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Here’s the latest Breeze:

• 20140914_September_Breeze_2014.pdf  **NEW**

HI, The PPCC Exec. Board met last month and sent off a  list of questions to the county and city based on neighborhood conversations and concerns. We also cc’d Representatives Simon and Reinert re. recent legislation:

Here are the questions and the answers that I have received so far from county, city. 

Please contact County Commissioner Frank Jewell with questions and concerns.

Our executive board has fielded questions re. property adjacent to the Duluth Rowing Club, north side parcel. It is 010-3110-01950 and includes 12 lots -377 thru 399; borders the rowing club.

This property is  listed in the property tax look-up as county owned tax forfeited but it is not listed on the city council document.

In 2013, these parcels were already approved for sale by all the required parties.

What exactly is the status of that property? I have heard conflicting reports that the land will become City Park or DEDA property and not sold, offered  to the rowing club, sold at auction to interested parties across the street. Would you be willing to clear this up?

This parcel will be split into individual lots and offered to adjacent owners, with the exception of the three lots to the south.  Those three lots will require County Board approval for sale to DEDA.  Subsequently, DEDA could convey those parcels to the Rowing Club.

We have also had questions about the sale, use and monitoring of shoreline property that will be sold.

If adjacent owners are not interested or can’t afford,  will property be available to the public for sale?

Yes, for those parcels that are non-conforming, the adjacent owners will first be offered.  If they do not purchase, the parcels will then go to another method of sale.

Will there be a “reserve” price that must be met to sell the land? If so, how will that “reserve”be calculated? If the reserve is not met, what will happen to the property?

All parcels will be appraised.  Upon County Board approval, the minimum bid, or value (what you may be referring to as “reserve”) is the beginning price at auction, for those parcels that are conforming.   If the parcel has been to auction and not purchased, it will go on our Available Lands List.  This is where all of our unsold properties go after auction.

What type of structures may be built on the shoreline properties?  Ie fences, sheds, fire-pits? Can the lots be used for boat storage?

 All questions regarding zoning, should be directed to the City of Duluth Building Safety office.

Which city office will be responsible for monitoring/enforcing any applicable rules and regulations?

The City of Duluth is the zoning authority, and they will administer applicable ordinances.  As to “any” rules and regulations, there could be other entities involved, such as the DNR and Corps of Engineers.  It all depends on what rules and regulations you are speaking of.

The parcels behind Marcia Hales on 38^th Street are in a Preservation zone in the Future Land Use and were not approved for sale.  The water lots South of 36^th Street can only be used as “Accessory” to a primary use across Minnesota Avenue from those sites.  These are zoned R-1. (Hamre)

50-20: Use Specific Standards

3-31

Accessory Boat Dock, Residential

This use shall comply with the following standards:

1. Dockage of boats owned and primarily used by a resident of the property is a permitted accessory use to the primary residential use and shall not be limited in number;

2. If there is a residential structure on the property and the property has frontage on an improved street, the owner of the residential structure may rent out boat dockage to a maximum of two boats owned by others. If the property does not have frontage on an improved street, the owner of the residential structure may not rent dockage space to others. Boat dockage use on a property that is not residentially developed is permitted as a principal use provided that the use is limited to one boat for each lot or group of contiguous lots in the same ownership, and the boat is owned and primarily used by the owner of the property;

3. For each new rental boat dock space created or made legal after April 14, 1974, one off street parking space shall be provided in addition to all other off street parking spaces required by other legal uses of the property, such spaces to be constructed in accordance with Section 50-24;

4. At the request of the building official, the owner of property shall provide boat registration or other documentary evidence to prove compliance with these standards;

5. No buildings other than residential or residential accessory structures, no winter storage of boats other than those owned by a resident of the property in question, no repair facilities, fuel sales, food or refreshment sales, rentals of boats, boat or parts sales or displays or other commercial uses shall be permitted.

 What about minimum prices for the  non-conforming water lots? One neighbor currently leases bay side dock lot and wants to know what minimum bid will be on the land on the bay. 

The minimum prices for the non-conforming water lots will be set by the St. Louis County Board.  No prices/value/minimum bids are available for any of the parcels on Park Point, at this time.

When is the auction for the Park Point land for sale and how do you register to bid?

The special sale will be November 18, 2014 at 10:00 am, at the Depot in Duluth.  This sale will include other properties and is not limited to Park Point parcels.  As for registration, we are required to notify adjacent property owners of parcels to be sold at public auction.  We will send out a sale booklet to each of them.  There is a pre-registration form included in that booklet.  There will be a registration table on the day of the sale, as well, for anyone wanting to register the day of the sale.  (Registration doesn’t take very long.)   In addition, there is also be a form on our website: http://www.stlouiscountymn.gov/LANDPROPERTY/TaxForfeitFeeLands/TaxForfeitedLandSales.aspx

Dawn,

Dear Chief Pump,

Thank you for hosting us for an awesome evening on Superior Bay!

Thanks, also, to our Community Police Officers for coming down with their horses and checking in with us.

Thank you to Chief Pump for his offer to host on Thursday night.

Social begins at 6:30pm followed by tour and short business meeting. Two Community Police Officers and their horses are also planning to attend.

