The city’s Parks and Recreation Department is conducting a study of the potential impacts of introducing paid parking in Como and other regional parks. As part of the study, Como Zoo and Conservatory is conducting detailed surveys to get feedback from users and community members on issues such as how often they visit, the quality of their experience, and different options for paid parking. Take the survey.
Director Mike Hahm told the Parks and Recreations Commission last month that the study is intended to collect data and analyze how much paid parking would cost to implement, what kind of revenue it might generate, how it could affect attendance and use of parks, how it could affect other revenue collection, how it could be enforced, how revenue from parking fees could be used, and other impacts (such as pushing more parking onto neighborhood streets).
Hahm stressed that the study is still gathering information, that a study is not a decision, and that no money is included in anybody’s 2020 budget for paid parking. He noted that the idea has been kicked around in Saint Paul for at least 10 years, and that Minneapolis has been doing paid parking in selected parks for several years.
Where Have We Heard This Before?
Construction of the long-delayed crosswalk and pedestrian median connecting the Lakeside Pavilion side of Lexington Parkway with the golf course side is supposed to start on Monday Oct. 14. It should last two weeks, depending on the weather. During construction, Lexington will be closed weekdays from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. between the golf course parking lot and the Pavilion’s north parking lot.
The marked detour will steer southbound traffic up the hill at East Como Blvd., along Arlington to Victoria, to Nagasaki, to Horton, and back on Lexington. Northbound traffic will be detoured along the same route in reverse.
Sholom Home Plan Comes into Focus
The former Sholom Home will be renovated into 150 rental apartments — 80 percent of them studio or one-bedroom units of 600 square feet or less, according to updated plans shared with District 10’s Land Use Committee Oct. 2. Read more details.
But the project will need the neighborhood to go along with a substantial parking variance, said Chuck Repke, a representative of Midway Community Group Redevelopment. The company, headed by Minneapolis developer Jeffrey Laux, is buying the former nursing home property at 1554 Midway Parkway through foreclosure.
The site currently has 65 surface parking spaces on its Canfield side; plans call for adding 10 more spaces on-site near Canfield and Arona, and 25 indoor spaces in the west building. But that could be more than 75 short of what city zoning requires.
“It comes down to parking,” Repke told more than three dozen neighbors at the meeting. “You have to make a serious decision: Is the building worth saving? This can work, but it comes with a dilemma.”
Owners want to keep the four buildings intact, Repke stressed, in part to make the project distinctive from newer developments such as those on south Snelling. But “creative re-use” comes with trade-offs, he said, including the parking challenge. Besides, the parking crunch may not be as severe as neighbors fear, Repke said.
He expects the building to be one of the most transit-friendly available. As a result, he believes it can be marketed successfully to renters who choose not to have a car, such as empty-nesters, young professionals, and graduate students at the nearby Hamline University and University of Minnesota campuses. Read more details.
Live in South Como or Energy Park?
This Tuesday, Oct. 8, is the last day get on the ballot to fill a vacant seat on the Como Community Council Board from Sub-District 4 — which essentially is South Como and Energy Park (see the map). The candidate will fill the remaining six months of the term, until April 2020.
To get on the ballot, apply online by Tuesday. All renters, homeowners, and other residents age 16 or older who live in the sub-district are eligible to run. So are authorized representatives from a business or nonprofit organization located in the sub-district. (Candidates who don’t make the ballot deadline can still run as a write-in.)
The special election will be Tuesday Oct. 15 at 7 p.m.
Ward 5 Forum is This Thursday
A public forum for candidates running for the Ward 5 seat on the Saint Paul City Council takes place this Thursday, Oct. 10, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Washington Technology Magnet School, 1495 Rice St. (Ward 5 covers the part of District 10 roughly east of Lexington and north of Front.)
The free forum is being organized by the Como Community Council, North End Neighborhood Organization, Payne-Phalen Community Council, and League of Women Voters Saint Paul. Candidates on the ballot (in alphabetical order) are Bob Blake, Amy Brendmoen, Jamie Hendricks, and Suyapa Miranda.
Your Last Chance for the Season
Bring your canoe or kayak next Saturday, Oct. 12, as neighbors team up to pull trash from Como Lake. If you don’t want to be on the water, join us by walking the shoreline and cleaning up litter there. We’ll supply snacks, beverages, and equipment. Organized by the District 10 Como Community Council; supported by a grant from the Capital Region Watershed District.
Details: Saturday Oct. 12, 9 a.m.-noon. Meet near the docks outside the Lakeside Pavilion. Register now
Como Homecoming is More than Football
Como Park Senior High School continues to expand its Homecoming festivities. Yes, there’s a football game (against Minneapolis Southwest) at the school’s athletic field at 1 p.m.
But before that:
- Beginning at 9:30 a.m., there are benefit runs of 5K, 3,000 meters, and 400 meters that will utilize the school’s track and the path around Como Lake.
- From 10 a.m.-4 p.m., enjoy food trucks, music, and more.
- Finally, a homecoming dance in the school runs from 7-10 p.m.
