[Mpls] De La Salle and Non-Discrimination

[Shawne FitzGerald]

****The MPRB Commissioners again voted on the De La Salle issue 
tonight.  A couple of weeks ago, the Board voted to accept the Citizen's 
Advisory Committee (CAC) report and recommendation - with practically 
all Commissioners pointing out that the vote was NOT an endorsement of 
the De La Salle proposal but simply an acceptance of the CAC's work.

Tonight was a repeat of the same scenario - in short the MPRB 
Commissioners voted to use the CAC recommendation as the basis for the 
Environmental Assessment Worksheet.  The actual text of the resolution:

"That the Board accept the final design adopted by the Nicollet 
Island/De La Salle Citizen Advisory Committee for the athletic field as 
the design that will be reviewed in the City's EAW process and the 
Board, by adopting the design, is not making a final governmental 
decision to permit the project, approve the project, or begn the project 
and that the Board, by adopting this action, is not determining the 
subsequent development of the project or limiting alternatives to the 
project or any mitigative measures related to the project that may 
result from the EAW process."

The resolution was twice amended. 

Kudos to Commissioner Erwin for stubbornly insisting that before the 
proposal is forwarded for review [by the City for the EAW] the MPRB 
require that De La Salle abide by non-discrimination ordinances and 
statute.  This issue was raised today in a City Pages blog:

**Will Non-Discrimination Clause Trip Up DeLaSalle Stadium Efforts?**
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2005/11/why_tonights_pa.asp
By Britt Robson

Comm. Fine refused to accept Mr. Erwin's proposal as a friendly 
amendment.  Several Commissioners tried to discourage Mr. Erwin from 
setting forth the non-discrimination requirement at this time.  An 
immediate speaker in favor of the amendment was Comm. Dziedzic who 
seconded the motion (& it is always nice to see DFLers cross faction 
lines to act like DFLers.)  Mr. Siggelkow mentioned that the field would 
be ONLY used for athletics implying there was no need for the 
amendment.  Comm. Erwin responded that he couldn't foresee what the 
field would be used for in the future - and without the 
non-discrimination requirement, he didn't believe the proposal should 
move forward.  MPRB attorney Brian Rice spoke in favor of the 
non-discrimination action saying it was standard to include this in MPRB 
contracts.  The amendment passed with all in favor.

Commissioners Erwin and Young also proposed an amendment to 1) eliminate 
the planned parking expansion and 2) increase landscape plantings.  This 
amendment also passed unanimously.  So, the CAC recommendation, as 
amended, moves forward to the City Planning Commission for the EAW process.

The De La Salle issue inches along and less than a week before the 
election, Commissioners are off the hook.  They have yet to truly  vote 
for or against the MPRB giving De La Salle a 75 year easement of 
Nicollet Island regional parkland.  Comm. Dziedzic pointed out that by 
referring the matter to the City, it is quite probable that the issue 
will not return to the MPRB until next year - and the Board will be 
reconfigured by then.

An interesting aside:  one of the speakers at tonight's public hearing 
represented Minnesota Atheists.  Evidently, his organization has been 
collaborating with the MCLU.  He requested that public access to the 
proposed shared facility be through the MPRB and not De La Salle.

FYI,
Shawne FitzGerald
Powderhorn

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