Our editors use this page to add miscellaneous comments about life in our Capitol City. Not all of these observations will be on matters of city may be on the news of the day or the issues of the city; we may make some comments on other things as fits our fancy, as things fall off our pens. [Yes, Donald of Merriam Park. Give us a break. We know that we are not literally using pens to post here; it's a metaphor, one which about a dozen or so people in this town will especially relish. Unfortunately, we don't think any of them read these pages.] Readers are encouraged to submit their comments to us at cccacophony@prodigy.net. If you do not want them published, please let us know. AYD MILL/SHORT LINE 35E CONNECTION June 9, 2003 -- Our mayor has decided to keep 35E traffic pouring out oJune 13, 2003 From Midway Barb: I opt for "Mendota Magic" although I have also wondered if "Engineer's revenge" wouldn't work. At least Randy had them remove some of the worst angles at the entrances and exits. I always understood that the original Shepard Road was named for the engineer who designed it. I wondered if that was a reward or a punishment. [I also wondered what Bruce Vento ever did to have that school named after him. -- RSnto the Short Line [Ayd Mill] Road, sending its traffic to/from the interstate system to the Lex/Ham and Merriam Park areas.. We opined against this last year when he decided to make the connection, and while we have not change our minds, we do concede that it does not seem to worked out as badly as we had thought it would be. Has this "experiment" actually changed anybody's mind? Last year somebody suggested that this new connection be named the "Kelly Crosstown." Does anybody have another [better or worse] name? -- CSP June 12 -- From Donald of Merriam Park: I like that Kelly Crosstown thing. I have leaned toward "Eagan Expressway" myself. But you don't really write this with pens, do you? No. We will change the note in the intro to make this clearer. -- RS June 13 From Midway Barb: I opt for "Mendota Magic" although I have also wondered if "Engineer's revenge" wouldn't work. At least Randy had them remove some of the worst angles at the entrances and exits. I always understood that the original Shepard Road was named for the engineer who designed it. I wondered if that was a reward or a punishment. [I also wondered what Bruce Vento ever did SO BDto have that school named after him. -- RS STUDENT HOUSING May 19, 2003 -- The Planning Commission is preparing to hold a hearing and to discuss a Student Housing zoning ordinance [or, more specifically, an amendment to the Zoning Code to define student housing use and establish conditions for it] I understand that the behavior of people who may be of the age of most undergraduate college students can cause problems and that neighborhoods near some of our city's institutions of higher learning are disproportionately affected, and we all probably expect to hear a lot of whining from a bunch of bleeding-hearts about how unfair it is for students to be signaled out for special treatment and we understand that this discussion must be carried out. But let me ask some questions about other matters that this type of ordinance might raise. Some of these questions are more rhetorical than aimed at finding light and I will not claim to have all of the answers, but you are encouraged to think about them and even to send me any observations or further questions that cross your mind. >> Zoning codes regulate the use of property, controlling what happens there. Unless one brings ones profession home, it is hard to imagine how the city can use zoning to regulate it. Is there any other matter in which the city regulates on-site usage based on what happens off-site? >> If a student from Macalester or St. Thomas or [wherever] practices his/her studentry at his/her off-campus residence, computers would be busy, reading lamps lit, and paper scratched on, but [except maybe for a musician practicing] there would be no notable change in community decibel levels nor would there be a need for outdoor rest rooms. Some students party; others do not. Some butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers party; others do not. How does this fit into zoning? >> Should have similar ordinances prepared for junkie housing or prostitute housing? What about space requirements for people who use noisy, internal combustion lawn mowers? >> How does a landlord monitor this type of thing? What happens when a working person retrains for a new career? -- RS May 25 -- From Donald of Merriam Park: You guys just don't understand how bad it is here. This may not be a perfect approach, but it is a start on what is a very bad problem. Give us a break. I did not mean to underestimate your problem, Donald. I just find it curious that we are trying zoining as our approach here. It seems we may just need tougher problem behavior laws and/or enforcement of the laws we have. Zoning is never a great tool to control uses since existing non-conforming uses can go on indefinitely. -- RS May 27 -- Somebody has suggested to me that attorneys are potentially more dangerous than students. Maybe we should have distance requirements on where they can live. -- RS June 3 -- Neighbors are opposing St. Thomas's expansion plans. While I have always been concerned about colleges exploiting their roles as landlords on a fairly captive market and am also concerned about the implications of this plan for Summit Avenue, I find myself wondering if any of the neighbors who oppose this plan favor the Student Housing ordinance. -- CSP |
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