item 5 Item # 5.
II >i• -I/
City of
Elk -�-,
River
MEMORANDUM
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Michele McPherson;Director of Planning
DATE: February 12, 2002
SUBJECT: Attendance at National Conference
Each of you received the program for the National American Planning Association's
convention in Chicago to be held April 13 - 17, 2002. The City Council approved the
Planning Commission budget with funds to send two commissioners to the National
Convention. The Commission needs to identify who those commissioners are to attend the
III2002 National Planning Convention.
•
S:\PLANNING\MICHMC\MEMOS\NatlConf2002.doc
•
ANOKA
a[ Grand
for redoing
3tddowntown shape
n
.e
Concept aims to create a `destination' with
,_ The general concept for t's,,:
h Rum River focus, the historical heart of city restoring the river is to
e
n
e BY NANCY NGO ers market drew people to the make land east of the
L- Pioneer Press river.
"Anoka's been a destina- waterway available for
11 When it comes to redevel- tion for agricultural markets
o oping downtown, the city of forever," Kirchner said. "I walking trails, parks,
i- Anoka has decided it's best to remember bringing my
d go with the flow. cucumbers there to be sort- housing and retail
Lr The city has a concept plan ed."
for creating an urban "desti- • South of that district is development.
nation" that takes better the city's Historic Business
6, advantage of the Rum River, District, which includes
its main waterway. The proj- Anoka's main downtown area
d ect would include construction of shops, restaurants, the
of homes, shops, an expanded county courthouse and sher- UP NEXT
e farmers market and transit iff's department.
hub along the east bank of the The city has been working The city is waiting for a
river. to rehabilitate some of the response from the Metro-
"It's been an emerging aging properties and to bring politan Council on a
concept to focus more on the them up to meet safety stan- $70,000 grant it applied
river. It's the historical heart dards. The city has offered a for to develop a land-use
of the city,"said Bob Kirchner, low-interest loan program for plan for a commuter rail
�
ommunity development rehabilitation projects in the hub and the north cen-
irector. "It's clearly a renais- area. Block grant funds are tral business district. If
sance of rivers and rails. The also expected to be available approved,the city would
city's here' and developed in the near future. provide matching funds
because of both of these •South of the business dis- for the planning.
things." trict is a small section desig-
Eventually,Anoka planners nated as the Transitional
hope people will see the river Revitalization District, which
as a destination for taking a could be home to higher den- ble, with three to six acres
walk,going shopping or catch- sity housing,but would not be being added.
ing a ride on a commuter rail developed for five to 10 years. The Rum River restoration
train. Currently the land is made up project also includes a histori-
The general concept for of mostly single-family cal trail along the east bank of
restoring the river is to make homes. the river. Most of the trail has
land east of the waterway •The last project,the River been completed,with only two
available for walking trails, Redevelopment District, small portions remaining,
parks, housing and retail encompasses several projects. along the townhouse project
development. South of the Transitional and near the river dam,where
The city has divided its Revitalization District is a 58- the trail would intersect Har-
river restoration plan into five unit townhouse development rison Street.
pieces: called RiversPointe currently
• The Transit Station under construction. It should Nancy Ngo, who covers north
Neighborhood, 150 acres be completed by the year's suburban communities, can be
bounded by Garfield Street, end.Nearby Akin River River- reached at nngo@pioneer
U.S. 10, the Rum River and side Park is expected to dou- press.com or(651)228-2149.
Seventh Avenue, should be
developed if a transit station is
built.
Anoka is one of the cities ,:;. ,-.•3
identified as a stop for a pro- . Anoka rl(efront revitalization Northstar Corridor The city of Anoka has a series of projects planned to revive
•ommuter rail line running the business di rk*s adjacent to the Rum River.
om downtown Minneapolis - ,,,,- ,,,' i
o St.Cloud. -;T'ransitstation NeighbarhoQtl
A transit station would be �, 47 ' -'` wits probably include"a •• ,
built in the northeast corner . ''�,"�.._ .. ,commuter rail stationx high'l
:,,:! dens`rky residential,light affie
of the Fourth Avenue and the ANOKA and li9ht4industrial uses,,,::,,
Burlington Northern Santa Fe _,,e
Railway tracks. COUNTY - • .e,.� ,&
Other developments on the : - ; , "'`' • .
land could include high-densi- ' •`°
ty housing, offices and light 1 ( ,
industry. St. Proposed
"There's likely to be a lot Paul 4th Avenue ,1
more activity than there is • , station ,, erre t
now,"Kirchner said.
Currently, the area 10 - r
includes about 50 acres of 4 Proposed `""
green space that are owned by Qt commuter
the city, county or state. The ¢�a '� rail line
area also includes residential- '
ly zoned land, which could be �4 ' North Central
subject to future rehabilitation River Business District
projects. Walk . Harrison St.
• The North Central Busi DOWNTOWN
ness District, roughly six
square city blocks south of '' Van Buren St, O KA
U.S. 10 along the river, is slat- •`• tat_. -
ed for a mixture of shops, ''"� • ' r ,l
housing and offices.
