[Mpls] Hiawatha Flats

[David Brauer]

Tony S. asks:

> I believe the density of the Klodt development is good.  I am not
commenting on the
> design.  I would like to note that several commentators have suggested
opposition
> to the R-5 zoning, which I believe is consistent with the planning study
of the
> area.  I would appreciate hearing from Mr. Brauer his views on development
in the
> Hiawatha corridor.

While I'm not intimately familiar with Hiawatha's development plan, in
general, I support greater density in transportation corridors, though
that's not a blank check since the devil is so often in the details.

However, my views aren't that important in the current discussion; I think
the views of the neighbors and elected and appointed officials matter much
more.

One thing I know from my time in journalism is that the current Planning
Commission is strongly pro-density and hardly anti-development. That makes
it more significant that six of them voted against the Klodt project in
committee, with only Carol Kummer voting for it.

Greg Abbott writes, of Wendy Wilde's suggestion for mandatory recusal when
an official receives a direct or indirect political contribution:

There are non-trivial First Amendment problems with this proposal, not the
least of which is defining what an interest group is.  Should someone who
takes support from, say Progressive Minnesota, be banned from voting on the
whole range of public issues that PM has taken a position on?

Me again:

I think this is a red herring. PM is a broad-based group with broad-based
interests. To me, that differs significantly from a single developer with a
single significant interest.

However, I agree generally with Greg, which is why I proposed voluntary
recusal rather than mandatory. I'm not sure exactly where to draw the line,
but I feel Ms. Kummer's vote was clearly on the wrong side of it.

Also, a member of Park Watch informed me offlist that Billy Weisman's
contribution was $5,000, not $10,000 as I earlier stated. My apologies for
the error. There was some additional analysis that Weisman's share of the
reform effort's money was far lower than that of Klodt's for the Board
majority; I hope the details are shared with the list.

David Brauer
Kingfield