[Mpls] Park Board Agenda / Eloise Butler

[Svattheriver at aol.com]

I am really grateful  to have this issues list. Thanks also to  David Brauer 
and Scott Russell for the work they do to unfold the mysterious  secrets of 
park planning and process.
Concerning the damage proposed to Eloise Butler wildflower sanctuary,  David 
posted the following article in the SW journal
_http://www.swjournal.com/articles/2005/06/30/news/news07.txt_ 
(http://www.swjournal.com/articles/2005/06/30/news/news07.txt) 
from the article by Scott Russell-
 
 
 
"The battle is underway for 50  acres of woods in Theodore Wirth Park. 
The Friends of the Eloise Butler  Wildflower Garden want the area - bounded 
by Glenwood Avenue, I-394, Theodore  Wirth Parkway and Xerxes Avenue - to 
remain a buffer zone for the fenced-in  garden. They oppose a newly expanded cross 
country ski trail that abuts the  garden in places, and worry it will invite 
more intense usage such as bike  trails, authorized or not." 
I would note that I really hate to see unsigned flyers, the flyer I read,  
about the damage to Eloise Butler was signed by a committee but with no  contact 
number or individual name. Unsigned flyers are a hallmark of nasty  politics. 
So again I ask process questions- there is a chart that outlines the planning 
 process that is REQUIRED before the MPRB can approve the implementation for 
a  project. 
_http://www.minneapolisparks.org/documents/design/planning_chart.pdf_ 
(http://www.minneapolisparks.org/documents/design/planning_chart.pdf)   
Are the Park Commissioners just bulldozing over these requirements for a  
Citizen Advisory Committee, a public hearing, and a 10 day citizen appeal  
process? ( Well, yes it looks like they are.) 
The SW journal article indicated that there were three public meetings about  
this. While this is great and should help bring forward a better proposal 
these  do not meet the requirements of a public hearing as set out in  Park Board 
 Ordinance 99-101 
_http://www.minneapolisparks.org/documents/design/ord99-101O.pdf_ 
(http://www.minneapolisparks.org/documents/design/ord99-101O.pdf)     
The Park Board is required to give at least 10 days notice in a  newspaper of 
general circulation and to provide notice to all affected in a 3  block area 
around the park. 
The Park Board has rules and regulations concerning public process that are  
legal requirements.  
I would speak to these issues at open time, but you can't speak unless you  
sign up by the previous Monday ( today) and even if I could find out it was on  
the agenda, I could not speak to this issue because open time is only for 
things  that are not on the agenda. I would speak at the planning committee as 
part of a  public hearing process but the public is not invited to speak at the 
planning  committee even though it is the official location for public comment 
about  development issues- assuming that any of this is on the agenda. 
Thanks, 
Scott Vreeland  Seward