Get ready for the Nov. 7 election!

Posted on October 17, 2017 by staff

Get ready for the Nov. 7 election, Minneapolis will use ranked-choice voting

The City of Minneapolis is gearing up for the Nov. 7 municipal election, which will be the city’s third election to use ranked-choice voting. Sample ballots are now available, and voters can go to the elections webpages to see how their ballots will look in November.

There are three ways voters can cast their ballots: by mail, in person at the Early Vote Center and in person at their polling place on Election Day. As we get closer to the election, the City is working to remind folks how to use ranked-choice voting, and to make sure people know how to register to vote, how to find their polling place, and to answer any other questions about voting.

Sample ballots available now

You can see exactly what the ballot in your precinct will look like. Just go to vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/ballot and a link there will take you to a Minnesota Secretary of State webpage where you can get your sample ballot. It’s a great way to make sure you’re prepared for the voting booth, and you can bring it with you to the polls as a reference.

In the mayor’s race, 16 candidates will appear on the ballot. Each ballot across the city will also feature two other citywide contests: one for two at-large seats on the Board of Estimate and Taxation, and one for three at-large seats on the Park and Recreation Board.  Columbia Park residents will also have a chance to select a representative for Ward 1 Council Member and District 1 Park Board Commissioner.

Early voting is underway – Request a ballot now

Early voting has now begun, and any voter who wants to cast an early ballot can do so. This can be done in person at the Early Vote Center, 217 S. Third St., at the corner of Third Ave. S. and Third St. S., one block from City Hall. Standard voting hours will be 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, with extended hours including weekends in the final days before Election Day.

To vote early by mail, voters may request an absentee ballot. Ballots are then mailed out, and they include everything a voter needs to send back a completed ballot. Visit vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/absentee for absentee ballot applications in multiple languages that can be printed out and mailed, faxed or emailed in to request a ballot. Also online is a link to the Secretary of State’s absentee ballot lookup tool to follow the status of an absentee ballot that has been submitted. You can also watch this video on voting by mail for more information.

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Draft Agenda for the Board/ General Meeting Monday October 16, 2017

Posted on October 14, 2017 by staff

The regular Board/ General Meeting of the Columbia Park Neighborhood Association will be held Monday October 16,2017 at 6:30 pm at the Columbia Golf Manor 3300 Central AV NE, main floor Bride’s Room at end of the south corridor.

For reasonable accommodations, alternative formats, translation services or the accessible entrance opened please contact CPNA staffer Liz at 612-390-3735. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call.

Columbia Park Draft Meeting Agenda for Monday October 16, 2017

6:30 – Call to Order for Board Actions
6:31 – Approval of the Agenda
6:35 – Approval of the CPNA Draft Minutes for Monday September 18, 2017
6:39 – Treasurer’s Report- Receive and File
6:45- Open Time (anyone can come an address the board on a topic of their choice for up to 3 minutes, per NCR rules this does not include candidates running for office)
6:59 – General Meeting
7:00 – Crime and Safety Update
Battery Theft Update with Lt Sheldon, 2nd Precinct MPD
2 PAC
7:30 – Old Business
Looking for a newsletter editor
Options regarding the revolving loan program/ housing money
Soundwall
7:45 – New Business
St Anthony Parkway Bridge Re-Opening Event
7:55 – Announcements/ Communications

Fall Street Sweep Begins Tuesday, October 17

Minneapolis Public Works will begin the big task of curb-to-curb sweeping and leaf collection on streets throughout the city Tuesday, Oct. 17. During the four weeks of the comprehensive fall street sweep, crews will clean about 1,000 miles of city streets. To make sure the sweepers can do the best job possible, temporary “No Parking” signs will be posted at least 24 hours in advance so streets will be clear of cars when they’re swept. The first signs will be posted Monday, Oct. 16, and sweeping will begin the next day. Anyone who parks on the street will need to follow posted parking rules or their cars may be ticketed and towed.