The cityhas been acquiring �� " `"'-6=;, i =;. E.Main St.
q g -zg .ytr.. - •, ,
properties in the area for the w r>„„'$,t *; - ;w
past 10 years,and owns all but •”->
•one lot. Anoka officials hope Transitional Revitalization District ,
to attract private development `, will probably include a higher density
P of residential housing five to 10 years
to the district, which was the from now.
city's old industrial area, 0-- River Redevelopment
including a lumberyard. That District will include:
section of the riverbank also ASa-townhome project and park
might be home to a farmers - N \ IN
market larger than the cur-
rent one. ALEX LEARY,PIONEER PRESS
Historically, a large farm-
+
PIONEER PRESS ■ WWW.TWINCITIES.COM LOCAL NEWS
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MI1 NESGTA I.EG.$S ''URE .
gilled scto CapitolyTO
titin Pioneer Pr
St.Paul Mayor I
Public affairs at a glance urged state lawmi
• day not to cut f
Or1Sm charter schools an
he would ask fc
TWIN CITIES change to let the c
president a public school for
Affordable housingre ort faultedKelly and lot
p toured St. Pauls
ses Sept. 11Cesar Chavez cha
Legislator doubts agency's suggestions the severity of the problem in a Monday with U.S.
iTHIA BOYDway that would lead to signifi- Secretary Rod PE-
seer Press would fly because of state's budget woes cant movement." visiting several
The recommendations were around the counts
BY MARA H.GOTTFRIED lotion: meant to be pragmatic and to light the new fed(
r, Pioneer Press • Including a mix of home cover points the Legislature tion law signed r
ownership and rental units that would be inclined to approve President Bush.
Private builders need to do are unsubsidized. For instance, this year, said Kit Hadley,hous- Charters are
A' '� ,," more to help solve the afford- in a for-sale housing develop- ing agency commissioner. financed schools
' : ' able housing crisis in the state, ment, at least 20 percent of the "Cities and developers are organized by pa
11 v.=•, the Minnesota Housing Finance units would have to sell for no pretty polarized and our con- teachers and run I
•
g 1..„ % Agency told the Legislature in a more than the median cost of a cern for more lower price hous- of traditional dist
's report released Monday. home in the community.The bill ing is so compelling that we tion.First started it
,S Hugh But builders say this won't would call for cities to offer need to try to take some steps years ago, the cha
• Parmer tackle the real issue of afford- developers reasonable regulato-gulato- forward this year," she said. concept has spread
a ability. ry accommodations, including "We don't want to over-promise country. Cesar Cha
)icial of the U.S. "We always said the biggest increased density and smaller that this is some kind of silver in the fall with abc
T International thing the industry could do is lots. bullet.We're just trying to move dents, nearly all
Lt and newly make housing affordable to • Changing the way cities forward." Latino.
!sident of Min- more groups of people," said pay for road projects necessary Sen. Richard Cohen, DFL-St.
ted American Michael Noonan, developers' for development. Paul, who has authored other
nmittee. council chair of the Builders •Shifting the burden of proof legislation dealing with afford-
gist acts of Sept. Association of the Twin Cities. to cities to explain why they able housing, said the recom- -"€ i
that,he said. "They're (the housing agency) acted as they did if disputes mendations are a start,but they .:
Sly, in my view, silent on this issue, and the arise with developers. don't go far enough. ' ''-' I
y we'll finally do land-supply issue and we ■Requiring cities to consider "The recommendations " '.` ,
terrorism is to believe that's a real failure in the costs of local ordinances on would tend to let cities off the ^5. 4 ' k
a stake in stabili- the report." housing. hook a little bit and more so � .
said Monday."It's The 2001 Legislature asked Representatives of many than I might have hoped," he k .
i are desperate the housing agency to examine parties involved in the advisory said. "They put more emphasis 's,,
in training camps affordable housing laws and group, though, say the report on what the private developer f-
1." ordinances throughout the doesn't offer enough real solu- can do rather than what the city ;
onprofit,interna- country. An advisory group of tions for the affordable housing should do."
nanitarian aid legislators, builders, city repre- crisis. Considering the emphasis
E, was founded in sentatives and affordable hous- "I was not surprised that we this year on the budget, Cohen V`41,171,
ing advocates met in the fall and were not able to come to a con- said there might be less focus - --
e Clinton admin- winter to develop policy objet- sensus," said Jay Schmitt, co- on policy issues, leaving doubt `""f' '"'�''
armer led U.S. tives,identifying"production of director of Isaiah, an organiza- for him about whether the
n relief opera- privately developed, unsubsi- tion representing religious affordable housing recommen- U.S. Secretary of 1
I to war in Koso- dized affordable housing"as the congregations in the metro area dations would pass. gartners David San,
iein_Hon- most important. and St.Cloud. Nina Cerda during
Ni a, and On Monday the housing "The builders and the cities, Mara H. Gottfried can be reached charter school in St
Et is and agency recommended several while they have legitimate con- at mgottfried@pioneerpress.com
points to be considered for legis- terns, are not grappling with or(651)228-5262.
