Thread by @WedgeLIVE

I'm here for a meeting of the Sheridan Neighborhood Organization. So is KSTP. Must be good!

Guy just asked me if this is the meeting about the high rise. I think it's 5 stories?

Big night. For some neighborhood board members this might be the largest crowd they ever perform in front of.

This is what everyone is here for. 108 apartments at 13th Ave and 3rd St NE.

They've replaced all the man pens with "for Her" pens. I have to say I used it and I didn't notice and it's given me a whole new perspective on myself.

Developer Daniel Perkins of @TurkeyToGo is trading on his @mnstatefair good will by wearing a Turkey To Go sticker on his shirt.

Question: Would affordable housing be required if it was approved in November when the 2040 plan is enacted? (This is a reference to inclusionary zoning)

Curt Gunsbury, the other developer: rents ranging from $1100 to 2000 per month. Says it's not possible to produce real affordable housing without subsidy.

Question about vacancy rate in their nearby units. Gunsbury says they're at 100% leased. Some grumbling from crowd.

The person running the meeting is reading comments off of cards that people have written. This is tamping down the potential for heated moments.

Question: Small area plan says 3 stories. Can you consider a smaller building?

Answer: a 3 story building isn't financially viable. (Grumbling)

"We have to have enough income to pay the bills."

Guy from Solhem saying 2040 plan calls for more housing. Vacancy rate is low. "We need more housing."

Handful of people in crowd call out: "we need affordable housing."

Reply: agrees we do need affordable housing, then says "nobody's tax money is going to build this building."

Anton is tracking parking concerns.

https://twitter.com/anton612/status/1166148829307187202?s=19

Why not townhomes?

Answer: Townhomes use a lot of land. That's expensive.

Section 8 question. Gunsbury says City of Minneapolis requires accepting section 8.

Steve Fletcher says this street is special. "It's important that anything that gets built on 13th Avenue is contributing to that... This is a really special thing. We should have really high expectations."

Fletcher says it's frustrating, developer asking for 59.9 increase in density. 60% would trigger inclusionary zoning and affordability. "It's walking right up to the edge."

Fletcher getting a lot of applause.

Fletcher asked about density. Says density is not an issue for him.

Question: does "building of mass loads of density" helps to preserve affordability? "Is there an example of this concept working?"

Fletcher: Rents go up dramatically in places that make it impossible to build more housing. A lot of people are moving here and they need places to live. "We do need more housing."

Fletcher on affordable housing and inclusionary zoning. "This developer could choose to do that, and we really want to see them do it."

Question for Councilman Steve: "What is the city's definition of sustainable growth? How much density do we need?"

Fletcher says the assumption is it would be bad if we overbuilt. One of the benefits is we could give tenants some leverage again.

Question: "what can we do to stop this?"

Fletcher: show up here. Show up to planning commission.

HAPPENING NOW: Councilman Steve giving people advice on how to stop things.

I don't think this project is unusual. I've assumed a lot of new projects are asking for increases right up to the trigger point. It's how the interim policy was designed. Not to be onerous until permanent policy is implemented.

https://twitter.com/anton612/status/1166152198482518018?s=19

I think someone tried to burn Councilman Steve. Wish I caught what they said. I think they said he was dirty.

"We've already lost one small business on 13th due to parking issues."

Affordable housing advocates here want parking cost included in rent.

Someone called developer Curt Gunsbury a liar. He wants people to be respectful or he won't come back.

Live from Anton's tweets.

Gunsbury giving an explanation of how housing is financed. If it's not profitable enough, as attractive as the stock market, they can't build it. It requires subsidy to go affordable.

Steve Fletcher is asked about subsidy from city. He says the city actually makes TIF subsidy available for 20% affordable. Gunsbury responds, the city's inclusionary zoning policy won't work financially.

Residents ask why they're asking for variance for a bigger setback along the commercial street, and going closer to neighbors yards.

Question: How does your project address equity?

Gunsbury: Construction trades are a great job for people of all races joining the workforce.

Question: what states are your investors from?

Gunsbury: mostly college friends, in Minnesota. But many have moved to other states.

Gunsbury: "I came from a really small town." Says he gets Northeast.

Question about helping small business and not just national chains. (I recommend courting a national chain by the name of Aldi.)

Gunsbury: "the biggest benefit of our project is the commercial space." Can be reconfigured to 1, 2, or 3 spaces.

https://twitter.com/anton612/status/1166161113840541696?s=19

Planning Commission asked developer to do actual retail space rather than live/work.

Question about traffic safety. Guy from Solhem touting the fact they've included pedestrian bumpouts in previous projects.

Question: Will you give 5% of your profits to the arts?

No they will not.

Gunsbury giving stats of inclusionary disaster from San Francisco and Portland. Says city hired consultant from Portland who will make us Portland.

"We don't think the current policy works.... We can build in Golden Valley and Richfield."

Person says, "go! go!"

(Someone should fact check whether our policy is shaping up to be Portland.)

Question: If you don't get approval for 5 stories, you walk away?

Gunsbury: don't have a plan for that right now. (Surprised he didn't give a firm no)

The business they say was killed by parking.

https://twitter.com/KevinLovesDonut/status/1166162140199305216?s=19

Gunsbury talking about the moment Daniel from Turkey To Go approached him about doing this apartment building: "I'm never gonna build on that street because neighbors are gonna hang me out to dry."

You think Daniel and Curt can still be friends after this? No amount of free turkey sandwiches can make this better.

"You're completely destroying a historic street."

"If you're gonna use this neighborhood and our culture and our people... And bring a bunch of people who have lived here for 12 months, what are we left with?"

If we don't end the meeting soon, someone will be harmed.

https://twitter.com/anton612/status/1166164484400046082?s=19

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Councilman Steve and the Sheridan Neighborhood Org react to a 5-story proposal at 13th Ave NE.
wedgelive.com/2019/08/five-s…