City crews will post “No Parking” signs at least 24 hours before sweeping any streets. Parking will be banned from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the day a street is swept. The “No Parking” signs will be removed as soon as possible after a street has been completely swept to allow people to resume parking. Vehicles not in compliance with “No Parking” signs may be ticketed and towed to the Impound Lot.

Folks can use an interactive feature on the City’s website to find out when the sweepers are coming through their neighborhoods. The tool will be available at www.minneapolismn.gov/streetsweeping once we get closer to the start date. The fall street sweep takes four weeks, and visitors to the website will be able to find out which week their street is scheduled to be swept. Then, on the weekend before each of the four weeks, the schedule for the upcoming week will be broken down to show which day of the week streets are scheduled to be swept.

Project Status Update – Columbia Heights and Minneapolis – University Avenue NE

What is CenterPoint Energy doing for construction?

Crews from CenterPoint Energy began replacing an existing natural gas pipeline in Columbia Heights and Minneapolis in the week of September 18, 2017. Project construction is expected to last until early November 2017. (Frequent updates will be posted on CenterPoint Energy’s website.) Michels Corporation, an authorized CenterPoint Energy contractor, will be installing natural gas mains along University Avenue NE (County Road 47) at the following intersections: 32nd Avenue NE, 35th Avenue NE, 37th Avenue NE and 40th Avenue NE. (See map below.)

Lane restrictions are anticipated in areas where active construction is occurring. The lane restrictions are necessary to keep both the public and construction personnel safe.

What is the progress of construction?

Starting today on Thursday, October 12, and lasting until tomorrow on Friday, October 13, crews from Michels Corporation are closing the eastbound lane on 40th Avenue NE for about 50 feet between 3rd Street NE and University Avenue NE. Residents along this route will have access to and from their driveways.

Beginning on Saturday, October 14, or Monday, October 16, the crews will open eastbound 40th Avenue NE and close westbound 40th Avenue for about 100 feet between 3rd Street NE and University Avenue NE. Residents along this route will still have access to and from their driveways. This closure will last for one week.

The southeastern corner of the intersection of University Avenue NE and 40th Avenue NE remains closed during active construction. Pedestrian traffic is detoured to westbound 40th Avenue NE.

Construction will happen in three phases:

  • Phase 1 is installing the natural gas distribution main.
  • Phase 2 is connecting the gas service lines to the new main along the same construction route. (A gas service line is a small-diameter pipe connecting the customer’s gas service to the main line in the street.)
  • Phase 3 is restoring the areas affected by construction—typically the utility easement, the street, and the customer’s yard.

How may construction affect customers?

As part of this main project, the crews will also be replacing several natural gas service lines that connect from the main to the customer’s property. Customers will experience a short disruption of gas service as the crews are installing the gas service line.

Crews may have to dig in the ground on your property in the utility easement to complete the task of service and main distribution line replacement. If a customer’s property is disturbed, CenterPoint Energy will restore the hard and soft surfaces affected by construction at no cost to you.

How can I contact CenterPoint Energy?

For questions about the project, please call our Information Hotline at 612-321-5369 or our Communication Specialist at 612-321-5546. For questions about restoration (hard or soft surfaces) please call our Restoration Department at 612-321-5042. CenterPoint Energy wants to thank you for your patience.

Please visit our website often to receive project updates, traffic alerts and anticipated completion dates.

8:00- Adjourn

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Fall Street Sweeping begins October 17th

Posted on October 12, 2017 by staff

Each spring and fall, Public Works crews sweep every mile of the City’s more than 1,100 miles of streets “ curb to curb“ to help keep our neighborhoods clean and livable and to protect our waterways. Each spring, crews sweep the nearly 400 miles of alleys as well.  Leaves and other debris on the streets can clog storm drains and pollute our lakes and rivers.Street sweeping usually takes about four weeks to complete.

Use the visual, interactive Street Sweeping Schedule Lookup map to see when your area is scheduled for street sweeping. The schedule is color-coded to enable you to easily identify when your street will be swept. Each spring and fall the schedule will be updated by the Friday of the week prior to the start of the sweep.

