:47] CLOSEST NEIGHBORHOODS. TRANSIT 30A WOULD HAVE A MINIMUM HEIGHT REQUIREMENT OF FIVE STORIES. [2:10:53] AND SO THIS IS TO EASE THE BURDEN OF THAT DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENT AND TO MAKE IT [2:11:00] POSSIBLE FOR BUILDINGS TO BE BUILT WITHOUT THE MOST EXPENSIVE CONSTRUCTION HEIGHT. [2:11:06] AND THIS MAP SHOWS YOU WHERE WE [2:11:12] PROPOSED DRAWING THAT DISTINCTION. IT WOULD INCLUDE DOWNTOWN, THE NORTH LOOP, AND THE AREA THAT IS [2:11:17] CURRENTLY TRANSIT 30 ACROSS THE RIVER IN THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY AREA OF NORTHEAST. EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT WE [2:11:23] WOULD RECOMMEND GOING DOWN TO FIVE STORIES. [2:11:35] RECOMMENDATION NUMBER THREE IS REFERRING TO THESE EXCEPTIONS I TALKED ABOUT. WE RECOMMEND STRIKING ANY HEIGHT [2:11:42] REQUIREMENTS FROM THE FOLLOWING USES AND THESE ARE ALL RELATED TO THINGS THAT DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BULK. THESE ARE PARKS AND OPEN SPACES, [2:11:49] AS DEFINED THEY HAVE TO BE OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PARK BOARD. IT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE STAND ALONE PRODUCTION USES IN THE PR2 [2:11:55] PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING DISTRICT. ALSO PRINCIPAL USES WITHOUT A PRINCIPAL STRUCTURE. AND BASIC UTILITIES WHICH ARE [2:12:03] CURRENTLY A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN EVERY DISTRICT. [2:12:10] HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES I JUST WENT THROUGH AND I'M HAPPY TO STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MEI-LING. [2:12:17] ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE PROCEED TO THE PUBLIC HEARING? COMMISSIONER SHEPPARD? [2:12:23] >> JUST WHY FIVE NOT SIX FOR TRANSIT 30A? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. [2:12:29] WE'RE TRYING TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE DEVELOPMENT HAPPEN IN THESE [2:12:35] AREAS. YOU COULD SAY 5 OR 6 OR 4, THEY'RE ALL KIND OF ARBITRARY. OFTENTIMES WE SEE A SIX-STORY [2:12:41] BUILDING ANYWAY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE FINANCIALS OR SEVEN-STORY BUILDING FOR THAT MATTER. [2:12:47] IT'S NOT TO SAY WE WANT TO SEE THE LOWEST DENOMINATOR, IT'S JUST TRYING TO FACILITATE SOME [2:12:53] DEVELOPMENT. >> THANK YOU. >> AND I DO HAVE AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD MAKE THAT EXACT [2:12:58] CHANGE, COMMISSIONER SHEPPARD. COMMISSIONER CONLEY. >> JUST A QUICK QUESTION. [2:13:03] CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE MAP THAT SHOWED WHERE THE CURRENT TRANSIT 30? >> YEAH, AND ACTUALLY I DID [2:13:09] PREPARE MORE SECTOR MAPS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ZOOM IN ON ANY OF THOSE AREAS? >> I WOULD. [2:13:14] I WAS LOOKING TO SEE IF CEDAR RIVERSIDE IS IN THERE WHICH IS [2:13:27] -- >> THIS IS EXISTING MAP. AND CEDAR RIVERSIDE IS CURRENTLY [2:13:34] TRANSIT 30. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE THE EXEMPTION IS FOR SPACES OWNED BY MPRB [2:13:39] WHICH IS JUST ONE PARK IN THE AREA WHICH I'M THINKING OF WHICH IS RIGHT OFF THE HIGHWAY. PART OF ME WORRIES AS YOU'RE [2:13:46] THINKING ABOUT THE NEW DISCUSSIONS HAPPENING WITH THE NEW 2050 PLAN IS THAT THAT IS A [2:13:52] COMMUNITY THAT NOT ONLY IS VERY DENSE BUT ALSO VERY POLLUTED BECAUSE IT'S SURROUNDED BY FREEWAYS. [2:13:58] BUT IF WE KEEP BUILDING UP, THAT MEETS DENSITY, BUT IT ALSO LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL [2:14:05] GREEN SPACE THAT CAN BE ADDED. I'VE JUST HEARD FROM RESIDENTS OF THE AREA, THEY'D LIKE MORE PARK SPACE. [2:14:12] THEY JUST HAVE ONE AND THAT'S CONNECTED TO MPRB