Community Planning & Economic Development > Current Projects
Lowry Avenue Strategic Plan and Rezoning Study
PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT:
Lowry Avenue Rezoning Study Open House
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
North Regional Library
1315 Lowry Avenue North
The Lowry Avenue Strategic Plan: An Update to the Lowry Avenue Corridor Plan is a planning process initiated by the Cleveland, Folwell, Hawthorne, Jordan and McKinley neighborhood associations in northwest Minneapolis. The plan funded by NRP monies and Great Streets grants is being prepared by Cuningham Group, the planning consultant for this project. The City of Minneapolis, CPED- Planning Division, a key partner in this project is the project manager on behalf of these five neighborhoods.
The objective of this planning process is to update the 2002 Lowry Avenue Corridor Plan by building on the established vision for Lowry Avenue. It will refine that vision and create an implementation strategy for fostering new development and attracting new businesses. The final plan will better define the composition of the three neighborhood nodes described in the 2002 plan; namely: Penn and Lowry; Fremont and Lowry; and, Lyndale and Lowry. The recommendations through this planning process will be drafted in a manner that coordinates implementation strategies for the entire corridor.
The study area extends from the city limits on the west and the river on the east, and one block north and south of Lowry Avenue for the length of the corridor between the river and the city limits.
The planning process will include an extensive community participation process including three community meetings and several focus group meetings with stakeholders.
Previous planning documents and studies are available at the North Regional Library at 1315 Lowry Ave N, phone: (612) 630-6600 or at the Folwell Neighborhood Association at 1206 37th Avenue N, phone: (612) 521-2100.
Rezoning Study
As a first step towards implementing the Lowry Avenue Strategic Plan, CPED initiated a rezoning study for the study area in conjunction with the planning process. The goal is to change the zoning of some properties along and near Lowry Avenue so that what may be built is compatible with the future vision for Lowry. The public process for the rezoning study included steering committee meetings, and meetings with the 5 neighborhood groups in preparation for a public meeting on August 5th, 2010. The proposed zoning changes will be brought forward for City Council adoption following a 45 day public comment period. See documents prepared for the rezoning study below.
Lowry Avenue – Existing Zoning
Lowry Avenue – Proposed Zoning
Project Schedule
The planning process is divided into 3 phases with a target deadline for plan completion in May 2010.
- Background Scan. Initial review, analysis and preparation for stakeholder and community meetings.
- Sharpen the Vision. Focus on housing areas and commercial nodes based on feedback from the community, analyze past studies/information, relevant case studies, identify business development strategies, development opportunity sites and alternatives.
- Implementation Plan. Draft recommendations based on overall results of the planning process and direction.
The anticipated final product is a plan document identifying objectives and implementation strategies related to housing and business development. Preliminarily, the chapters will include: Introduction, Land Use and Development Guidance, Housing, Economic Development, and Implementation.
Meeting Dates and Summaries
Steering Committee Meeting 1 – August 6, 2009
Steering Committee Meeting 1a – August 25, 2009
Steering Committee Meeting 2 – October 20, 2009
Steering Committee Meeting 3 – November 10, 2009
Focus Group & Community Meeting 1 – November 18 & 19, 2009
Steering Committee Bus Tour – January 12, 2010
Steering Committee Meeting 4 – January 19, 2010
Focus Group & Community Meeting 2 – January 28, 2010
Steering Committee Meeting 5 – March 11, 2010
Community Meeting 3 – March 25, 2010
Steering Committee Meeting 6 – April 13, 2010
Comments
Please use the following link to provide comments on the proposed plans and planning process. The neighborhood associations, Cunningham Group and CPED will use these comments to develop the plan and recommendations.
Click Here to Provide Comments
Partnering Neighborhoods and Neighborhood Staff
Debbie Nelson, Cleveland Neighborhood Association
Phone: (612) 588-1155; Email: cna@clevelandneighborhood.org
Neighborhood website: www.clevelandneighborhood.org
Roberta Englund, Folwell Neighborhood Association
Phone: (612) 521-2100; Email: info@folwell.org
Neighborhood website: www.folwell.org
Alexandra Jasicki (Hawthorne Community Council)
Phone: (612) 529-6033; Email: ajasicki@hawthorneneighborhoodcouncil.org
Neighborhood website: www.hawthornecommunitycouncil.org
Anne McCandless, Jordan Area Community Council
Phone: (612) 353-5601; Email: anne4514@comcast.net
Neighborhood website:www.jordanmpls.org
Chris Morris, McKinley Community
Phone: (612) 353-5601; Email: mckinleycommunity@yahoo.com
Neighborhood website: www.mckinleycommunity.org
Planning Consultant Profile
Cuningham Group is a Architecture and Planning firm located in St. Anthony Main along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. They have recently completed plans and contributed to other Minneapolis Planning efforts, including: the Uptown, Central Avenue, Cedar Riverside and West Broadway Small Area Plans.
Andrew Dresdner, AICP
Cuningham Group Architecture, P.A.
St. Anthony Main, 201 Main Street SE, Suite 325, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612 379 5518; Email: adresdner@cuningham.com
OR
Michael Lamb, Director, Urban Design Studio
Cuningham Group Architecture, P.A.
St. Anthony Main 201 Main Street SE, Suite 325 Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612 379 5558; Email: mlamb@cunningham.com
For more information contact:
Tom Leighton, AICP, Principal City Planner
Minneapolis Department of Community Planning & Economic Development Planning Division
250 South 4th Street, Room 300, Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: (612) 673-3853; Fax: (612) 673-2728; E-mail: tom.leighton@ci.minneapolis.mn.us
Online information from the City of Minneapolis at www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped
Updated: July 29, 2010