The schedule is updated frequently during the sweep to reflect the actual progress of street sweeping. The schedule shown here may change. The map may be updated, so please check back just prior to your scheduled day; or if you think your street was not swept as scheduled.

Note: The street sweeping schedule lookup only pertains to the comprehensive street sweeping program. A few other streets, such as parkways and downtown streets, may be swept on days not included in the lookup. ALWAYS watch for and obey No Parking Signs.

Please take a moment to view the schedule; vehicles parked in violation of signs are subject to a ticket and tow.

  • “No Parking signs”  City crews will post “No Parking” signs at least 24 hours before sweeping any streets. Parking will be banned from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the day a street is swept. Vehicles not removed will be towed to the Minneapolis Impound Lot.
  • Phone calls to resident: During the spring and fall sweeps, in addition to the “No Parking” signs that will be posted the day before sweepers come through, the City will make about 3,500 automated phone calls each evening to let residents know their street will be swept the next day. Listed, residential telephone numbers will be called.

Street sweeping is explained in English, Hmong, Somali and Spanish as part of the City’s  “Did you know…” series. These videos and others can be viewed at www.YouTube.com/cityofminneapolis and on City cable channel 14.  Residents who have friends or neighbors who speak these languages are encouraged to share links to the videos.

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Are you registered to Vote?

Posted on October 7, 2017 by staff

Oct. 17 is the deadline to pre-register to vote for the 2017 municipal elections

Registering to vote is fast and easy. If you’ve never voted before and need to register, now is the perfect time. If it’s been more than four years since you last voted, or you’ve moved or changed your name since you last registered, you’ll also need to re-register.

Oct. 17 is the deadline for pre-registering in 2017. Voter registrations can be submitted anytime and can help ensure a smooth Election Day experience for voters with less time spent waiting in lines and no need to bring documents with you on Election Day.

In addition to submitting voter registration applications by mail or in person to elections offices, voters have the option to register or update their registrations online. To pre-register, start the process at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/register.

For Columbia Park residents the closest in person location to register is the Anoka County Government Center at 3982 Central AV NE.

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Your New CPNA Board for 2017-18

Posted on September 26, 2017 by staff

2017-18 CPNA Board (and staff) photo

    Back Row: L to R Staff Liz Wielinski, Co-chair Stephanie Peterson, Angela Rogers, Treasurer Joy Johnson, Co-chair Melody Devine, Secretary Mike Melman
  Front Row: L to R Vickie Jensen, Jeff Schalles, Jane McCarney and Elaine Nissen
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Draft Agenda for the Board/ General Meeting Monday September 18, 2017

Posted on September 15, 2017 by staff

The regular Board/ General Meeting of the Columbia Park Neighborhood Association will be held Monday September 18,2017 at 6:30 pm at the Columbia Golf Manor 3300 Central AV NE, main floor Bride’s Room at end of the south corridor.

For reasonable accommodations, alternative formats, translation services or the accessible entrance opened please contact CPNA staffer Liz at 612-390-3735. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call.

Columbia Park Draft Meeting Agenda for Monday September 18, 2017

6:30 pm- Approval of the Agenda

– Election of 2017-2018 Board Officers

– Approval of the Draft Minutes for CPNA annual meeting June 19,2017

– Treasurer”s Report- Receive and File restated June, July/August and September

6:45pm – Open Time

– New Business

-2018 Construction on University 40th to 27th Avenues

-Soundwall Update

-2017-2018 Board Calendar

-East of the River Park Master Planning CAC appointee/ Waite Park connection

 – Old Business

– Demise of GMHC and future of loan program

– Crime and Safety Update

– Announcements/ Communications

8:00pm – Adjourn

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MNDOT meeting Questions and Answers from 8/21 meeting

Posted on August 26, 2017 by staff

Questions and Answers from MNDOT/ CPNA Monday August 21, 2017

Natalie Reis MNDOT, Aaron Tag MNDOT, Paul Miller City of Minneapolis

Sound Wall along University AV Presentation by MNDOT followed by

Q and A. Natalie, Aaron and Paul gave a brief presentation and then answered questions.

