Want to control the view? Buy it!

Star Tribune Sat, 26 Jan 2008 03:24:52 GMT
Pond purchase could be the last-ditch effort

Minnetonka neighborhood residents try a novel approach to blocking a nearby proposed development by bidding for a key piece of city-owned land. Hoping to head off a major development, a group of neighbors has offered the city of Minnetonka $15,000 for a drainage pond behind their homes to try to block construction of a parking ramp on the site. The unusual bid is a final effort by the neighbors to stop Opus Northwest from building a 14-acre office complex with two three-story buildings and two parking ramps at Hopkins Crossroads and Interstate Hwy. 394. "We are trying anything we can,'' said Julie Cole, of the Oak Knoll Terrace neighborhood. The City Council is set to take a final vote on the project Monday. ... Opus returned with a new plan that complies with city codes. It has cut a fourth story from one of the office buildings, trimmed 130 parking stalls from the adjoining parking ramp and moved it the required 50 feet from the property line. The only variance Opus needs now is permission to bury the bottom story of one of the ramps, something the neighbors favor. So the neighbors came up with a new strategy: Trying to buy a key component of the project, the city-owned pond site that Opus needs for one of the parking ramps. ... The residents also see screening problems with the revised plan. Gordon Olson, whose home would have a direct view of one of the parking ramps, said: "For me, all that changed is that they moved the ramp 25 feet to the west and 7 feet to the north. Otherwise, nothing really changed. But legally, there is no room left to fight. ' ... "If a developer doesn't ask for any variances, they are entitled to have their project approved,'' said Council Member Bob Ellingson. If the scaled-down development conforms to city codes and neighbors still feel they don't have enough protection, then the council may want to talk about whether there is a need to change city codes, said Council Member Tony Wagner. Ellingson noted that Opus is not asking for a tax subsidy to build the complex, and that it will pay for street improvements. In the process, it will be adding a business that will bring more jobs to the city, he said. "It makes Minnetonka a desirable place to live if there are a lot of employment opportunities nearby,'' Ellingson said. "It is a good project and I think Opus is a good developer.'' Traffic is also an issue for residents.

[[keywords: LandUse;Living;Metro;]]