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Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes October 24, 2016 Page 6 1 Ms. Traci Tomas, Vice President, The Village, LLC provided a letter to Mayor Faust and 2 Councilmembers dated August 26, 2016 re – Sketch Plan for Redevelopment of 2501 Lowry 3 Avenue, St. Anthony, MN (the “Property”). This is a narrative to provide additional detail for 4 the Sketch plan. 5 6 Mr. Rothstein reviewed the Master Plan of the Southern Gateway Redevelopment shown in a 7 drawing. As much of the parking for the development as possible will be underground. There 8 would be many courtyards throughout the project. Mr. Rothstein showed a perspective View 9 looking to the northeast. Vision sketches were also shown. Favorable feedback was received at 10 the neighborhood meeting. 11 12 There were no questions from the Commission. 13 14 Ms. Traci Tomas showed some of the feedback received at the neighborhood meeting. The 15 majority of the comments were very detailed, specific and thoughtful. There were some concerns 16 about Building C and discussions are being held and revisions will be made. There will be 17 additional neighborhood meetings in the future. 18 19 VI. COMMUNITY FORUM 20 21 Ms. Antonia Alvarez, who lives in Lowry Grove, using an interpreter, stated in April, Traci 22 Tomas and others entered Lowry Grove as a violator attacking a victim. Along with Phil 23 Johnson, and ever since then they have tried to save Lowry Grove. They raised $6M but 24 believed they stole from them the opportunity to save Lowry Grove. The photos shown were the 25 worst images of Lowry Grove, which is not maintained. She stated for the last 10 years, Phil 26 Johnson and Traci Tomas have been planning this great work. They were not included in Phil 27 Johnson’s plans. She stated they have made the conditions unlivable to try to stop their work. 28 Traci Tomas thinks with $2,000 – $9,000 the residents will be able to survive someplace else. On 29 October 17-18, Traci Tomas sent in her work equipment to rapidly remove two older mobile 30 homes. She believed they delivered dangerous equipment that put the elderly and children at risk. 31 Ms. Alvarez feels discriminated against and that the community at Lowry Grove is being 32 discriminated against. She noted the Latino community lives in Lowry Grove and unless they 33 bring their own interpreter they do not understand what is being discussed. She feels an 34 interpreter should have been provided and once again they have lost this opportunity. 35 36 Ms. Alvarez feels Traci Tomas and her corporation are bringing a project that will harm their 37 community. She brings in poor quality equipment and charges high prices. No residents of 38 Lowry Grove could afford to live in the buildings Ms. Tomas is proposing. Ms. Alvarez hopes 39 their efforts to save Lowry Grove will be recognized as Traci Tomas is putting them out on the 40 street. She is afraid of the people working for Traci Tomas in Lowry Grove and believes she is in 41 danger. If something happens to Ms. Alvarez it is the responsibility of Traci Tomas as they are 42 paying her rent. She wants Traci Tomas and her corporation to leave St. Anthony and for the 43 Planning Commission to understand, noting residents of Lowry Grove were present at the 44 meeting with the majority being Latinos. Ms. Alvarez believed many of the elders are in danger 45 6