Laserfiche WebLink
Is this heaven? No, it's St. Louis Park ~ StarTribune.com <br />StarTribune <br />Page 2 of 3 <br />f'E~~i11 y'"U( <br />tlVj ~iilr tiCn i",tt C <br />I rte _ ~ irrua:~'tu _.;raf '. <br />complained that large developments such as <br />Excelsior & Grand have created traffic and <br />congestion problems, 70 percent of survey <br />respondents rated redevelopment in the city <br />as positive. <br />The city has lots of multifamily housing, and <br />28 percent of residents thought there were <br />too many apartments and 21 percent said <br />there were too many condos and <br />townhouses. Harmening said proposals for <br />more condo developments have withered as <br />the economy has suffered. Jacobs agreed <br />that the city needs to be careful not to <br />overbuild multifamily housing, although he <br />said the three light-rail stations that are <br />proposed for his city may result in a push <br />for higher-density housing in those <br />locations. <br />"I think if you build multifamily housing, you <br />need to make sure it's high-quality <br />construction so people want to live there in <br />the future," he said. <br />Past surveys have shown a strong desire <br />among residents for more trails, and the <br />latest survey reinforced that. Eighty-nine <br />percent of those surveyed wanted the city to <br />build more trails and sidewalks, although <br />only 47 percent would support higher <br />property taxes or a user fee to pay for them. <br />Harmening said he thought that number was <br />going to be lower. <br />"No one wants to pay more if they can help <br />it," he said. "There is probably a stronger <br />emphasis and interest in trails than in <br />sidewalks." <br />More than 70 percent of residents were <br />interested having a new indoor swimming <br />pool in the city, and similar proportions said <br />they'd be interested in new city indoor <br />walking and running tracks and a fitness <br />center. Harmening said that the City Council <br />has been mulling over the city's facilities <br />needs, including recreational facilities. <br />But he said the city may focus less on <br />construction than on trying to figure out <br />how to work with existing health clubs in the <br />city to perhaps offer residents a reduced <br />rate. <br />"Rather than us competing with them, why <br />don't we provide the amenity that residents <br />are looking for?" he said. <br />Harmening said the self-reported drop in <br />median annual income of $7,750 may be <br />linked partly to people retiring since the last <br />survey was taken, in 2008. Almost a quarter <br />of respondents were at least 65 years old. <br />Advertisement <br />M, <br />~~ <br />LIVE ttU THE NEW MYSTlC AMP'HlTNEATiiMR <br />.~ 1NEr~i-lVE~DAY, AUCU~7` 2 <br />U!U SALE FRlI7AY JULYS ~~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ <br />r <br />http://www.startribune.com/local/west/124813844.html 07/07/2011 <br />