BUILDING. [2:14:24] BUT SO KEEPING THAT REQUIREMENT MEANING THERE'S A NEW [2:14:29] DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD GO UP TO A MINIMUM OF TEN NOT A MAXIMUM? >> THAT'S CORRECT. [2:14:34] PRESIDENT MEYER, COMMISSIONER CONLEY, I AM FAMILIAR WITH I THINK THE PROJECT YOU'RE REFERRING TO AND THEY HAVEN'T [2:14:41] REALLY BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE MINIMUM HEIGHT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. THEY WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP SOME [2:14:47] NEW PARK SPACE IN THAT [2:14:52] NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S NOT FEASIBLE FOR THEM TO OWN THEIR OWN PARCEL AND CONSTRUCT A [2:14:57] TEN-STORY BUILDING AS IT STANDS. BUT THIS IS NOT JUST TO ADDRESS THAT PARCEL, THERE ARE OTHER [2:15:07] DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE IN THE WORKS OR OTHER EXAMPLES WE CAN POINT TO WITH PARK BOARD SPACE [2:15:13] AS PART OF A LARGER DEVELOPMENT AND THEY'RE LIKE WHAT DO WE DO WITH THIS SPACE, IT HAS TO BE [2:15:18] ITS OWN SPACE BECAUSE IT'S OWNED BY MPRB, THEY CAN'T DEVELOP TEN-STORY BUILDINGS. [2:15:24] >> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER WAGNER. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR MEYER. [2:15:29] I HAD A QUESTION, I THINK I ASKED THIS AT COMMUNITY OF THE WHOLE SO I APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING [2:15:35] A BAD MEMORY, BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THE MINUTES. CAN YOU REMIND ME WHETHER YOU'VE SEEN ANY HEIGHT VARIANCE [2:15:40] DISCUSSION OR PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DETERRED IN THE TRANSIT 15 AND TRANSIT 20 BY I BELIEVE [2:15:48] RESPECTIVELY THE 4 AND 6-STORY REQUIREMENTS. I KNOW WE HAVE A TRANSIT 30 [2:15:54] MINIMUM HEIGHT PROBLEM, BUT CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE TRANSIT 15 AND [2:15:59] TRANSIT 20 AND WHETHER YOU'RE SEEING IT IN THE PROJECT PHASE? >> THERE ARE SEVERAL PROJECTS [2:16:04] THAT I THINK WE DID DISCUSS AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, BUT WE DON'T EVEN, THEY DON'T EVEN GET GOING BECAUSE IT'S JUST LIKE [2:16:12] A ROADBLOCK AND THEY DON'T EVEN PROGRESS TO THE POINT OF HAVING A VARIANCE BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T MEET THE CRITERIA THAT ARE [2:16:18] NEEDED TO MEET THE VARIANCE FINDINGS, IT'S HARD TO PUT AN EXACT NUMBER ON THIS IS EXACTLY [2:16:25] THE DISTRICT THAT IS CAUSING THE MOST PROBLEMS OR THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE IN THESE DISTRICTS. [2:16:31] SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE KIND OF RESORTING TO HERE ARE THE VARIANCES THAT YOU HAVE BEEN EVALUATING THAT MADE IT TO THIS [2:16:42] POINT, TRANSIT 15 AND 20 ARE AMONG THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN [2:16:48] EFFECTED. I GUESS TRANSIT 15 IS WHERE CHASE BANK HAS BEEN LOCATED. I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER FOR [2:16:53] YOU UNFORTUNATELY. [2:16:58] BUT MAYBE KIMBERLY HAS OTHER DATA TO EXPLORE. >> I CAN SPEAK ANECDOTELY. [2:17:04] IT'S HARD FOR US TO SAY ONCE SOMEONE CONTACTS ME I ASSIGN A PROJECT AND SOMEONE CONTACTS ME [2:17:11] TO SAY THIS PROJECT IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND IT'S FOR THIS EXACT REASON. TYPICALLY THERE'S A MYRIAD OF [2:17:16] REASONS WHY A PROJECT MIGHT NOT MOVE FORWARD, MINIMUM HEIGHT BEING AMONG THEM. I CAN SAY FOR CERTAIN THOUGH [2:17:23] THAT THERE ARE SOME SITES THAT ARE ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW THAT I GET PHONE CALLS ABOUT OVER AND [2:17:29] OVER AGAIN AND ONCE PEOPLE HEAR THAT THERE IS A SIX-STORY MINIMUM, A TEN-STORY MINIMUM FOR [2:17:37] THOSE