The Venue at Dinkytown - (14th Avenue SE & 5th Street SE)

[twincitizen]

It seems weird to make planning staff bend over so awkwardly to use the document camera and microphone when presenting. Can't they raise that desk a foot or two so the planners can stand up straight and make eye contact with the council?


CM Hofstede is speaking...which is weird because she is not on the Z&P Committee. I don't care that this is in her Ward. Why does she get to speak outside of the public hearing at a committee of which she is not a member? It just scares the crap out of me because of the tendency of this council to vote unanimously with the councilmember of the ward in question.

Schiff has moved approval. Final comments wrapping up before a vote.

EDIT: Holy shit. 3-2!!! I couldn't hear exactly which way they voted. Who were the no's?

[Didier]

Just as long as nobody forces CVS out to make room for a large, national retailer.

Had this discussion before. Chains have been moving in before any of the major development occurred. Potbelly, Five Guys, McDonalds, Subway, Pizza Hut, Qdoba, Bruegger's, hell even the Library is a nationally present chain. BWW came in to an old fire station just down the road. The chains would have come in regardless. The point is that large development doesn't mean, unquestionably, that large chains will come in. Sally's, Campus Pizza, Purple Onion, Goldy's Locker room, etc are all proving that. Also Opus' comments on the type of tenant they're looking for. Let's see if it happens - Duffy's has stated they want to re-open in the new space. If it happens I'd say that's a commitment to local business, no?

I'm not overly concerned about an onslaught on chain restaurants, I just think you tend to make sweeping statements that contradict each other.

A few posts ago you said "people continue to use the fear of big chains coming in, ignoring precedent for existing small businesses staying in Dinkytown and Stadium Village. It's ridiculous." Now in this post you point out how many chains are in Dinkytown and imply that more chains are inevitable.

[gpete]

It passed. 3 to 2.

[FISHMANPET]

He said they're looking for smaller shops.

Gary has made a motion to approve the rezoning, and the council members are currently discussing that. Cam Gordon spoke first, he will be opposing the motion.

And they just voted 3-2 to approve, and everybody that spoke immediately shuffled out. And since I'm a nerd I'll watch them discuss 15th Ave student housing, but I'll stop live blogging it.

[woofner]

Did Cam Gordon provide a rationale for his opposition?

[TheUrbanGopher]

That was too scary.

[mullen]

thanks for the updates. i had to turn off the stream. so meg tuthill voted to approve. good on her.

[FISHMANPET]

Cam Gordon basically said there's a lot of discussion here and we need more time.

And I was also terrified, especially when the mics weren't picking up their votes.

[RailBaronYarr]

I'm not overly concerned about an onslaught on chain restaurants, I just think you tend to make sweeping statements that contradict each other.

A few posts ago you said "people continue to use the fear of big chains coming in, ignoring precedent for existing small businesses staying in Dinkytown and Stadium Village. It's ridiculous." Now in this post you point out how many chains are in Dinkytown and imply that more chains are inevitable.

In no way do I contradict myself. Chains exist. My point is that development like this has not caused the onslaught of chains and decline of small business since that has happened long before any "mega projects" like this went up. To act like it does ignores other examples of locally-owned businesses continuing operation in the area and even in new big apartments.

[twincitizen]

Goodman and Gordon were the "No" votes then? I assumed Reich and Schiff as "Aye" with Tuthill on the fence. Her concern was not the development itself but small, independent businesses being able to afford the spaces (from a face-to-face conversation I had with her at the DFL mayoral convention)

[mullen]

umm ok, im reading this failed to pass 3-2. so the motion to approve failed.

[gpete]

Eric Roper from the Star Tribune has tweeted that the project was NOT approved. He tweeted that Schiff and Reich were only two supporting the project... Someone please clarify!

I heard Schiff say the proposal will go to the full City Council, which I thought meant that it had passed.

[mullen]

so tuthill voted against. boo on her. yea..on to the council for more pontficating.

[gpete]

Crap, then this project is in deep trouble. They will point to Linden Hills and say that they like the Opus development, but that they want to give more time for the Small Area Plan to play out. This talking point was already being hinted at by Gordon, Goodman, Hofstede, and Tuthill. It's a complete cop-out. Really disappointing.

[woofner]

Let's keep in mind how the city council works. The other councilmembers base their vote on that of the councilmember whose district the project is in. Apparently Hofstede spoke against, so this project is toast. Kudos to Schiff & Reich for bucking this anti-democratic system.

[twincitizen]

Hofstede spoke in opposition to the project. The chance that it passes the full council is uhh...slim at best. EMAIL YOUR COUNCILMEMBERS FOLKS! Tell your friends in other Wards to do the same.

At least Diane & Meg can ride off into the sunset together at the end of this year...they're both toast.

[David Greene]

At least Diane & Meg can ride off into the sunset together at the end of this year...they're both toast.

Do NOT underestimate Meg's chances. She has a lot of supporters and a lot of money. Yes, some people really dislike her but her supporters are very loyal. Meg has done a lot of positive things in the Uptown area over several decades and people don't forget that.

A Bender win is in no way a slam dunk. She needs support.

[David Greene]

Hofstede spoke in opposition to the project.

It's not clear to me from the live blog exactly what her objection is. Can someone clarify?

[FISHMANPET]

Are we currently in our old pre-redistricting council boundries or the new ones? Because I used to be in Cam's ward, but I won't once election time comes, but I'm not sure who's my CM right now.

[FISHMANPET]

You can watch the meeting already on the website:
http://v.qwikcast.tv/view.aspx?q=11R3N

The voting happens right around the 101 minute mark. I listened again, only Schiff had his mic on, so I could only hear his yay vote, and then they said it was 3-2 but they never actually said if it passed or not, only that it was getting passed onto the city council.