imports a 25-year
aid partnership ST
overnment and STATE CAPITOL
onprofit charita- Teachers pi
tions and praises
Pronosed laws foeus nn kids welfarP Dronosed co]
solve me ae- -its really become a land of venile delinquency cases ians, social workers, attorneys lowed some juvenile protec- worked l `
udge Robert c re around here," he said. where the suspect is not in cus- and ju WATCH program tion hearings to be open to the basis,Blae. VS
court's "most ' e going to see if we can tody, there must be a hearing directo cca Kuudy said. public helped expose the de-
tint." c ge that culture.It's not go- within 60 days of the time a pe- It's Zi6t as easylays,said David Sanders,direc
as you —Howie Padilv
tiles Blaeser ing to be easy and we know tition is filed.In juvenile delin- might think,"she said."They're tor of children and fame' i v hnadilla@st' N� •�e'ra0
uvenile court that." quency cases where the sus- dealing with human beings. vices for Hennepin' Ae 1 ,,,`� `re ..0. 0�,�a>
Mn time is one It has been common for pect is in custody, a hearing We're not sure how things are "We're r" 1 ! y‘a1 �a� e .� o
�`� d��e� ems ' ooh G°.Q�,�,e -\.'c
�U►�vl ��a�oe '1'� 5\ `��`.�e� e• `° .fi a�`es`aa°°°�
1 B1 HOUSING from Bi 30,000 people n- " oSe� ��e west' s•t i° �sv ��`seS aQOaa'a5��`��SJ e�
p r P �Q 0---,,-00>
bov� ay at oprt' apo' 1,-.,e, �0,-,..e, fito t`cO
adopt in ekQ kW-311s Qom. br 'l y , ak`> a to ap ap cc e� , � ��°
ea , ear op d t p tb ay'
y Members of committee laws ' k.)v v pars mea���y es wee Berea CW4 ee 4 sts�tta. o a Sri a e tb
�l t tit. pb" 2' �� vo° e
Se t��e �y top ` CtO e�b`3aW er�'°mer ati col` ea t,oi. 6 IP
unable to reach consen 1 �po�`�'sty Gad' a,19' �vye afterb ren•V�'�eba so.- ent�S0
e� r ��a R°s 13,03 au tt-r'days fiber' del koupa 0♦010 Latera p«t•
the Although developers, cities thing th-' ,, J ety" Write erect a are•a t o• adv- yve.1"1' rar.1.1'�av v �° s0e as of d'
and housing advocates served lv" „ said ratdM Sta gats'.�tt o�rig er o�eafteraeed' ver stn' R is- flove
on the agency's study commit- J / e�4tu�' 1' " ' SiR�11.119 e ��b-tipy t•rica°rt'to° barn,odea d4ta`JsrrtaAV�rsco orbtton� par off"
ler tee and agreed on some :..----°- J• ls °tY'tieaaecett`J"e Star ty,V�S�b ir'atsc°iso dtea cnt�' bleaZcriea�d,a��erett`1 d in a a er�'`n f°r p ings, they couldn yea«Tbe a1°�t`]ar•e 4a''att cy cX'�dc°‘J�a°`Neivered e1�ubb tbetSnJ°6 de4j�•29tardaire uta to recommPr s 1�R' a�a tta i 1� amort' e d atb Drat s t° bt° •t\. bbaa\OM
lar would ing re"- ' deve l\°u rt'i' ap oke tettp c�ea era by sb asap ocal �a� e,`Na ep:� t� �u
s that had ei buil 4a�\e �toN to tp fie•VS- ark is -nevi` tbeba tb• aoat . tre l ua- G�at1 °omtr V to e said diall
t° p� -04 e 4 „ ,e,,,,- oa aea ap o e b ,,eox-
said.The big ip� t1`l.1 e Q tb �. et- to ups a t-ren tc°ats.ackets -04� es'tt bates tot"' �ttes �O� 000 ip
it respon- son. 4?trlto °r 1e�°tin�4�a a 4 y° befo ove tter 1 y0o 4 1fac as o4 bit�'utbot ��y %100' Se
rty found omn true 4-04 atke have ottbe' pte�-aribacklot-tr so •14,&-�0o��,ed A Vika".
pe1"trapa e���btcantl at enou pat:p�o°atn may e elf aag, a. to ap ttp sa d 6i°„ comic lo' aAve°vrec°X�
Y g ,pot•%lepra ip tb-��y -pry s red cb°°dad eye coR'°��,`Nr°e °ss ar �� v� stYv �atb rave ‘t2:2‘.,0‘
t.N
ng to pay Ton V• take er s 42” e . VW? Lbs t4 .Nsk v tb
hare be- byist, a, opa6 stGoo4ortt°t arty pst aea.rt�otC'pa akv,0oer�se° eap )' c°o sts• �e sta�tr�f°r °ut
rty wasn't tcause ofhe a enc scauss o-su4op-pt op�?b eb ro•Rev• o took- s �'Cj �O,�CS�U` Rapt a d 4 el‘y�oao��ias a• epc`l
chwebel, cut out buy �t- t o4Q�t�1 SuU�va1'' tb��sell C tie 1ne°,p:, • bo. co 6,,to•lltOp
cloger,{'e $ap 6t �' SOD 11'e c°° -1( tall iptts AZA o\-ct
six plain- get the Leghdors tpapB $008 ort, deSl T 1o��t°p t1°ttt the 4 etto.
gwasn't a recommend .pens 0�0pe osee tion. See*S
aye - CJ, �6 a aov�'rt o40 tre apstt
involved. less.
