Reading the Highland Villager #230

[A Villager in a window.]

[Basically the problem is that the best source of Saint Paul streets & sidewalks news is the Highland Villager, a very fine and historical newspaper. This wouldn't be a problem, except that its not available online. You basically have to live in or frequent Saint Paul to read it. Until this newspaper goes online, sidewalk information must be set free. See also: Three Reasons Why I Re-Blog the Highland Villager.]



Headline: St. Paul adopts ban on to-go containers; New rules to take effect in 2021
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: If you want to give people food in a box, it has to be recyclable or compostable within a few years. Angry business owners are concerned about having to charge an extra nickel or whatever. CMs Noecker and Busuri voted against it. CM Noecker argued that "companies that make or sell plastic should be regulated, rather than the small businesses." [Because there are lots of styrofoam production companies in Saint Paul that we can regulate? Weird argument to me. Wasn't Jacob Frey's wife the lobbyist for the styrofoam industry when she got in the tangle with CM Thao?]  


Headline: New charter school moving into old St. Francis; values-driven based education will be offered to student sin grades K-6
Author: Anne Hauth

Short short version: Another charter school.


Headline: St. Thomas to break ground in April on new Faith Center; Construction of two new dorms on Cleveland Ave. will commence in June or July
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The University of St. Thomas is building sone new buildings for students to live in. Also a "spirituality center." The new dorms will have 575 beds and 157 parking spaces. [Why so much parking? At the very least, I hope they charge the students a butt load for it. They do not need cars.] The school might have a two-year residency requirement soon. [That is a good move IMO. First- and second-year students are not very good at living in cities.] There will be noise and disruption from construction.


Headline: Lunds & Byerlys invites comment on plans for Grand Ave.; Grocery at Grand and Avon would occupy the first floor of new apartment building
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: A grocery store wants to build a building with a grocery store and apartments in it on Grand Avenue, where a few chain stores were formerly located.  Article does not mention if neighbors are concerned. The site is zoned B2.


Headline: 'Sno relief in sight; Twin Cities ban parking on one side of street in wake of record snowfall
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: There was so much snow that they had to get rid of some parking. [That's a lot of snow! How can you tell? Because parking.] Safety is mentioned as a reason. Article mentions snow. Some trash cans have not been emptied because "Saint Paul does not plow alleys."


Headline: Commission objects to any single-family homes on Ford site
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The potential developer of the Ford Site had a long list of requests for changes to the Ford site plan passed by the city. Some of them were approved, but others were not, including the request to have single-family homes along the river. Article quotes the developer VP, saying that it was "comments at neighborhood meetings" that favored single-family homes. [And yet, the year-plus of public input and extreme public conversation, deliberation, and subsequent election all seemed to dismiss the idea.] The single-family house would be the "spark fo the rest of the redevelopment", according to the VP. ["Flint: our new spark will surprise you." Couldn't anything be the spark? Is the Ford site not extremely flammable? The "spark" argument seems weak to me. Whatever they build along the river will sell right away.] One Commission is quoted as saying SFHs "go against what we're trying to do with this site in terms of density." Other changes were accepted. [Stay tuned for more on this topic.]


Headline: Ryan requests $107M plus in public subsidies for Ford project
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The Ford site development will require a lot of TIF money. [Which is one reason to have density and equity there.]


Headline: Landlords sue cities for requiring them to inform new tenants of how to register to vote; Ordinance is called unconstitutional
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: Some landlords are suing Minneapolis and Saint Paul for requiring "compelled speech." [Isn't this super easy to do? The "Minnesota Voters Alliance" seems like a right-wing front group aimed at voter suppression to me.]


Headline: Met Council reaffirms support for streetcars along West Seventh St.
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The Met Council voted to approve the streetcar plan alternative [even though many many details are still vague or undecided]. It is now eligible to apply for Federal funds. A potential second tunnel by the fort "has raised red flags for American Indian leaders and historic preservationists." [Um. There is a freeway in a tunnel right there already? Also for the record, the fort is a fake reproduction of the historic fort.]