It’s Time to Do It Again
For 10 years, the Como Active Citizens Network has been organizing the Como Curb Cleanup. How you participate is simple: When you rake leaves, rake them out of the street and gutter, too. Why you should participate is simple, too: By keeping leaves and grass clippings out of the gutter, you keep more phosphorus out of our waterways. The payoff? Next summer, Como Lake is less likely to be the stinky, green mess is was this summer.
Phosphorus and other destructive nutrients leach out of leaves when they get wet — much like a teabag. And the city’s curbs, gutters, and storm sewers are extremely efficient at washing those nutrients straight into the lake or river. We’ve seen, and inhaled, the results.
The Como Curb Cleanup is hoping for 150 “demonstration houses” this year — residents who commit to keeping curbs and storm drains clear, and encouraging neighbors to do the same thing. Sign up or find out more.
Getting Rid of Those Leaves
Once you rake your leaves, you cannot burn them. But you can compost them at home. Or, you can arrange to have your yard waste hauler take them away. Or, you can take them to a Ramsey County yard waste site. Here are tips from the county on how to avoid the lines that sometimes result this time of year:
- Avoid being there when the site opens.
- Go during the week. If you must go on a weekend, Saturday mornings from 9:15-10:30 a.m. can be less busy.
- Avoid weekends when the weather is warm and dry.
- Instead, go during cold or rainy weather — or when the Vikings are playing.
- Drive farther and use the Battle Creek site; it usually is less busy than the Midway or Frank and Sims sites.
Sites are open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sundays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (That means they’re closed Tuesdays and Thursdays.)
Fires Can Cause a Neighborly Chill
Colder weather and earlier nights make it more tempting to build a backyard fire. Just remember: smoke from recreational fires can bother neighbors — and be a health risk, especially to elderly residents, young children, and those with asthma or chronic health issues. Recreational fires are legal in the City of St. Paul, if they meet certain conditions. These conditions include:
- Fires can be no larger than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet high. Fires larger than this require a burn permit.
- You cannot burn garbage, paper products, leaves, grass clipping, plastics, treated lumber, or construction lumber in a backyard fire.
- Fires must be at least 25 feet from any building or from any combustible material, unless they are in an approved container. Fires in an approved container must be at least 15 feet from a building or combustible material.
- You must stay with a fire until it completely burns out or you extinguish it. There must be a way to extinguish a fire, and someone present who knows how to do it.
- Burning green or wet wood, or burning leaves or other illegal material, produces more smoke and noxious fumes. If your fire does this, it’s considered a public nuisance; that means the fire department could put it out for you.
Speaking of fire: Northwest Como Recreation Center holds its annual Halloween bonfire on Friday Oct. 25 from 6-8 p.m. They’re looking for volunteers to help on 90-minute shifts: 5:30-7 or 7-8:30 p.m. If you can pitch in, contact Teresa Little by email or by phone at 651-298-5813.
Shuffling Through the Paperwork
Updates from city hall:
- Canfield Ave.: The city is reviewing an application to vacate the stub end of Canfield where it dead-ends at Snelling Ave. Billy Turner, who converted the former firehouse at 1290 N. Snelling into a private residence, told District 10’s Land Use Committee Oct. 2 that he wants to purchase the street to add a yard and increase security near the property. Neighbors raised concerns about the loss of parking and potential loss of sidewalk access to Snelling. A public hearing will take place before the City Council makes a final decision.
- Speedway: The gas station license and liquor license for the convenience store at Lexington and Front are up for renewal on Dec. 1. Anyone who has concerns should contact the office of Ward 1 Councilmember Dai Thao.
- Carter’s BP: The gas station license for the business at Como, Front and Dale is up for renewal on Dec. 29. Anyone who has concerns should contact the office of Ward 5 Councilmember Amy Brendmoen.
- The property owner at 1428 Almond has applied for a short-term rental license.
- The property owner at 1496 Maywood St. has applied for a family foster care license with Ramsey County; anyone with concerns should call 651-266-3929.
In the Big Park This Week
- Movies in the Park: Hocus Pocus: Tonight, Friday Oct. 4. Picnic Pavilion, Como Ave. and Midway Parkway. Food trucks, exhibits, and activities begin at 6 p.m.; movie begins at dusk. Free.
- Fall Flower Show: This Saturday, Oct. 5. Sunken Garden at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. The annual explosion of chrysanthemums, offset with Swiss chard and Chilly chili peppers, opens this weekend and runs daily from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through Dec. 1. Free-will donation.
- Immune Deficiency Foundation Walk for Primary Immunodeficiency: This Saturday, Oct. 5, 11 a.m. Midway Picnic Pavilion.
- Spring Cafe: Beginning this Saturday, Oct. 5, the restaurant will open only on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Cozy’s Pub at Como Golf Course: The clubhouse restaurant also is scaling back for the season. It’s still serving a full menu on Fridays and Saturdays this month from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. But on Sundays through Thursdays, it offers only a limited food menu (such as hot dogs and bratwurst) and closes at 7 p.m.
- Hope of Uganda Walk Run: This Sunday, Oct. 6, Midway Picnic Pavilion and lake path.
- American Sign Language Interpretive Day: This Sunday, Oct. 6. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. On the first Sunday of every month, the regular educational talks will have on-site interpreters translating the presentation into American Sign Language. The 10-minute talks take place from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.