0o a opP call ♦ a011 ‘3,(‘I' . Eup est t a ItaJ to a4"
ig is rea- Affordable- Cst...ie s°pctwtth C S� ��'� e niter at t, le-
pct�s ect-a day
dictable cate Russ ��j1` ersre .t1 but 2 VA‘ oiler >>y P° ?A Gov.se0 vteto
Adam, oth p� mitts �- 0t1e e Std tura stat' e t tt
V a p at/° " btt� tec was o itte epa g9:
he law in rector of the Alli, 6031\1
e
p ♦ a er'4ti e xt s, ptottt 6S Slav Tfi 'arc ay - s lekw 4Co o e tbe eV?
b0Os.
d. ropolitan Stabile �o`N ves us ost• tvin��1 NPA 41 000 tills ariG
and Gill, agency"is trying to kipt
c�pae ceON the �e c a tp' p,cu v-v� tpatoll:trop ee't �tp4• dries ated
ren Lanz, ip ap et of t� .er father, a Det ore t`0toP ,piles watt°p tsdpc Beo° -r std rash t rt `,SGT erevue Dot he
st the or ‘k()\eS;k1
O� 1 P •
ers o upas 1 1p* �_A -pate ao vts• % e'ttc casp,,�tor �T�r 0,p skywayDented Ve 0 tepts her° styea,,ovstp�tre se dila tPvepv�,otp avotosr°otp, foncl°sedIS
p r s°t11X1- pac`l veabyeYl°u rnep sthe ed.1p �eav- thee:nt deci GROUP from Bi S f 0 ce p. st° o tb ortk t �tb' t:lit dell �e at 4rtaysB trues c\tt a44t aby ttec �tsee scta44 tba o42 aae e vest,Y nil u44 aver •pcec ab\e v4a`slock- aoesp steaa shy 1e s a`ldeptpo%e'1posteAd we will n,Ce e b° ark-t vc\'' stVl use- AO Olt o`N Ipeto4e• 1e tb-�- c�t'a tp�t° • A:to'
e our po Some in GL eS ti ag,o.�m sato s vstp� -b° ov' axe to n�'tp -aev b-tub �b BNoov-
1" b- o til vt a� be of
al's g ' ell° Ace e t.ipc atttop�• r-`t °tt rte obey"
g6� ctt`l
s that the others react OPOS at iter c2SO" e 1°�' °vt trasas`Netiec°rp t° -10/,ct 3/4,10
og$° apply Doo•
apped at Pr gtapstaSS�r cy to tb ��i •state its study qu e00 ldrit ri3��
ough at- Cooper and the main orga- stele TO p'aq,e•N-0 b°\as eptsub cy tt'aa t°t a Ia�s - -
Vg�NG als wou er Lha ,,,,::
1 that the nizer of the new group,veteran Si Trti s bous�o4ers etp�-ale s as 4�ops'tre ask- ��prop°les o110 '``,:.`.
)le that activist Gail Weinholzer of S to v- ip� 1 T 60 rr1 btc. unt
I that the Woodbury, declined to say ex- , The statrat ed b°•ties a�a �epac��,st°lie10et, a•Ns'i,ty4t co
in the ac- actly which candidates they 1 utgtp e 10.11" ort\e0t-ts tttlea of�ptre1 et. 60>couptr`Jt to til' '": r
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year. -�v- Vv"V" '[nose close to Karen Hubbard buried her Monday with her baby.
•
"This is not helpful," said
House Majority Leader Tim The Allison for the tragedy remains a myste* ,
Pawlenty,R-Eagan. "We're try-
ing to grow and expand the By Richard Meryhew heartbreak. gone to the bathroom stall l�,etween 8
party, trying to make it attrac- Star Tribune Staff Writer "In my 27 years as a priest,this is one of and 9 p.m. that night complaining that
tive to more people. Extermi- my toughest weeks,"Jakubowski told the she wasn't feeling well. When dorm
nating people from the party is WEN, WIS. —They gathered in a mourners who gathered Monday at Holy mates checked on her,she told them that
not a good marketing plan." tiny church in a tiny town on a Rosary Catholic Church in Owen to mourn she didn't need help.
