City briefs March 16

CEDAR ISLE PARK PLAN
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has released a new plan for the Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles and surrounding parkland; Dean Parkway; Kenilworth Channel; and a portion of the Cedar Lake Regional Trail. The plan will guide how the parkland in the area will be operated, maintained, and improved over the next 30 years. Park board staff are reviewing comments made by citizens, and determining any changes they might recommend. The park board will likely review a final plan for approval in late April.

PICA HEAD START EXPANSION
The City Planning Commission has reviewed and approved plans for the Parent In Community Action’s (PICS) Education and Training Center project at 4225 3rd Ave. in the Regina Neighborhood across from the Temple Israel Memorial Park Cemetery. PICA is proposing to demolish most of the original one-story Regina convent building on the southwest corner of the lot and to build a new two-story building in its place. The first floor will have early childhood classrooms, administrative offices, and a multi-use activity space. The second floor will have training and meeting rooms for early childhood educator training. The project would add a new surface parking lot near the new building at the south edge of the site with 18 parking spaces.

SEVEN POINTS CLEAN-UP FUNDS
In February, Hennepin County awarded $163,033 to the City of Minneapolis to assist Doran Companies with soil cleanup and vapor mitigation costs for their new mixed-use commercial and residential building they plan to build at 3003 Hennepin Ave. According to a county report, petroleum contaminated soil, soil vapor contamination from petroleum and solvents, and asbestos-containing materials are present on the site.

ROOMING HOUSE ON LYNDALE
The Planning Commission has approved Hennepin County’s plan to convert the former Metro Inn Motel at 5637 Lyndale Ave. S. into a 39-room single room occupancy rental property. The inn was purchased by the Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HCHRA) to house individuals experiencing homelessness during the pandemic with the intention of converting it to permanent housing units in the future. Work on the site is scheduled to be completed by July 2023.

COMMISSION ON POLICE OVERSIGHT
People are being sought to serve on the new Community Commission on Police Oversight. The new 15-member commission will have one member for each ward appointed by city council members and two appointed by the mayor. Members will serve on panels to review investigations of police misconduct and meet as a group to discuss police policy. The application deadline is March 20. People can apply and find more information at https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/boards-and-commissions/current-openings/.

REPUBLICAN PARTY CONVENTIONS
The Minnesota GOP Congressional District 5 2023 Convention has been scheduled for April 22, at 10 a.m. at the Crystal VFW #494, 5222 Bass Lake Rd. in Crystal. The more local Senate District 63 convention will be on March 25, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Burroughs Community School, 1601 W. 50th St.

DFL CAUCUSES AND CONVENTIONS
The Democratic Farmer Labor (DFL) held ward level caucuses for Ward 12 and 13 on March 14. Ward conventions for each ward will meet in April and May as follows: Ward 7 on May 21 online, Ward 8 on May 20 online; Ward 10 on May 13 in-person, location yet to be determined; Ward 11 on May 21 online; Ward 12 on April 29 at Roosevelt High School; Ward 13 on April 1 at Armatage Park. See https://minneapolisdfl.org for more information. Business to be conducted at the ward convention includes: endorsing a candidate for city council and electing two ward representatives to join the Minneapolis DFL Central Committee.

2023 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS CONFERENCE
People are invited to participate in the city’s annual Community Connections Conference that will be held Saturday, June 10, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. It is a free event.

MARKETS IN THE PARK
The Park Board plans to host “markets” this summer where local venders can display and sell handcrafted item. The markets that will be held at five parks including at Lake Harriet on Sundays, 2:30-6:30 p.m. from June 4 - Aug. 27 near the bandshell. The initiative is intended to help “local entrepreneurs, producers and artists share their goods and services and grow their business ventures.”