North Star Report #17
Summer is nearly here!
You get a double issue this week folks, falling a little behind with work and baseball! But it would appear summer is imminent as the hot mix plant has opened up and potholes are starting to be filled with a longer-term sol
ution than the cold mix. Also providing the Duluth State of Salt presentation for your enjoyment.
Council Meeting 4/24
Approved various community members to various boards
Reallocated CDBG/HOME/ESG funds to various different programs
Purchased 1,750 tons of cold mix
Established a “NO PARKING” ZONE ON BOTH SIDES OF RALEIGH STREET FROM GRAND AVENUE TO S. 63RD AVENUE W. AND ON THE NORTH SIDE OF RALEIGH STREET FROM S. 63RD AVENUE W. TO S. 60TH AVENUE W.
Purchased 24 mobile radios for public safety officials in the amount of $151,390.08
Authorized a contract with the Duluth YMCA to provide life-guarding services at the Park Point Beachhouse for an amount not to exceed $50,000
Council Meeting 5/8
Approved numerous liquor license
Appointed several community members to several boards
Approved support for numerous affordable housing projects to seek funding from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
Approved polling locations for the primary and general elections for 2023
Approved purchase of 10,000 pounds of hot mix
Accepted a donation of $114,000 from the Duluth Cross Country Ski Club for Phase II of the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center Project
Accepted a grant in the amount of $14,280 from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission to expand recreational access to Duluth parks and trails for individuals utilizing a wheelchair
Approved use of ARPA funding in the amount of $382,950 to fill the 2023 budget
Upcoming Public Meetings
Duluth City Council Meeting 5/22
City of Duluth State of Salt
Ever wonder about road salt and why the cities use it in winter conditions? Want to know how the city is reducing its salt usage to improve environmental outcomes? Do I have the presentation for you? Download the file below if you are interested in all things road salt
Duluth Round-Up
The city of Duluth is getting state money to augment the removal of lead water lines
“Big, bold idea”: Duluth hopes to heat homes with wastewater energy
Duluth is now host to the new Arena Football League
What I’m Reading
I just finished “Arbitrary Lines” a great overview of the holdups of zoning in American cities and the impacts zoning has had on housing and development. A great read, I would highly recommend you check it out!
100 More Cups of Coffee
Still working on having another 100 Cups of Coffee with constituents. If you want to have a 45-minute conversation about anything in regard to the City click on this link to schedule
Join a City Commission!
Local Links
Sharing some of our city services links either calendars or relevant info that you may not be aware is on the web!
Duluth Public Library Programming Calendar
Apply for Workforce Development Services
One indication that zoning is not meeting objective outcomes may be the increasing number of variances. A Variance comes across as a special favour to a developer, business, or home owner. Better to create a framework with strategic intent.
Along the line in Nolan Grey’s “Arbitrary Lines” discussion of the perils in a zoning approach, ....read up on a reasonable alternative to Zoning — Form-based Coding.
There are reasonable alternatives to continuing to use the failing Zoning approach.
https://formbasedcodes.org/definition/
…and by “ensuring planning staff is on board” you mean trained, understands the approach, capable of explaining a logic course of action?