Agenda items for business meeting:

Motion to amend last month’s resolution re. street end presentation from

“PPCC to hold a special community club meeting

to discuss and gather information on legal issues on street ends. The group

will meet in the next month.”

to

” The Special Meeting(s) re street ends on Park Point will be

held during regular PPCC monthly meetings on:

September 18, 2014 & October 16, 2014

The purposes of the special meetings will be to inform ourselves about the

legalities regarding street ends and public access, and to listen to each

other’s perspectives.”

City Planning’s Letter to PPCC re. Street End Process

Other topics under Watch Committee will be Tax Forfeit County Land Sale on Park Point. Here is new legislation passed that will affect the sale of lots in our community.

HF2240 passed the legislature in June of this year.   

02/07/14 REVISOR CKM/TB 14-4491

Hope to see you on Thursday!

20140812_August_Breeze_2014.pdf  **NEW**

Many thanks to the volunteers who worked on Tuesday night’s Neighborhood Celebration! Special thanks to the cooks of the pulled pork, the volunteers from the Lafayette Community Edible Garden & PPCC and to all of our neighbors who came out to share great food and enjoy each other’s company.

What a beautiful Park Point evening! 

August 5th is coming up quickly!

A group of our neighbors has been planning & putting together a party with great food, music and a fun “Park Point living” activity.

Please join us for pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw and lemonade supplied by the Community Club and planning team.

Please bring along your favorite side dish, salad,  dessert etc. to share.

Would you ponder the question “The best thing about living on Park Point is ………………” and at the party  share  your answer on a banner ? Thank you!

Singer & songwriter Jamie Ness of The Boomchucks will provide music. Here is a link to The Boomchucks on facebook.

Looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday!

Park Point Pedestrian Pathways Petition July 2014

We, representing the residents of Duluth, petition and request that the Duluth City Council recognize the above facts and true value of platted streets, and take the necessary official action to declare all platted streets on Park Point to be: “opened by use, for all citizens, responsibly,” and to recognize and authorize a “pedestrian pathway” to exist at every platted street to the lake and bay beaches of Lake Superior and Superior Bay on Park Point, Duluth, Minnesota.

Park Point Neighborhood Street End Coalition June 2014

City’s response to Coalition Questions:

Response from the Park Maintenance department:

Question 1.) “Upgrading, caring for and monitoring the three existing Tier Iwater accesses that are currently provided, and,”

The Park Maintenance department services trash containers along the entire point on a daily basis, 7 days per week. This area is being utilized by more and more folks and we are finding that the containers are filling up faster and faster. We maintain the amount of containers to discourage the illegal dumping which has been a very common occurrence. Beach Cleanups are normally done thru volunteer efforts as staff are additionally dedicated to many of our other fine parks. We would like the opportunity to service and maintain modern washroom facilities and the Park Point Area is definitely a priority site. Beach Grasses and other infrastructure are also of concern to us and would probably benefit from a volunteer or an adopt-a-spot group.

Response from the City Architect:

In regards to ADA compliance issues, we continue to work towards providing a universally accessible route to all our facilities, both inside and out.  Each year we progressively make improvements and although we are far from being completed, we have made significant strides.  The accessible port-a-potties are not ideal, but generally meet ADA compliance.  If we knew that there was a specific one out of compliance, we should be notified so we can address it.  If there are other specific areas within our parks that are not in ADA compliance, if I know which area(s), I can assess each particular situation and determine the best course of action.  Other than ADA items, many of the concerns and questions you highlighted in the attached document are more on Parks Maintenance responsibilities.

Question 2.)  “The scope, design and specifications for how the city plans to convert the undeveloped/paper streets into actual streets.”

Response from the City Planning Department:

Designated “Tier Two” access points shall establish in an approximately 3 to 4 block interval pattern pedestrian trail linkages to Lake and Bay Sides of Park Point from the Avenues.  Minimal improvements at the Tier two accesses may include some of the following:designating symbol, (signage), modified trail surface (gravel, sand, board or beach carpet) and screening from adjacent properties (plantings, sand fence, earth berm) garbage collection. These Tier 2 access points to will not be mentioned in pamphlets or shown on maps intended for general public distribution. 

Street Right-of-Way – A street right of way (R-O-W) includes the area above, around and under the physical street and may be used for other things including: sidewalk, trails, skyways and utilities.

Street Easement – The area on a registered Plat set aside for a street, alley, trail or other public purpose conveys what is legally known as an easement.  Owners of the land along an easement own the land the easement is on and may exercise their ownership rights.  However, that ownership is secondary to the City’s right of control of the easement for public purpose once established.

Vacation of Street – The planning commission shall review all proposed vacations, and City Council shall approve the proposed vacation, or approve it with modifications, if it determines that the street, highway or easement proposed for vacation: Is not and will not be needed for the safe and efficient circulation of automobiles, trucks, bicycles or pedestrians or the efficient supply of utilities or public services in the city.

Rowers paddle the dock into position for the regatta.

Here is a link to regatta results.

Duluth Rowing Club Hits the Water from News Center 6

Thank you to Tom G. for this very fun photo.

The Sky Harbor EA/EAW is available on the DAA website at the address below.  Please let me know if you would prefer a CD of the data.

Thank you.

Dawn parkpointcc@mail.com

http://www.duluthairport.com/news-project.php