EPIC Community Meeting Minutes
August 12, 2021, 6:30-7:30
EPIC web address: eastphillips-epic.com
Email: epic.ssantiago@gmail.com
Office: 2433 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404
Phone: (612) 354-6802
Board Roster: Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Cassandra Holmes, David Ingold, Shontal Lajeunesse, Steve Sandberg, Earl Simms, Karen Townsend, Nikolas Winter-Simat
Board Members Present: Cassandra Holmes, Shontal Lajeunesse, Steve Sandberg, Karen Townsend, Nikolas Winter-Simat, David Ingold
Board Members Not Present: Laura Dale (E), Mary Gonsior (U), Earl Simms (U)
Members: Vivi, Kim Hayden, Stephen Gregg, Weston Martin, Tim Springer, Emrys, Carol and Brad Pass, Mair, Rose G, Devika Ghai, Jack, Gracie, Sharne
Guests: Jasna Hadzic-Stanek, Oscar, Kevin Thompson, Joel McReynolds, Isaac
6:30 Welcome
Vision and Mission
Intros
Group Agreements
Respect each other; aim for kindness
Respect each other's time; aim for brevity
Respect the agenda; aim for unity
Own your words, actions, and reactions; aim for peace
How to become a member
For those joining in person: simply mark that you want to be a member on the sign in sheet
For those joining virtually: chat Sarah or email sarah@eastphillips.org with your email address and physical address (to verify you live in East Phillips)
All members are allowed to vote on EPIC decisions and motions
Agenda Approval, Approved
Minutes Approval, Approved
Announcements
Mayoral Candidate forum is next Sunday! 2-4 at Cedar Field Park
Pickle off and Ward 9 Candidate Forum is Tuesday, September 21
Pickle off is 12-3. Food will be served
Ward 9 forum is 3-4:30/5 - more details coming soon!
Traffic meeting update
Next Board Meeting will be: Saturday, September 4 at 10am online (link to join is at eastphillips.org)
Board Meetings are open to the public
Next Community Meeting will be: Thursday, September 9 at 6:30 at the lot at Cedar and 27th Street and online (link to join is at eastphillips.org)
September community meeting - proposal to have Mike, the city planner focused on traffic safety along 24th, 26th and 28th Streets and potentially 4 Sisters (more on this at the end of the meeting). At the lot at Cedar and 27th.
October community meeting - proposal to invite the various organizations organizing around the charter amendments
EPIC has a housing program! 0% interest! Fix up your home or buy a new home in East Phillips – Check your email for the brochure or go to: mncee.org/east-phillips
If you smell a foul odor around Smith foundry or Bituminous Roadways call 311 to report
Write down your incident number
Join your neighbors in cleaning up trash on your block for 20 minutes every Saturday at noon - meet at 27th and 17th!
Next Southside Green Zone Meeting is August 23 at 6pm
To join the meeting as a member of the public, call 612-276-6670 and enter Conference ID: 635 614 218#
Update on East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm Project
Vote on wednesday at the POGO committee meeting
Contact city council members
Update on light emitting sculpture on 18th and the greenway
Solar power ideally
Contact Tim with more questions
MIGIZI is filing for a variance for their addition and remodeling project at 1845 East Lake Street:
To allow for the addition to be setback from the property line a distance greater than the municipal zoning code allows for Pedestrian Overlay district.
The proposed two story addition connects to the existing two story building and includes an elevator bringing accessibility to a floor that is not currently accessible.
The project adds building area in a place of surface parking. The proposed project moves the site towards conformity as the design adds windows fronting Lake Street.
The proposed site plan adds greenspace fronting the street where fence and asphalt parking currently exist
The City Planning Commission will meet on Monday, August 16, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. During the declared local public health emergency, Minneapolis has transitioned to an electronic format for its public meetings and hearings, authorized under Minn. Stat. Section 13D.021, to minimize the risk of exposure to or potential spread of COVID-19. The public may view the public hearing using the following options: Watch on Comcast Channel 14 or 799 or live on www.minneapolismn.gov/tv/citycounciltv.
