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It doesn’t seem that long ago when the Lindstrom downtown underwent a massive redesign with one-way pairs for highway travel taking over the landscape. The city is at it again— with a downtown redesign study draft unveiled at last week’s city council meeting.

There is a breakfast April 6, at 7:30 a.m., at Lindstrom City Hall where the materials will be gone over for public/downtown property owners.  The EDA is working with consultants, and city code may need to be revised so the code encourages achieving the redesign study goals, council heard.

Areas of town are highlighted for “redevelopment” along with concepts to dress up event spaces and add a farmers market shelter. The city council has plans to acquire the Lakeview Motel lot, and the redesign draft shows it being used for stormwater retention.  City Planner Rita Trapp mentioned the downtown footprint is about 70 percent impervious and there are quantities of run-off that should be better managed.

All in all the goal is to create a friendly pedestrian and biking trail experience and improve parking by enhancing connections and creating an intentional loop for walkers.

The veterans housing project located where the community gardens are on Newlander, got early approvals to make it feasible as an affordable housing effort.  

GMHC is now involved and spokesperson Kurt Bennett said he has veteran based groups and builders bidding to participate— and along with volunteers, he will keep the cost of the houses well below the “affordable’ threshhold the formula allows.  State funding dedicated to this type of project has a deadline on its availability, he added and he wanted a decision by council last week.

Council approved: waiver of half the SAC and WAC fees (paying for four homes  to access sewer and water and building eight) and also allowing the community garden to be relocated to a city owned lot north of the new fire hall site.  The new development open space requirement was reduced for the plat and reduced setback variances were allowed.

There will be two streets, one will be a through street to the south for whenever that vacant land develops and the other will have a dead end turn around.

Council member Scott Hildebrand opposed the whole slew of measures, saying he is all for veterans housing but, “now is not the time.”  Costs to build are at the highest they’ve been with inflation and supplier constrictions and he saw future issues with re-sale and the potential for loss of value.

He also had concerns about veterans with PTSD being disturbed by fire truck sirens and loud activity when the new fire hall becomes operational, just across the street from the housing plat.

Mayor Kevin Stenson remarked that there is never an ideal time to initiate a project and he was not willing to wait five years or whenever materials become plentiful and cheaper.

In other matters:
~ The “Albrecht Landing” plat on North Lindstrom Lake had its upcoming yearly expiration date extended one year.
~ Peterson Companies got the bid for the Olinda Trail trail. City Engineer Jon Herdegen said seven bids came in and at $513,600 this was the recommended bid.
~ Plans and specs were authorized to go out to bid on the Newell and Elm improvements.
~ The polling place is the city hall/community center for 2022.

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