Presentation:

To be eligible for a sound wall along a State Hwy, the houses must be built prior to 1997 and decibel levels must be over 65 during the day and the number of houses need to meet a state minimum.

The area from 37th AV NE to Edge Place meets all the criteria.

The project is funded by a combination of sources as follows, 90% MNDOT funds 10% city funds.  If the vote is negative, MNDOT will not be back in the future. If the vote is positive the contribution by the city must be allocated for the project to occur.

Votes are given to the houses that will receive the noise reduction using noise modeling.

Currently proposed for fiscal year 2021 which means it could start as soon as the 2020 construction season.

Q1 Will this help with noise from RR Yard?  A1: No , strictly to mitigate HWY noise

Q2 Will this put us into a noise bowl for other noise (RR)? A2 In order to get an increase in noise the sound would have to be coming from 200 feet away or nearer, the RR is well over 500 feet away to the west.

Q3 Would planting on the wall (ivy, other creepers) help deaden noise from the RR side?

A3 It might but it is likely not able to be funded within the MNDOT limited budget, You could ask the City to pitch in more for aesthetics?

Q4 What is 5 decibels? A5 Less than someone talking in the next room?

Q5 Who will maintain the wall if it is built?  A5 It is MNDOT’s responsibility to maintain the HWY side of the wall, often municipalities will take care of the back side.

Q6 Noise walls by HWY 100 seem to be working really well, will this wall be similar? A6: Yes

Q7 Will this be coordinated with the Columbia Heights noise wall so they are consistent? A7: We would try?

Q8 Why here?  A8: This area was ranked #8 of all the areas that qualified for the program.

Q9 What would happen to the plantings along the fence line recently planted?  A9 It is within 10 feet of the right of way line so most of it would be removed.

Q10 Who votes? A10 The houses affected vote and then the City must take a positive vote and be willing to pay for it to be built.

Q11 Will the Welcome sign need to be taken down?  A11 It can be worked around.

Q12 Does the wall affect property values?  A12 It is a judgement call based on personal opinion, no studies with results prove in either side.

Q13 How is the vote tallied?  A13 We need at least 50% replying and then it is a majority vote.

Q14 What will the city do?  A14 Councilman Kevin Reich would like to see more than a 50% return rate with a high percentage requesting the wall in order to approve funding.

Q15 Could the city money be spent in a different way to help households to mitigate the sound?  A15 The councilman would be willing to listen to alternate proposals.  The city would fund this out of its capital program.

Q16 Would this affect where snow blows or is plowed?  A16 The front side not really, back side it may take longer for snow to melt.

Q17 Could we just change the speed limit? A17 The speed would need to drop by a minimum of 20MPH.  The state could look at it, but because of the design of the road you would likely not be able to slow folks down. It is a very unrealistic expectation.

Q18 Can we do anything about the trucks downshifting?  A18 That is more of an enforcement issue.  This wall is really only dealing with the steady background sound.

Q19 Will MNDOT do anything about the light timing or speed for the likely senior riders who may need to get to the bus stop on 37th? A19: Signal timing is operated by the city?

Q20 Which city as 37th is the city and county line?  A20 Unknown at this time.

Q21 Could we fund a pedestrian crossing instead of a wall?  A21 Not from this pot of funds.

Q22 Do the walls affect crime statistics? A22 Mostly livability, graffiti and we try to take care of that quickly.

Q23 Would more trees and plantings give the same sound reduction as a wall? A23 Only if you plant conifers 100ft deep.

Q24 What happens if the wall is built and it is hated?  A24 It stays

Q25 Can we have a clear (transparent) noise wall? A25 They cost twice as much.

Q26 Could there be some other benefit worked into the wall like solar panels?  A26 This would be something to ask the City?