PARTICULAR SITES, THEY AREN'T INTERESTED AND THOSE GO AWAY. [2:17:43] I CAN SAY LAST WEEK I HAD THREE SUCH CONVERSATIONS. [2:17:48] THIS WEEK I HAVEN'T HAD ANY, BUT [2:17:53] IT CERTAINLY IS A FREQUENT POINT OF CONTENTION THAT WE'RE SEEING. >> THANK YOU, APPRECIATE THAT. [2:18:04] >> COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. >> THANK YOU, MEI-LING. INSIDE THE 30B BOX WHICH IS [2:18:10] ESSENTIALLY OUR DOWNTOWN AS YOU DESCRIBED OFFICE CORE, WE'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS BECAUSE IT IS JUST OFFICE. [2:18:16] IT'S NOT TRULY A MIXED USE. [2:18:22] SO ARE WE SAYING THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER WHICH IS TRUE IT'S REALLY HARD TO BUILD LOW [2:18:28] INCOME HOUSING THAT'S TALLER BECAUSE THE NUMBERS DON'T WORK. SO BY DOING THIS, I'M JUST [2:18:34] CURIOUS THE DISCUSSIONS AT PLANNING AROUND, ARE WE MAKING THAT ESSENTIALLY IMPOSSIBLE [2:18:40] INSIDE THIS BOX TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN? >> I WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT [2:18:48] ONLY BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST TRANSIT 30 WITHIN THE BOX. THERE ARE ALSO MANY OTHER OVERLAY DISTRICTS. [2:18:53] >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT EXCLUSIVE. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> ANY OTHERS BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING? [2:19:01] SEEING NONE, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SUZANNE WERE YOU HEAR TO SPEAK [2:19:08] TO THIS ONE? >> I'M THE ONLY ONE LEFT. HELLO, MY NAME IS SUZANNE MURPHY. I'M A COMMUNITY RELATIONS [2:19:15] MANAGER WITH XCEL ENERGY SERVING CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN [2:19:20] COUNTY. I'M ALSO A PROUD RESIDENT OF WARD 12. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS AMENDMENT. WE APPRECIATE THAT THE CITY IS [2:19:27] PRIORITIZING DENSITY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GOALS. AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, WE ALSO [2:19:33] APPRECIATE THAT THIS AMENDMENT DIFFERENTIATES THAT THE BUILT FORM OR LAND USE FOR BASIC [2:19:39] ACTIVITIES IS VERY DIFFERENT IN NATURE THAN OTHER TYPES OF STRUCTURES OR USES AND IT MAKES SENSE FOR THESE CHANGES TO BE [2:19:44] MADE TO REFLECT THAT. IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE GRID DOWNTOWN, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF [2:19:52] SUBSTATIONS AND FOR PRACTICAL REASONS AND ENERGY SECURITY PURPOSES DO NOT MAKE SENSE TO [2:19:58] ACCOMMODATE A TEN-STORY HEIGHT REQUIREMENT FOR FUTURE ENERGY [2:20:05] INFRASTRUCTURE, THIS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE. A TALL BUILDING WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE SITUATED. [2:20:16] THANK YOU FOR KEEPING AN EYE ON THIS PARTICULAR UTILITY USE IN THE FUTURE. >> WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO [2:20:23] TESTIFY BEFORE I CLOSE THE HEARING? THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. SO YEAH, I REQUESTED TO DISCUSS [2:20:30] THIS ITEM BECAUSE I HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO PROPOSE TO IT. [2:20:35] AND THE NUMBERS THAT I HAVE ARE IN YOUR EMAIL INBOXES SENT JUST BEFORE THE EMAIL STARTED. [2:20:44] MEI-LING, CAN YOU GO TO THE TABLE THAT SHOWS THE PROPOSALS THAT YOU HAVE? IT'S TABLE TWO ON THE -- >> OH, IS THIS ONE OKAY? [2:20:57] >> IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH. IT'S NOT QUITE THE ONE I'M LOOKING AT. >> THIS ONE HAS 15, 20, AND 30. [2:21:06] >> THAT GETS TO THE -- SO MY PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO [2:21:11] LEAVE TRANSIT 15 AT FOUR, TO LEAVE TRANSIT 20 AT SIX, AND TO [2:21:18] BRING TRANSIT 