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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes September 12, 2017 Page 6 buildings is very dark and more likely to be similar to buildings in downtown Minneapolis not in 1 St. Anthony. She urged Council to consider the guidelines when considering the project. She is 2 not against developing the land but how it will be done is important. She would like shorter 3 buildings, more trees and greenspace. She stated St. Anthony could become a model to the 4 Country on how problems are addressed. 5 6 Ms. Susan Cox, 27th Avenue NE, stated her yard backs up to the Kenzington. She is not opposed 7 to the higher density. She pointed out Lowry Grove is currently zoned single family which is 20-8 25 units per acre. She has concerns with the water management aspect of the developer’s plan 9 and believes the City needs to plan for more than the typical rainfall. The developer said the 10 traffic will not be impacted. She urged the Council to reject the developer’s request for Tax 11 Increment Financing, thinking they should not need financial assistance. She stated she wants 12 any development in that area to include affordable housing and does not think the current 13 proposal is the only option to be considered. 14 15 Ms. Andrea Boss, 31st Avenue NE, read a letter from Mary Jackson of 3605 37th Avenue NE. 16 She asked that a special election be held to fill the vacant Council seat. She does not want the 17 Council to use the appointment option. Ms. Boss agreed a special election would be the most 18 transparent way to fill the seat. 19 20 Mr. Perry Thorvig, 3112 Townview, agreed two years is too long to have an interim 21 appointment. He also agreed a special election should be held. Mr. Thorvig asked if the 22 developer would be making a presentation and would the public be given the same amount of 23 time for feedback and comments. Mr. Thorvig commented on the Planning Commission 24 Meeting, feeling that residents missed a couple of components of the Lowry Grove plan, i.e., 25 Letter of Proposed Development requiring the City to approve and provide for the settlement. He 26 noted the letter references Tax Increment Financing and he saw the preliminary request for Tax 27 Increment Financing from the developer for $20.5 million. He stated the developer stated the 28 project would not proceed without Tax Increment Financing but this was not included in the staff 29 report. He referenced another letter dated August 1st stating the terms of the settlement were 30 confidential. It did not give the details of the global resolution. He does not feel this is a fair and 31 open process, noting the City of St. Anthony was not part of the settlement negotiations until 32 now when the Council is told they must approve. He stated it is time for the Council to take 33 control of this project. He requested Council follow the Planning Commission’s recommendation 34 for denial of the proposal. 35 36 Ms. Susan Guthrie, 2616 Pahl Avenue, expressed her concern on flooding. They were present at 37 the 1998 flooding mitigation project and flooding continues on the streets with high rainfalls. 38 She described the flooding in the past, thinking the numbers used do not reflect the current 39 rainfall patterns as many residents have had water in their basement. She noted the developer 40 cannot add water to the already flooding problems and she does not believe Lowry Grove can 41 manage their own water. She stated she had called the Mississippi Watershed and asked if they 42 were involved in this project and was told they are not, were willing to help, but have not been 43 asked. She noted that Ms. Rothstein and Mr. Hubmer are not City employees. They are contract 44 employees from WSB. She stated she does not know how many hours they work on St. Anthony 45 business and suggested more resources be put on the project on behalf of the City. She requested 46 6