Pawlenty may have a per- clear and cold Wisconsin morning Karen Hubbard,19,of nearby Withee,and When they checked again at 11:30
sonal stake in the effort be- to remember a woman who died too her infant daughter,Julienna Marie Hub- p.m. and she didn't respond, a resident
cause of Cooper's early and ag- young and the baby she delivered min- bard,who died five days after her mother assistant crawled under the stall door
gressive support for Pawlenty's utes before her death. bled to death after delivering her. and found her not breathing.Emergency
chief opponent for party en- Wearing overcoats and parkas and the "I cried and prayed." responders tried unsuccessfully to revive
dorsement—Long Lake busi- red-and-black letter jackets of the local Hubbard, a freshman prepharmacy her. When they moved her body, they
nessman Brian Sullivan. high school,more than 500 people hud- major at the University of Wisconsin-Eau found the baby.
died with sad eyes and sorrowful faces in Claire, was found dead in a dormitory
GROUP continues on 86: hopes of finding comfort in the words of bathroom the night of Jan.29 after giving SERVICE continues on 86:
—While some oppose effort, the Rev. Al Jakubowski, who struggled birth to the full-term girl. —Parents issue a statement of thanks
others react with caution. himself to make sense of the loss and Authorities have said Hubbard had for offers of love and support.
Housing
LRT plan for walkway
scrapped ped for skywayfor Bloomin ton sought will carry an extra$100,000
in
construction and design
a redesign for the g
costs. Hiawatha Avenue Light
Proposal urges incentives for developers elude lower-priced units but station-megamall Rail Line staff have recom-
offer incentives such as allow- mended paying for it with
By Steve Brandt age housing at prices or rents ing more than the usual num- link at 24th V.S. contingency funds.
Star Tribune Staff Writer below market averages.But the ber of units to offset the cost. By Laurie Blake The rail line now has about
agency said such incentives Last year in Minnesota in- Star Tribune Staff Writer $16 million in its contingency
The state's housing agency can't make housing affordable clusionary housing legislation fund, down from $24 million
is urging that developers who to the lowest-income house- was approved by the Senate A curving, architecturally at the start of the project
propose mixed housing — holds without traditional gov- but blocked by the House,and distinctive walkway that was about a year ago. The Metro-
meaning opportunities for ernment subsidies as well. the report doesn't recommend to link Bloomington's 24th politan Council's Rail Transit
both owners and renters at a The agency made its recom- reviving it now.Instead it seeks Avenue light-rail station with Committee is expected to ap-
variety of prices—be entitled mendations as part of a study to encourage developers by re- the Mall of America has been prove the expenditure today.
to regulatory breaks such as al- of inclusionary housing laws quiring cities to be flexible. scrapped in favor of a straight
lowances for higher density. that the 2001 Legislature asked skyway that leaves room for LIGHT RAIL continues on B9:
• The proposal by the Minne- it to conduct.Such laws,which HOUSING continues on 86: the widening of 24th. —The revised design is
sota Housing Finance Agency exist around the country,typi- —Proposals wouldn't apply in The change, made at the fora 208 foot,heated and
(MHFA) is intended to encour- cally require a developer to in- counties of fewer than 30,000. city of Bloomington's request, enclosed skyway.
-
QQT,T ITU,JATf�T T rtn... •..- --- - " ' _ _ .. ., -
'T
solve me ae- "its really become a land of venile delinquency cases ians, social workers, attorneys lowed some juvenile protec- worked out on a case-by-case
udge Robert c re around here," he said. where the suspect is not in cus- and ju WATCH program tion hearings to be open to the basis,Blaeser 4110
:ourt's "most ' e going to see if we can tody, there must be a hearing directo cca Kuudy said. public helped expose the de- `
tint." c ge that culture.It's not go- within 60 days of the time a pe- "It's t as easy as you lays,said David Sanders,direc- —Howie Padilla is at <
ules Blaeser ing to be easy and we know tition is filed.In juvenile delin- might think,"she said."They're tor of children and family ser- hpadilla@startribune.com. ..
uvenile court that." quency cases where the sus- dealing with human beings. vices for Hennepin County. •
)n time is one It has been common for pect is in custody, a hearing We're not sure how things are "We're really sending the
1 Bi. HOUSING from B1 30,000 people or in cities that For all-ownership projects, cates are pushing again this
adopt inclusionary housing at least 20 percent of units session for an inclusionary
ly Members of committee laws.Minneapolis has a partial would need to sell for less than housing law, with features to
inclusionary housing law that the median price of homes sold maintain a unit's affordability.