30A TO SIX. [2:21:27] SO THE REASONING BEHIND THAT, I FEEL THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL [2:21:32] TO SIX STORIES. I DON'T FEEL THAT'S ARBITRARY TO HAVE IT THERE FOR BOTH TRANSIT [2:21:39] 30A AND TRANSIT 20. BECAUSE THE TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION THAT WE'RE SEEING THE MOST OF, THE FIVE OVER ONES AND THERE'S [2:21:44] AN INTERESTING STORY BEHIND FIVE OVER ONES THAT I CAN EMAIL EVERYONE LATER, BUT BASICALLY [2:21:50] WHEN CALIFORNIA LEGALIZED CERTAIN FIRE RETARDANTS, THAT [2:21:56] ALLOWED NEW CHEAPER MATERIALS TO BE USED FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES AND THAT'S WHY WE SEE [2:22:03] THIS PREDOMINANT FORM. SO I THINK THERE'S A VERY STRONG [2:22:11] CASE FOR MOVING FROM 10 TO 6. [2:22:17] WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF PEOPLE GOING THROUGH MAKING ENTIRE [2:22:23] PROPOSALS AND MAKING REQUESTED VARIANCES WHERE IT GOT A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR ADDITIONAL [2:22:29] FLOORS AFTER THE SIXTH ONE. THERE'S THE EXPENSE ASPECT TO IT. THERE'S ALSO A LIVABILITY AND [2:22:43] CONNECTION TO THE STREET. SIX STORIES IS THE APPROXIMATE LEVEL WHERE YOU CAN LIVE AND [2:22:49] STILL HAVE CONTACT WITH EYE LEVEL ON THE STREET. SO THERE'S THAT CONNECTIVE PART [2:22:54] OF IT. SIX STORIES IS WHAT YOU SEE IN A LOT OF EUROPEAN CITIES. [2:23:00] I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO THE SPECIAL TO THE SIX-STORY REQUIREMENT. SO I'M COMPLETELY ON BOARD WITH [2:23:08] THE DISTINCTION WE'RE MAKING BETWEEN 30A AND 30B AND THE DIFFERENT USES THAT STAFF HAS [2:23:15] PROPOSED TO CARVE OUT, BUT AS COMMISSIONER WAGNER ALLUDED TO [2:23:22] WHEN WE'RE TALKING COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, IT WAS CLEAR WE HAVE A TRANSIT 30 PROBLEM, IT WAS NOT [2:23:29] CLEAR WE HAVE A TRANSIT 15 OR [2:23:35] TRANSIT 20 PROBLEM. SO I GUESS PROCEDURALLY, WE SHOULD MOVE THE ITEM OVERALL AND [2:23:40] THEN I CAN PROPOSE MY AMENDMENT. BUT I'LL MOVE TO DISCUSSION. [2:23:47] DID ONE OF YOU WANT TO SPEAK? >> I DO. I JUST WANT TO SAY I WAS AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. [2:23:52] I REALLY APPRECIATED THE INFORMATION. I'VE BEEN ONE WHO'S CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT OF SOME OF OUR MINIMUM HEIGHT [2:24:01] REQUIREMENTS. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE STAFF WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT [2:24:06] THE STAFF HAS PROPOSED SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT. >> WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THAT? >> YEAH, I CAN MOVE THE STAFF [2:24:15] REPORT OR RECOMMENDATION. >> ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A SECOND? >> I SECOND THAT. [2:24:21] >> ALL RIGHT. AND THEN I'M GOING TO MOVE MY [2:24:26] AMENDMENT TO MODIFY TRANSIT 15 TO 4 STORIES, TRANSIT 20 TO 6 [2:24:33] STORIES AND TRANSIT 30A TO SIX STORIES. IS THERE A SECOND TO THE AMENDMENT? [2:24:43] >> JUST CHECKING IN WITH THE CLERK. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT STAFF RECOMMENDATION. [2:24:49] SO I BELIEVE WE WOULD VOTE ON [2:24:55] THAT -- >> LET ME CHECK. I THINK AN AMENDMENT IS IN ORDER. BUT LET ME DOUBLE CHECK. [2:25:18] >> USUALLY WE BRING THE MOTION FORWARD AND THEN EACH AMENDMENT WOULD GET VOTED ON. [2:25:23] THAT'S HOW I'VE ALWAYS BEEN USED TO IT. [2:25:31] WHILE THEY'RE LOOKING THAT UP, WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION TO EITHER THE AMENDMENT OR THE UNDERLYING [2:25:36] MOTION. COMMISSIONER WAGNER. >> CHAIR MEYER, THIS ONE IS DIFFICULT FOR ME. WHEN I SAY DIFFICULT, I'M FULLY [2:25:42] IN SUPPORT OF ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE, BUT