In accordance with the Zoning Code, all property owners within 350 feet of the subject property are notified of this public hearing. The public may submit comments or participate by phone in the meeting by using the following website: www.minneapolismn.gov/government/meetings/public-comment/.
If you have questions about the project, please contact the City staff person listed below. If you would like to submit comments, you may submit them via the link above or by emailing:
Lindsey Silas, Senior City Planner – 505 4th Ave S #320, Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone (612) 673-2653
E-mail: Lindsey.Silas@minneapolismn.gov.
6:40 Updates
Distribute Quarterly Financial Report
Guest: Jasna Hadzic-Stanek, Transportation Planner, City of Minneapolis
Transportation study and an Engagement Plan for permanent changes to 18th Avenue South between 24th and 26th Streets and Ogema Place and Stately Street
Received grant to do demonstration project with LERA
Include place making, greening, art
Will return to EPIC with updates
Traffic update on 16th, 17th and 18th
Gathered data, recommendations to change 17th to two way because of bike boulevard
Volume went down 50-60%
Traffic calming i.e. speed bumps
Invite county and LERA management to meeting to talk about 25th and Cedar
6:50 Feature Presentation//Community Discussion topic:
Drug use and lack of affordable housing in East Phillips
How this is or was addressed along Bloomington Avenue
How can we come together as a community to address this
Update on how encampment was addressed at 26th and Cedar
Community members shared that need a larger scope of the issue, when the encampment was forced to leave, where are they going?
Involve Mosque and Midtown Phillips in Discussion
7:15 Community Decisions
The second of two community votes on the following:
Southside proposal: pay folx Southside works with to help clean up neighborhood using gift cards, one to two hour blocks for clean up, trash pick up as well. Everyone working together to clean up and breaking down stigma. Re-word to include trash pick up, not just syringes. Southside focuses on meeting people where they are and supporting them in any kind of change they would like. Safety is a huge focus.
MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves $15,000 for the Community Syringe and Trash Clean Up in East Phillips Project through Southside Harm Reduction, NWS, DI, approved
MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves moving $15,000 for the Community Syringe and Trash Clean Up in East Phillips Project through Southside Harm Reduction from CPP funds to the public safety/crime prevention neighborhood priority, NWS, DI, approved
(NOTE: the public safety/crime prevention neighborhood priority reads: “Assure the safety of all adults, youth and children who frequent our parks and public places.”)
MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves of changing EPIC’s housing neighborhood priority wording from: “Build up to eight new houses on 8 empty lots to address the need for affordable workforce housing.” to: “Support securing housing for East Phillips neighbors (homed and unhomed) and the development of affordable homeownership and rental opportunities in the neighborhood.” NWS, KT, Approved
MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves $16,000 for the East Phillips Resident Housing Support Program through South East Homes Somali Recovery, provided that we get a budget for the next community vote, NWS, DI, Approved
MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves moving $16,000 for the East Phillips Resident Housing Support Program through South East Homes Somali Recovery from CPP funds to the housing neighborhood priority, NWS, StS, Approved
MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves changing EPIC’s community connections neighborhood priority wording from: “Utilize a number of tools and events to connect with residents of the East Phillips neighborhood. These include a special Facebook page, a new website, use of the Somali radio station, an annual park festival, special events such as the Little Earth Native American Mother's Day Pow Wow, a neighborhood Clean Sweep, National Night Out and other activities and initiatives.” to: “utilize tools and events to connect with neighbors of the East Phillips neighborhood, as well as secure space for community gatherings. The tools EPIC will utilize to increase community connections include media ads and events and other activities and initiatives.” NWS, KT, Approved
Brief overview of options to use CPP money:
Current office building at 2433 Bloomington Ave
Partner with City of Lakes Community Land Trust OR
Purchase building
Do not want to displace current tenants
$175,000
Outdoor community gathering spaces and increase urban agriculture in East Phillips
All of the following:
27th and Cedar space for community gathering AND
$40,000-$50,000 for pergola and solar power for outlets
Partner with NACDI and 4 Sisters on 29th Street project AND
Indigenous Food Sovereignty
Contribute $40,0000 for things like seating, shed, etc.
Pay rent ahead for 1 year
$10,000
7:30 Adjourn
