11-28-2022 CC - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council November 28, 2022 Regular Meeting Page 7 anticipated that most residents in Mounds View did not want this building in their back yard. He encouraged the Council to consider what was driving this project, if it was finances or if it was the highest and best use for this site. Pat Leary, 5250 O’Connell Drive, indicated many of his concerns have already been stated. He stated this project did not look good on paper, nor would it look good outside of his back window. He did not believe the Gray Stone Flats was an appealing project and feared how the proposed project would impact his neighborhood. He noted the schools were full and the police department was overwhelmed. He recommended the Council deny this project. Kim Alexander-Susens, 5209 O’Connell Drive, stated she did not want this apartment complex to be approved for many reasons. She discussed the number of trees that would be lost if this development were approved and noted this would be the entrance point to the City. She did not believe the rows and rows of apartments along the Mounds View Boulevard corridor was appealing. She commented on how unsafe traffic already was in her neighborhood and stated an additional 140 apartments with 1,000+ people would only make this situation worse. She indicated the additional traffic would make it incredibly unsafe to walk in her neighborhood. She recommended the Council deny the Woodale Apartment project in order to protect the neighbors who already live in this area. Ben Sigrist, 5270 Greenfield Avenue, explained he sent the Council an email prior to the meeting. He thanked the Council for hearing the comments from the public. He stated he appreciated the great points that had been made and encouraged the Council to consider how traffic and the lack of access would impact this neighborhood. He indicated the lack of public transportation was also a concern for him. He reported he has worked in supported housing for the last 15 years and he valued affordable housing for individuals that were disenfranchised. He understood housing was a key function to making this society work. He was of the opinion, the surrounding infrastructure could not hold support the proposed number of units in this small space. He believed the proposed building was not a good fit for this site or for the neighborhood and recommended the Council deny the request. Paul Kroonblawd, 2280 Mounds View Boulevard, stated the property at 2280 has been in his family for 125 years. He explained if the developer gets to Phase II, he would not be selling. Sherry Nelson, 7555 Groveland Road, stated two weeks ago she spoke about having a desirable and thriving community. She questioned if the City understood the impact the additional 140 units would have on the school district. She noted she was very active when her children in school and understood there was a large percentage of children in the community that were in need of assistance. She discussed how school performance was a direct correlation to property values. She understood people were moving to the community because Mounds View had great schools. She expressed concern with the quality of the water that would be running from this site given the fact the site would be fully covered with asphalt and a building. She questioned what the builders commitment was to the community and asked what the neighbors were getting from this development. She encouraged the City to increase its transparency and communication with the public by offering the pros and cons for this development.