Tim Meyer is a Duluth architect and community builder. Reach him at tim.meyer@meyergroupduluth.com
Observations from this week's discussions on the Redevelopment of the Lester Park Golf Course seem again to be off point. Rather than show the leadership needed to come up with a solid redevelopment plan, now we are focused on legal points and interest groups trying to get their own way. Councilors who have shown a complete lack of leadership with respect to the Lester Park GC now trying to make political points by trying align themselves with groups that don’t have the whole community’s interest in mind.
City administration was well aware of the Our Park, Our Vote group’s initiative and should have looked at legal ramifications of a referendum and advised the group earlier than later. This is another example of how City administration has been behind the curve on its handling of the referendum issue. Our Park, Our Vote group’s organization is solid and based in a framework that is legal with respect to the City Charter, not MN statute overlay referenced by Councilor Forsman. This has been a well-oiled organization that is grass roots in it originally and needs to be taken seriously. As I have stated it is based in solid sustainability.
In my time speaking with people in District #1. people wanted a re-opening of a golf course, open space, conservation, recreation, housing and possibly some commercial development. There is enough land there to accommodate all these uses. It’s time for our city leadership, Mayor, Council to show some leadership in developing a plan that includes all these elements. Including expansion of our tax base and generation of needed tax income through sales and property taxes.
I favor a referendum to gauge public sentiment, that is non-binding and includes the most popular options and have it used by the Mayor and City Council to set the most equitable direction for our city.
Stop the “grandstanding” and get back to developing a fair and equitable plan for the redevelopment of the Lester Park Golf Course. This is what you were elected to do!
Councilor Forsman is correct in stating there is a state statute overlay over the City Charter requiring a land use plan prior to sale of public parkland. Michael Bernstein’s petitions are legal with respect to the City Charter, not state statute which requires the City to undertake a Land Use Plan prior to sale. A non-binding referendum is a good idea for the Mayor and Council to guage public sentiment. Throw in some public hearings to listen to their constituents.
It’s a process that needed to be more closely controlled by Mayor and Council. I think the legal processes needed to be more closely looked at during the time of the Working Group. Councilor Forsman is correct in the statements and MN statute overlays with respect to sale of public parkland. I do favor an informational, non-binding referendum for use by Mayor Reinert and the Council to settle on a plan that is fair and equitable to everyone. Include public hearings and listening to increase public trust in the process.
