Design guidelines for new home construction, new ped bridge to West End, and more

​Happy Summer! Here's city-related information that may be of interest to you. 

Bridge to West End: A long-awaited pedestrian/bike bridge from the western portion of Ward 1 to the West End area is finally in the works! Council recently allocated funds for design of the bridge, which will cross over the BNSF tracks near Peter Hobart School. Construction will begin next summer, with completion anticipated in Fall 2020. 

Design guidelines: Can support for more move-up housing coexist with a commitment to preserving the physical continuity of neighborhoods? At our study session tomorrow night (7/9), council will discuss the pros and cons of developing design guidelines for new home construction. New guidelines could regulate things like maximum lot coverage and roof height relative to existing homes. If you care about this issue, now is the time to make your voice heard. You can email me here. 

Ever heard of Monkey Island? Right here in Ward 1, at Toledo Ave. and 28th St., is a once-charming relic of days gone by. Designed by renowned landscape architect Arthur Nichols (who also designed sections of Skyline Drive overlooking Lake Superior), Monkey Island was built in the 1930s as part of Lilac Way, a 12.5-mile stretch of Hwy. 100 that included seven beautiful roadside parks. Check out this cool website on Lilac Way. Monkey Island needs some TLC to restore it to its former glory. I encourage you to visit the site (follow the path that starts here and leads toward the sound wall) and send me an email if you think council should consider making a modest investment to restore the historic area for kids, families, seniors & others to enjoy. 

Youth and Senior Advisory Commissions: Your SLP City Council will soon decide whether to create two new advisory bodies in SLP: a Youth Advisory Commission and a Senior Advisory Commission. I'm in support of both and believe my colleagues are too. The more input we can get on issues that matter to these communities, the better our decisions will be. If the new commissions are created, residents will likely be invited to apply. Are you interested? Stay tuned! 

Dockless bike update: At our May 29 study session, a majority of council members said they wanted to hold off on pursuing an agreement with a dockless bike share provider, in order to learn from nearby communities' experiences before diving in. Concerns expressed included bikes cluttering sidewalks and who will be responsible for removing/recovering abandoned bikes. More information on this as it becomes available. 

September meetup: I’ve been hosting meetups for Ward 1 residents and others to discuss topics related to city council business and community life. Meetups take place the first Sunday of every month from 3-4:30 pm at the Birchwood Park warming house, 2700 Zarthan Ave. S., and all are welcome! We're on hiatus for the summer, resuming in September. The topic for September 2 will be Police Body Worn Cameras. 
 
Thanks for reading & please reach out to me any time with your ideas and concerns. 
 
Margaret