SPECIFICALLY YOUR AMENDMENT, I'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT IT THIS AFTERNOON AND [2:25:48] THOUGHT ABOUT OUR CITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN [2:25:55] AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A MASSIVE LACK OF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY IN OUR CITY. AND I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING THE [2:26:04] RIGHT THING TO MAKE MOVES TO HOPEFULLY BRING SOME OF THAT [2:26:11] BACK. WOULD WE LIKE TO SEE MORE DEVELOPMENT IN TRANSIT 15 AND 20, YES, BUT THESE ARE MINIMUMS [2:26:18] NOT MAXIMUM. I LOOKED AT THE MAP AND I THINK THIS WOULD MATERIALIZE AS [2:26:24] POTENTIALLY TOWNHOMES IN SOME OF THESE AREAS AND TOWNHOMES CAN BE BUILT VERY DENSELY. [2:26:29] I WOULD PREFER TO SEE LARGER BUILDINGS. I THINK A NEW BUILDING OF ANY KIND IS OFTEN BETTER THAN [2:26:34] NOTHING, AN EMPTY PARKING LOT OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. WITH THAT SAID, I'LL BE [2:26:40] SUPPORTIVE OF STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS AS STATED. >> COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR MEYER. [2:26:46] I WOULD ECHO WHAT COMMISSIONER WAGNER SAID AND WHAT COMMISSIONER JONES SAID EARLIER. THESE ARE MINIMUMS, IT DOESN'T [2:26:52] MEAN THAT PEOPLE CAN'T BUILD LARGER, BUT I THINK IT'S MORE INCLUSIVE OF DIFFERENT BUILDERS TOO. MAYBE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET [2:26:57] INTO THE MARKET, THEY HAVE A SMALLER COMPANY, THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE BIGGER BUILT FORMS. [2:27:04] SO I SUPPORT STAFF RECOMMENDATION AS WELL. [2:27:10] >> I DON'T THINK I SAW ANY SECOND. COMMISSIONER CHOWDHURY? >> I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE A [2:27:17] POINT OF ORDER AROUND OUR PROCESS TO AMEND, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE BACK THE AMENDMENT -- >> CAN YOU DO THAT FOR EDUCATION [2:27:25] PURPOSES? >> SO ACCORDING TO ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER MADE SIMPLE, ONCE A MAIN MOTION IS MADE IT'S THE [2:27:31] PROPERTY OF THE BODY TO AMEND. SO YOU CAN'T MAKE AN AMENDMENT UNTIL THERE IS A MOTION BEFORE YOU AND THEN IT IS IN ORDER FOR [2:27:38] A MEMBER OF THE BODY TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND. SO WITHOUT THE MAIN MOTION, WE COULDN'T EVEN AMEND. [2:27:43] >> RIGHT, THERE'S A CHART HERE ABOUT WHAT'S A DEBATABLE AND [2:27:48] UNDEBATABLE AMENDMENT AND HOW THAT IMPACTS THE WAY THE MOTION FLOWS THROUGH THE PROCESS AND [2:27:57] IT'S DIFFICULT TO READ. >> I HAVE TO ASSUME IT'S [2:28:02] SUBSTANTIVE POLICY THAT WOULD BE DEBATABLE THEN? >> I BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE DEBATABLE, YES. >> I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY SECOND ON [2:28:11] IT. WE'RE BACK TO THE UNDERLYING DEBATE ON IT. >> CAN I ADD ONE OTHER COMMENT, CHAIR MEYER. [2:28:17] I WOULD SAY I DO THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 5 AND 6. I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF AN [2:28:23] ADJUSTMENT FROM 5 AND 6 TO TRANSIT 30A. >> WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A [2:28:28] MOTION TO THAT? >> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT STAFF FINDINGS [2:28:37] WITH THE MINIMUM SET AT SIX INSTEAD OF FIVE. >> BUT TO CLARIFY YOU'RE LEAVING [2:28:43] THEM -- YOU'RE LEAVING 15 AND 20 AS STAFF RECOMMEND? >> CORRECT. I'M LEAVING THE THREE STORY [2:28:49] MINIMUM IN TRANSIT 15, 4 STORIES MINIMUM -- >> THE MAIN MOTION ON THE FLOOR [2:28:55] IS STAFF RECOMMENDATION WHICH WAS MADE BY JONES AND SECONDED BY THOMPSON. SO WE HAVE A NEW MOTION FROM [2:29:02] COMMISSIONER WAGNER UNLESS