Gl unable to reach consensus requires 20 percent of rental or in the relevant city or county. Adams said MHFA's proposal
ownership housing that is fi- For example,that would mean provides a base to build on.It is
th7_ nancially assisted by the city to less than $168,609 in Apple similar to last year's Senate-ap-
e Although developers, cities thing that is feasible political- consist of units affordable to Valley. proved legislation.
and housing advocates served ly." low- and moderate-income Tom McElveen,public poli- One MHFA task force mem-
ler
the agency's study commit people.But developers of own- cy director for the Builders As- ber, Rep. Dan McElroy, R
ler tee and agreed on some find- The recommendations ership housing can buy their sociation of the Twin Cities, Burnsville, supports the agen-
ings, they couldn't agree what Specifically,the MHFA pro- way out of the requirement by said that although higher den- cy's mixed-housing proposals.
ire put a to recommend. Cities fear los- posal would encourage breaks subsidizing such units else- sity helps, the unaddressed is- He said there's pent-up de-
iat would ing regulatory power,develop- for developments with mixed where in the city. St. Cloud- sue is the region's need for mand to address the housing
s that had ers want the ability to build on housing prices or those that area cities also are discussing more buildable land to lower affordability issue but that it's
said.The bigger expanses of land and mix rental and ownership an inclusionary requirement. lot prices. tough in a short session fo-
it respon- some advocates think the rec- housing.City officials would be The threshold for qualifying The study found that land cused on budget cuts.
rty found ommendations don't go far required to negotiate with de- as a mixed-housing develop- costs can make up one-quarter He also said it would be
cantly at enough. velopers of such housing to al- ment would depend on owner- of the cost of a single-family controversial to shift the bur-
ng to pay Tonja Orr, the MHFA's lob- low such cost-saving features ship type. In mixed rental- house, but that's also the limit den of proof to cities and to im-
hare be- byist, acknowledged that be- as more units per acre,smaller- ownership developments, at that housing costs can be driv- plement a separate affordabil-
rty wasn't cause of the lack of consensus sized units or narrower streets. least 20 percent of units would en down by increasing density. ity proposal under which the
the agency will have its work The recommendations need to be rental, although Making housing even more cost of building collector
;chwebel, cut out but said it will work to would shift the legal burden of there's no requirement that affordable to low- and moder- streets—those a step between
six plain- get the Legislature to act on its proof for such proposals from they be low-priced.In all-rent- ate-income people can only be residential streets and main
g wasn't a recommendations nonethe- the developer to the city.Cities al developments, at least 20 achieved by applying tradition- city arteries — would be
involved. less. would have to prove they have percent of units would need to al public subsidies, the study spread over a broader area sur-
ig is rea- Affordable-housing advo- valid health or safety reasons to be affordable to people in the said. But using regulatory rounding a development.
dictable, cate Russ Adams,executive di- reject proposals that meet their lower quarter of state or area breaks to cut prices up front
he law in rector of the Alliance for Met- zoning requirements. incomes,or 40 percent to peo- makes those subsidies go fur- —Steve Brandt is at
d. ropolitan Stability, said the The proposals wouldn't ap- ple earning 60 percent or less ther,Orr said. sbrandt@startribune.com
and Gill, agency"is trying to pass some- ply in counties with fewer than of the median income. Affordable-housing advo- or 612-673-4438.
rip Lanz,
er father,
st the or-
)pointed
ant deci- GROUP from BZ cans,"Eibensteiner said. Wellstone. dards]. They believe in the
)ectfully Cooper has not shied, since "For a guy who was dead sanctity of human life and op-
d we will Some in GOP oppose effort. he stepped down as chairman and didn't know it, the presi- pose legislation that devalues it.
e our po- two years ago, from blunt at- dent thinks pretty highly of Conservatives support the legal
others react with caution tacks
cks on Republican leaders he him,"Day said."None of us are definition of marriage as a
s that the perceives to be too moderate conservative enough for him union between a man and a
apped at on social or fiscal issues. [Cooper]." woman and oppose legislation
ough at- Cooper and the main orga- the state and was instrumental His forceful intervention on Day and Cooper quarreled that recognizes any other defin-
I that the nizer of the new group,veteran in dramatically increasing the behalf of Sullivan a year ago in separate appearances at a ition."
)le that activist Gail Weinholzer of party's fund-raising. helped push former St. Paul Republican Party gathering a On fiscal issues, Cooper
I that the Woodbury, declined to say ex- Mayor Norm Coleman from the year ago: Day suggested that said, "Republicrats" use "polit-
in the ac- actly which candidates they Just aggravating gubernatorial race.At the time. Cooper was trvine to nlav a rnle iral rhvtnrir to attPrnnt to rnn_
y
IIIST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS • WWW.TWINCITIES.COM
,,Ai
au "'w;k, f;r -'' ME ,
SECTION
NEw BY MOLLY MILLETT
Pioneer Press
you're not a fan of shag carpet,crumbling siding or ancient furnaces.
You want to buy or build a new home,not deal with an aging one.
With just one week to go before the Parade of Homes Spring Pre-
view, we asked builders, mortgage brokers and real-estate agents
buyerps specializing in new construction as well as the Builders Association of the _
Twin Cities how they would advise people interested in buying or building a
new home.Here's a primer to get you started:
FIRST STEPS
•Before touring model homes, contact a mortgage company to find out
what sort of mortgage loan you are qualified to get.By narrowing the price
range,you'll feel less overwhelmed and more focused in your search.
A primer for people ■Before meeting with a builder,write down what you want in a new home.
