5/3 - Joint Meeting on Sustainability, Strategic Planning and Smithtown Corssing Development

5/5/11

The Insider's sorted through Tuesday evening's meeting between Council, Planning and Parks Commissions. Salient points are:

Sustainability
The Planning Commission recommended adopting Minnesota Green Step Cities program. This is a no-cost program that provides structure and recognition to cities for achievement. Brad Nielsen, Planning Director, volunteered to lead the effort. There was comment from Nielsen and some Commissioners that the City is already doing some of the 28 steps and that all of them may not be appropriate. Mayor Lizee offered little to the conversation other than the effort was great. Where is her leadership? After all, she's the one who's been saying "sustainable" and "green" over and over.

Strategic Planning
City Administrator read the results of the first meeting. When Council Member Siakel asked if the Commissions had input, the silence was deafening. Finally, Quinlan of Parks stated that Parks goals seem to align well. Hartman of Parks and Siakel raised doing a resident survey. The subject of surveying residents has been something Lizee has been talking about for three years, but doesn't seem to know how to get off the ground. It'll be interesting to see if something happens. Council Member Woodruff commented that using an Internet survey (as it was an alternative discussed) had serious shortcomings since a recent LMCC survey showed that up to 27% of households in the area do not use the Internet.

Smithtown Crossing
The Planning Commission has spent lots of time looking at what might be done with the property on the NW corner and along Smithtown Rd. going west from County Rd. 19. The idea of the City purchasing property for future development was raised. Mayor Lizee seems in strong support of this. So, is this another way to spend your tax money? It's not clear. Lizee mentioned using the $1.8 million allocated to "infrastructure" projects. The insider notes that the Road Plan is still underfunded and it seems this is a better place to spend the $1.8 million rather than raise taxes to fund the road plan.

Zerby seems to want to buy the land and turn it into "open space" or "temporary event" space. His uses might be a farmers market or an art fair venue. Is this what Shorewood really needs? Zerby's ideas would permanently take this tax-paying land off the tax roles, taxes that would have to be borne by you, the readers.

Council Member Hotvet seems to want new and innovative development but didn't put forward any ideas. She did say that the draft information presented "frightened" her as to commercial/service development on the site. She seemed truly confused as to what commercial/service is even though its explained in the draft documentation and the City's zoning code.

The Planning Commission is moving forward to have some neighborhood meetings to collect public reactions. Zerby asked that a green space alternative be included for these meetings. Again, there was discussion of doing a resident survey. Isn't this something the Mayor should be leading?

Happy Reading!
The Insider