Q27 How big of a margin is the city council looking for?  A27 Not known

Q28 How many people need to vote?  A28 We would want at least a 50% reply rate so 25 households.

Q29 How many total possible? A29 50 households with 3 votes per household (all three to a house if owner occupied homesteaded) otherwise 2 votes for the owner, 1 for the renter.

Q30 Who proposes action to the city council when the votes are tallied?  A30  The councilmemeber for the area.

Q31 How much will this noise wall cost the city? A31 Somewhere between $90-$100,000.

Q32 What has been the result of these walls? Positive? Negative? Liked? Hated?

A32 No serious studies done, mostly thought to reduce the noise. No good statistics.

Q33 Is there follow up by MNDOT if people don’t reply (vote)?  A33 Not really.

Q34 Is there a cost comparison to upgrading the housing from the airport noise to see if that would be more cost effective?  A34 Not research MNDOT would do.

Q35 Who would we lobby to get our opinions across? Q36 The City Council, especially CM Reich.

Q36 Will the vote of the city be taken prior to the new City Council being seated? A36 Likely

Q37 Will the affected households be assessed for any of the costs?  A37 No.

Other Comments

This will make us even less visible as a part of Minneapolis

Wall will be 20ft high

Noise from accelerating vehicles from intersection would be blocked

Would block the skyline view from backyards

As of today (8/21/2017)  the tally is 19 points yes, 15 points no

8:00pm meeting completed

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MNDOT CPNA Meeting draft agenda for Monday August 21st

Posted on August 21, 2017 by staff

Only the MNDOT portion of the meeting took place as it went long.  The remainder of the agenda will be added to the September meeting of CPNA.

 

The regular Board/ General Meeting of the Columbia Park Neighborhood Association will be held Monday Auguast 21,2017 at 6:30 pm at the Columbia Golf Manor 3300 Central AV NE. This is a combination meeting with MNDOT regarding a proposed sound wall so it will be held in the Fireplace Room.

 6:30pm MNDOT presentation on the proposed sound wall along University AV followed by a Question and Answer period

Followed by:

– Approval of the Agenda

– Election of 2017-2018 Board Officers

– Approval of the Draft Minutes for CPNA annual meeting June 19,2017

– Treasurer”s Report- Receive and File restated June, July/August

– Open Time (considered to be part of Q and A during General Meeting)

– New Business

–  2018 Construction on University 40th to 27th Avenues

-2017-2018 Board Calendar

–  East of the River Park Master Planning CAC appointee/ Waite Park connection

– Appointee to Arts advisory committee for the new Eastside Service Center

 

 – Old Business

– Demise of GMHC and future of loan program

– Crime and Safety Update

– Announcements/ Communications

– Adjourn

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East of the River Park Planning : We need you….

Posted on August 2, 2017 by staff

Help plan our Eastside Neighborhood Parks

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board launches project to create long-term plan for all Minneapolis neighborhood parks east of the Mississippi River. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is seeking applications from the public to serve on the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for the East of the River Park Master Plan. This planning project will guide long-term capital improvements, management and operations at all Minneapolis neighborhood parks east of the Mississippi River (Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis). Community members that offer diverse perspectives across race/ethnicity, age, physical ability, income and interest are encouraged to apply. To learn more about the CAC, https://www.minneapolisparks.org/park_care__improvements/park_projects/current_projects/east_of_the_river_park_master_plan/

Columbia Park has a seat on this CAC and is seeking interested parties to appoint. Parks in the neighborhood that are part of this planning process include Hi View, Columbia (including the dog park) and Architect Triangle. If you are interested in being the Columbia Park appointee contact us at… contact@columbiapark.org  If you are interested in participating or just being “in the Know” sign up at the project page link for updates!

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National Night Out is Tuesday August 1st

Posted on July 18, 2017 by staff

NNOCheck the City of Minneapolis website to see where there is an event near you.  There will be at least one site in Columbia Park at Hi-View Park.  Pot Luck Picnic starting at 6:00pm.  Bring a dish to share and a chair for comfort.

 

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