How many bedrooms?How many baths?What sort of upgrades—whirlpool
Sv h o want afresh start. tub,three-car garage—are priorities?Where do you want to build,in what
price range and in what time frame?By doing some homework,you'll ensure
a more fruitful discussion with a builder.
•Decide if you want a single-family home or townhome.There are many
townhome choices today. Some look like detached,
single-family homes but actually are part of a town-
home association. Others are styled like two-story
.
.
in the Twin Cities,many developers and builders are
building more multifamily housing to get more money
for the land they have purchased.Some homeowners
.. today also like the ease of maintenance-free living
-
,,, . .,.,, ._ . • that townhomes esbrin .
Attend
,
• a free Parade of Homes Spring Preview
seminar"Twelve Deadly Mistakes People Make When
me and
' ','"• ' : Home,"presentedBuilding
byoSue Marshall of Home Resource
I
7' Your New
�' •�- %4 ^ Realty from 9 am. Feb. 23 atthe Builders
to noon
..;, ; �. ". °, ,, , _ ;",;,F.y;;;" , •�;;% ;;'•, '� ,; ; - • Association of the Twin Cities, 2960 Centre Pointe
c,,.,, ,,, .,,.,•; is e 971 "
, ,_ Drive, Roseville. Seatinglimited;call (651) 6 904
for reservations or register at
a www.paradeofhomes.org.
CHOOSING A NEIGHBORHOOD
s O - ■ If you want to live in a new-construction home
d5t close in,you may need to shop for a townhome.If you
_ want to build a single-family home in a first-ring sub-
urb, such as Roseville, you may need to consider
. ,.�, ,,.rn
''.:,?'''',7:, an existing
,_4 '- '- -_' • h
e N.,,a:,.., ' S...nor,`.
home,which is becoming more common
"'°" • ■ Research schools and taxes in communities
where you're considering building If it's a growing
taxespay for new
city, there are likely to be rising to a
.,-., .., �. - . .;:7; i
: • ,:�.:. .. . . . schools,new infrastructure,etc.
,.
DAVID STEINLICHT,PIONEER PRESS BUYERS,2J
;,n;-Ar
010=1400,04,My,µl.�},M, ' vy.�i'��"!{"-+'w. i,.e5ti�v ,:•:4 f;_:,.;;'.::2,'".Yi;• C.r.:.,� - ,r'o5.n �L'.I h'-' - :' 4 '�H1.tG,,,r!%, ., �'' „2** yyg�p�.�,
.,.NH ti.P`Lx'"' �!'�T'A"'u�`• '�IS�0. t'ST 5rv}:Y'4k��',..•f-n:'Y.,."`.-:'sG;^.'.. Y.- ��1 1 y�'". W�`.]rai.M. q�y(L . � Y'���,�"�� '�.,' �-^'v�,ry� '-�W-'-.._-- .�+i?i�Y�r$Y��•�'�.�'C's"�"'Y
III2J SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2 010 2 ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS
ing Allowances," aimed at help- your own? Did the builder
Buyers ing consumers sort out choices, return your phone calls? How
upgrades and selec>lions for a did he or she react to changes
new home,presented by Marge you wanted?Ask to speak to the
(continued) Gleason of Builder's Carpet builder's bank and the title com-
from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 16 at pany the builder works with to
the offices of the Builders Asso- get a handle on the builder's
SHOPPING THE PARADE ciation of the Twin Cities, 2960 finances and organizational
Centre Pointe Drive, Roseville. skills.
• This year, there will be a Seating is limited •To get viewpoints not pre-
record 824 model homes to see Call (651) 697-1954 for reser- screened by the builder, visit a
during the Parade of Homes vations or register at www neighborhood where he or she
Spring Preview. Look at homes .paradeofhomes.org. builds.Knock on doors and talk
in your price range in communi- to those homeowners about the
ties where you may want to live. NEW HOME PRICES builder.
• To find out if other con-
Design trends for The 824 model homes in the sumers have filed complaints
Parade of Homes Spring Pre- against a contractor,contact the
today's new-home view give some perspective on Better Business Bureau at (651)
the cost of today's new house. 699-1111.
market include lower Of the total, 575 homes are
ceilings, multifamily
priced
ghestbnu nber�(2577) ranging CONSTRUCTION
ETIQUETTE
housing and from$200,000 to $249,000. Here's
g a breakdown: •Find real-estate agents and
old-fashioned ■ No new homes in the mortgage brokers who special-
• neighborhoods. Parade are priced below ize m new construction.
