urbanMSP

That restaurant is not adjacent the side streets, I doubt it would have had much impact on the spaces across 46th Street (that'd ben an unfriendly walkup). Remove the permit areas, and those neighborhood spaces would still have been chuck full of LRT hide-and-riders, not benefiting the restaurant. A fancy new concept restaurant, trying to succeed in what could be considered a "concept space," relying on LRT traffic rather then parking? That's a hard sell for the bank. Maybe a grab-and-go franchise or something non-dining would work here. Or an established name. Or a Food Truck upgrader. But its a hard place to get to for a meal by itself.

Not if there's pricing for on-street parking on 35th/36th.

Also, commercial loan underwriting needs to get with the times apparently.

Really? Do you actually believe that a restaurant that has aspirations (and expenses) beyond just a little cafe can survive on the walk-up business from the surrounding areas, or on people taking the train? It seems cold-bloodedly accurate to recognize that any restaurant of even a modest size requires access to some parking (it needn't be in a dedicated lot, but if the permit parking has effectivley removed all on-street parking...).

A fundamental part of a good business plan is demonstrating how your customers will get to you.

I wouldn't walk or take the train to Locavore...

My wife and I would have biked.

We should probably direct this conversation back to the Oaks Station Place thread, unless you specifically have more comments as it relates to permit parking.

The point is that permit parking means no parking for businesses meaning fewer businesses and amenities for a neighborhood.

What are the permit hours for that neighborhood? My house is near the 38th Street station and the hours you need a permit for are 1-2pm and 7-8pm.

46th St Station area critical parking: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 279200.pdf

38th St Station area critical parking: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 274915.pdf

What's up with the weird hours they come up with? Presumably the 7-8pm thing is about Twins games*? Isn't this all about 9-5ers hide & riding to downtown? Why ban evening parking without any evidence that it's even a problem?

The strange hours extend beyond these two zones. There is absolutely no standard citywide when it comes to parking restrictions in these permit areas. It almost seems like the City needs to abolish all the current permit parking regime and start over from scratch with a more systematic approach.


*For sporting/special events, I'd figure most suburbanites would just park at Fort Snelling or 28th Ave, not hide & ride on City streets.


EDIT: Lowry Hill has a large permit parking area, but it allows for 2 hour parking, even during the restricted hours (8am-8pm). At first glance, that seems like a fantastic compromise to manage the needs of both residents and short-term visitors. http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 131040.pdf

If you live in the city but still a larger distance east or west from the Blue Line, you could park and ride.

I don't get that all the fuss is about. We're probably the only country in the world that would complain about parking. All the cities in Europe have massive parking problems since most of them don't have off-street parking. If you live in the city, the expectation is that you'll have to park 2-3 blocks away from your apartment most of the time.

This is why there are small shops and restaurants all over the place. You can drive go grocery shopping at the big grocery store and buy 5 bags of groceries for the week, but it's nearly impossible to get those groceries from your car to your apartment unless you have 3 kids to help carry everything (that's what my mom always did). If a large restaurant is losing money because people there's not enough parking for customers, make the restaurant smaller and open a second restaurant 10 blocks away. yes, profit margins are lower, but this is how great cities are made.

A resident of 42nd Avenue South across the street from Minnehaha Falls Park put up a sign the size of a small refrigerator that reads "We used to live in a neighborhood. Now we live in a parking lot. Respect neighborhood parking."

I've never understood why people get so bent out of shape about street parking especially when they're paying for car storage on their own property.

It must be awful living next to an awesome park that lots of people want to visit.

Whenever I hear stories like this, or about neighborhood groups opposing even the slightest change or development, I can't help but imagine these people as Woody from Toy Story

Has there ever been a time when people haven't parked in the neighborhood? Hasn't it always been a "parking lot"?

Has there ever been a time when people haven't parked in the neighborhood? Hasn't it always been a "parking lot"?

I think with the reconstruction of Minnehaha Ave nearby, people are 'forced' to park in the neighborhood more now. As it's harder to get into the park (for those who don't know the streets well). Parking is odd that way, people will seek out the easiest place when unfamiliar. I live on the other side of the park from Hiawatha Ave, near the 50th Street LRT station. I'm always amazed at the neighbors who literally froth at the mouth at people parking on the streets for going to the park or the light rail. I like having more eyes on the street personally.

A resident of 42nd Avenue South across the street from Minnehaha Falls Park put up a sign the size of a small refrigerator that reads "We used to live in a neighborhood. Now we live in a parking lot. Respect neighborhood parking."

I've never understood why people get so bent out of shape about street parking especially when they're paying for car storage on their own property.

And especially since the parking space in front of their house is not entitled to them.

When my parents lived in Chicago (and so did I, for a bit) it was hard enough finding a street space for parking ANYWHERE on the block, let alone in front of my parents' building! I can just see the laughs I would have gotten if I put up a large sign stating "I used to live in a neighborhood, now I live in a parking lot -- respect my street parking spot"!

This reminds me of my sister-in-laws neighbor. They live a few blocks from Snelling and Randolph. There is a small coffee shop on the end of their street so they get a lot of rotating parking. Her neighbor nailed a sign to a tree that says "Space saved for residents only" or something like that. It was wrapped in syran wrap. haha! Everyone ignores the sign.

We have a completely legal way to piss of folks like this... It's usually easiest to pull off with a handful of folks over a short period of time. PM me for more details. We can have Sea Salt afterwards!

Car2Go caravan to Sea Salt?

Write "Get a life!" on the sidewalk in chalk?