YOU WANT TO MAKE IT AN AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING MOMENT. [2:29:08] >> WHICH WOULD YOU PREFER I DO? I'M STILL LEARNING THIS STUFF. [2:29:13] I WILL AMEND THE PREVIOUS MOTION BY WAS IT COMMISSIONER JONES? [2:29:20] AND I WILL MOTION TO CHANGE 30A MINIMUM FROM FIVE STORIES TO SIX STORIES. [2:29:32] >> SO COMMISSIONER WAGNER'S AMENDMENT TO COMMISSIONER JONES'S UNDERLYING MOTION IS ON THE TABLE NOW. I THINK THAT COMPLETELY MAKES [2:29:39] SENSE. THERE ARE SO FEW TRANSIT 30 [2:29:44] AREAS, I THINK REQUIRING SIX STORIES IN THEM IS A VERY MODEST REQUIREMENT. COMMISSIONER CHOWDHURY. [2:29:49] >> I WOULD OFFER MY SUPPORT FOR THIS AS WELL. I THINK I WASN'T ABLE TO SUPPORT THE PREVIOUS AMENDMENT THAT WAS [2:29:55] ON THE FLOOR BECAUSE THERE WASN'T GOING TO BE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRANSIT 20 AND TRANSIT [2:30:02] 30A AT THAT POINT THAT I FOUND CHAIR MEYER'S ARGUMENT ABOUT A [2:30:08] REQUIREMENT OF SIX STORIES VERY COMPELLING SO I'M HAPPY TO [2:30:15] SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT. >> IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> CHAIR MEYER, I REALIZE MANY [2:30:21] PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN IN FAVOR OF THIS BUT NO ONE HAS OFFICIALLY SECONDED IT. >> I SECONDED IT. >> OH YOU DID. [2:30:27] I DIDN'T CATCH THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> ALL RIGHT, IF THERE'S NO ONE [2:30:32] ELSE, WE WILL VOTE TO THE AMENDMENT WHICH IS TO CHANGE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. [2:30:37] SO TRANSIT 30A WOULD HAVE A SIX STORY REQUIREMENT INSTEAD OF FIVE? CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. [2:30:45] >> COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. >> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. >> CONLEY. >> AYE. [2:30:52] >> JONES. >> NAY. >> SHEPPARD. [2:30:58] >> AYE. >> THOMPSON. >> NO. >> WAGNER. [2:31:04] >> AYE. >> MEYER. >> AYE. >> SO THERE ARE SIX AYES AND TWO [2:31:10] NAYS. >> ALL RIGHT. AND NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE UNDERLYING MOTION. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? [2:31:16] ALL RIGHT, I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL ON THAT. >> COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. [2:31:24] ON THE AMENDED MAIN MOTION. >> AYE. >> CHOWDHURY. >> AYE. [2:31:30] >> CONLEY. >> AYE. >> SORRY, MY LINES ARE TOO [2:31:38] SMALL. JONES. >> AYE. >> SHEPPARD. >> AYE. [2:31:44] >> THOMPSON. >> AYE. >> WAGNER. >> AYE. >> MEYER. >> AYE. >> WE HAVE EIGHT AYES AND 0 [2:31:51] NAYS. >> THAT IS ADOPTED AND CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS FOR THE DAY. OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING IS AUGUST 18TH AND WE HAVE NO [2:31:57] COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE THIS THURSDAY. ARE THERE UPDATES FROM STAFF? >> JUST ONE BRIEF UPDATE. [2:32:03] WE DID RECEIVE AN APPEAL OF THE DECISION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO APPROVE THE SEVEN [2:32:09] POINTS PROJECT THAT WAS BEFORE YOU ON THE LAST CYCLE. THAT WILL BE GOING TO THE BUSINESS HOUSING AND ZONING [2:32:15] COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 12TH. >> AND ALSO THE -- APPEAL. [2:32:21] CAN YOU UPDATE ON THAT? >> THE UPPER HARBOR TERMINAL APPEAL WENT TO THE BIS COMMITTEE [2:32:27] LAST WEEK AND THE APPEAL WAS GRANTED. SO ESSENTIALLY ADOPTING THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THAT AND [2:32:34] THAT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL THIS FRIDAY. >> ANY UPDATES FROM COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT, WE ARE ADJOURNED. [2:32:40] THANK YOU EVERYONE.