$100,000. • Don't hound your builder
• 175 homes are between and risk damaging the relation-
$100,000 and$199,999. ship. (For example:If he or she
If you're having trouble finding • 390 homes are between is building 20 homes, and each
a home in your price range,visit $200,00 and$299,999. customer called once a day,that
builders who come close. After • 158 homes are between would mean 20 phone calls to
•
you've picked a neighborhood $300,000 and$399,999. return. When would they find
or community, interview time to build the homes?) A
builders who work in that area CONSUMER SAFETY real-estate agent specializing in
and find out what land they new construction may be able to
have available. •Get a copy of the"Citizen's help answer your questions dur-
• Before visiting the model Guide to Home Building and ing the process. Smaller
homes in the Parade, go to Remodeling"from the Minneso- builders sometimes have more
wwwparadeofhomes.org and to Attorney General's office by time for"handholding"than the
study homes online. You can visiting www.ag.state.mn.us or big guys do.
take virtual tours of some calling(651)296-3353. • Timetables for building:
homes and access many of the ■ If you want information Expect custom-built homes to
builders'Web sites. about a licensed contractor or take a minimum of six months.
want to see if a contractor is From a larger builder,in which
SELECTING FEATURES licensed, contact the Minnesota you are simply choosing your
Department of Commerce home from several existing
• It's not just about granite Licensing Division at (651) 296- plans, expect three or four
countertops anymore. Today's 6319.For more information,visit months. Remember, though,
new homes can have pre-wired www.commerce.state.mn.us. and be prepared: Delays can
high-speed data lines, security •If the builder can't give you and do happen.
systems, high-tech lighting and dozens of references,find some-
super energy-efficient heating one who can.Some questions to Molly Millett can be reached at
and cooling systems. ask those references: Describe mollymillett@pioneerpress.com
For more information on how the builder behaved during or(651)228-5505.
choices in today's new homes, the construction process — did
. attend the free Parade of Homes he/she help you through it or
Spring Preview seminar "Mak- did you feel as if you were on
2B N SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2002
•
WWW.TWINCITIES.COM ■ ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS
WHITE BEAR LAKE
Neighbors spar parkingof work vehicles
over
BY MARISA AGHA said. big enough to store the trucks
Pioneer Press Not so, said City Manager IF Y 0 U GO and bringing them home saves_
Mark Sather, who said city their employers'money.
A debate over the parking leaders needed to revisit an "'The garages are too short
of commercial vans and trucks "ambiguous" definition of The White Bear Lake " and too narrow," said Dan
in neighborhoods has pitted commercial vehicles. The City Council will take up O'Rourke,a plumber who lives
aesthetics against lifestyles in city's existing code states that the commercial vehicle on the same street as Feffer.
White Bear Lake. homeowners could have one issue on Feb. 12 with a O'Rourke said that he finds
Now city officials must commercial vehicle parked in public hearing on Feb. Feffer's concern about proper-
decide which they consider a garage,unless it belonged to 26. Both meetings are ty values "preposterous" and
more important to residents. a visiting worker. at 7 p.m. at White Bear if the city bans outdoor park-
The issue came up about a The question, said Sather, Lake City Hall, 4701 ing of his van,he will lose time
year ago when resident Tony is whether the code defined Highway 61. with his family by having to
Feffer complained to the city vans with racks and pickup commute to his shop in down-
about the outdoor parking of trucks as commercial vehicles. town St.Paul.
arercial vehicles overnight Some sport utility vehicles,for posal, which goes before the "It's my livelihood,"
dlnoin weekends in his neigh- instance,have racks. City Council this month. O'Rourke said of the van. _
borhood. Several of his neigh- That's when city officials That still leaves Feffer Neighbor Peter Hall, a pip-
bors work as phumbers, elec- began devising new defini- where he started. - efitter, has a two-stall garage,
tricians or painters and use tions and rules, including a "The issue is put your coin- but says that he doesn't have
company vans or trucks that proposal that would allow the mercial vehicle in the garage," room for his half-ton work_
they are allowed to take home outdoor storage of one pickup Feffer said. "Why do we have truck. He was among a group
after work. truck or van with roof attach- to look at that?" of residents who received a
Feffer,a real estate consult- ments — like ladder racks — His motives are not rooted letter from the city in Decem
ant, looked up the city's zon- per household. Whether or in\elitism or personality, he ber that they were violating
ing code and told the city that not the vehicle sported a cora- said. Preserving property val- current code.
his neighbors were violating mercial logo would not matter.- ues and environmental quality "Obviously, I want to be
city code by parking the vehi- The city's planning coin- in the neighborhood are his able to park my own work
des outside. The city was not mission this week recom- concerns,Feffer said vehicle in my driveway," Hall .
enforcing its own laws, Feffer mended approval of that pro- "Typically, our homes are said."Where are we supposed
our biggest investment," Fef- to live?"
---i fer said. "The aesthetics is ' In the meantime, Feffer
very important to the value of says he fears that he's been
your property I take my pride painted as a "bad guy" and
in my property. That's what worries about his family's
I'm all about." safety. He reported an alleged
Feffer also worries that the stalking incident to police
workers'vehicles are exposed after this week's planning
to chemicals or other potential commission meeting.
pollutants on job•sites that Ultimately, the community
could hurt the neighborhood. has to decide what it values, '
Neighbors who drive and Sather said.
park the commercial vehicles "All we want done is to
say their garages often are not have it clarified,"he said.
•