Linden Hills Small Area Plan Charrette Postponed

The Small Area Plan design charrette, originally scheduled for April 5 and 6 at Linden Hills Park, is being rescheduled for later in April. More details to come.

The Linden Hills Small Area Planning Project Website Has Moved
 Visit the City of Minneapolis' Linden Hills Small Area Plan Project page here.

Linden Hills Small Area Planning Process

A small area plan (SAP) is a plan that is developed for a clearly delineated area and gives more detailed recommendations than would be provided in the comprehensive plan. A small area plan does not function to replace the comprehensive plan but rather serves to augment it. It builds on the goals, policies and implementation steps in the comprehensive plan to provide a finer level of detail.

A small area plan is a document that outlines a long-range vision of typically 15 to 20 years for land use and development in that area. The plan examines the current conditions of the area, develops a future vision of what residents and business representatives want the neighborhood or area to become and then formulates specific goals, objectives, and policies or projects to implement that vision.

There are several steps in developing a small area plan. The following outlines the process for the Linden Hills Small Area Plan.

  1. Create a Steering Committee
    LHiNC conducted a public process to appoint a steering committee. This process is outlined below. The role of the Steering Committee (SC) is to advise on the planning process, help engage the public, advise on plan content, balance various values and make recommendations to the LHiNC Board. The Steering Committee is being facilitated by the City of Minneapolis Community Planning & Economic Development (CPED).

  2. Develop a Small Area Plan Project Scope
    The SC and CPED staff develops a scope for the Small Area Plan that will be used in a Request for Proposals to hire a consultant to lead the development of the Small Area Plan.

  3. Open House on Small Area Plan
    On September 23rd the Steering Committee and CPED hosted a community Open House to discuss the Small Area Plan process, the need for Small Area Plan in Linden Hills, review a draft scope for the Small Area Plan, and discuss whether LHiNC should move forward with a Small Area Plan. Over 30 residents attended. Click here for more information about the September 23rd Open House.

  4. Hire Consultant
    The project scope for the Small Area Plan will be part of a request for proposals that will be used to solicit proposal from consultants to lead the development of the Small Area Plan. The Steering Committee and CPED staff will review and vet proposals and advise LHiNC on the selection of a consultant team for the project. This process will occur between October and December of 2012.
    Click here for the Linden Hills Small Area Plan RFP.
    Click here for the Linden Hills Small Area Plan Q & A's.

  5. Develop the Small Area Plan
    The Consultant will work with the Steering Committee and CPED to finalize a public process to develop the Small Area Plan. The backbone of the Small Area Plan will be input from the public. Public engagement may take several forms including public meetings and workshops and online input. The SC and CPED will advise on the public process and on the plan's content. CPED is managing the project and the Consultant. The Consultant will be responsible for compiling and writing the Small Area Plan. The Small Area Plan will kick-off in January 2013 and is expected to conclude during the third quarter of 2013.

  6. Adoption of the Small Area Plan
    Once a final draft of the plan is complete. The plan requires adoption by the City of Minneapolis. There will be a public hearing with the City Planning Commission. The City of Minneapolis Planning Commission will make recommendation to the City Council on the adoption of the plan. Prior to the public hearing on the adoption, the small area plan has a required 45-day public review and comment period. This planned for the fall of 2013.

  7. Implementation of the Small Area Plan
    Once the plan is adopted LHiNC, CPED, the public and other stakeholders will begin working on implementing the goals, objectives and policies of the Small Area Plan. This may include a rezoning study to analyze existing zoning and potentially change zoning districts to ensure that the zoning of the project area is consistent with the adopted policy of the Linden Hills Small Area Plan. This is planned for late 2013.

Click here for Betsy Hodges' Ward 13 Newsletter - May 2012, which addresses the topic of Small Area Planning.

Linden Hills Small Area Plan Steering Committee

The LHiNC Board appointed the Linden Hills Small Area Plan (SAP) Steering Committee at its Board Meeting on July 17.

A nominating subcommittee reviewed the 27 applications that were received by the May 25 deadline. After completing consistent, objective interviews, the nominating committee identified 15 members and 3 alternates for the Committee. In accordance with the SAP objectives, these individuals represent a wide range of constituents from the Linden Hills neighborhood. The 18 total SAP Steering Committee members and alternates include home and condominium owners and local business owners. Members represent a wide range of age demographics and personal/professional experience, as well as varying degrees of acceptance regarding neighborhood development. The final SAP Steering Committee was appointed using a modified consensus approach, which provided the opportunity for attendees to provide feedback on the 18 proposed nominees, and to come to agreement on the group as a whole.

Steering Committee Members: Rick Anderson, Judy Blaseg, Tricia Cornell, Gil Dignen, Michael Foley, Eric Hansen, Sara Jaehne, Gretchen Johns, Jean Johnson, Larry LaVercombe, David Luger, Joanne Mallon, Jim Scott, Pat Smith, Ken Stone, Aaron Tag, Ann Voda.

Click here to view the description of the Linden Hills Small Area Plan Steering Committee and selection process.

Click here to view a compilation of the submitted applications for the Steering Committee.

The Role of the Steering Committee

The role of the Steering Committee is to advise on the planning process, help engage the public, advise on plan content, balance various values and make recommendations to the LHiNC Board. CPED is leading the project and facilitating the Steering Committee meetings. The Steering Committee will provide input in the development of the project scope for the Small Area Plan, provide input in the selection of a consultant to develop the Small Area Plan, advise on public engagement, and advise on plan content. The Steering Committee is not writing the Small Area Plan. The backbone Small Area Plan is developed by the public through public meetings and other forums. The Consultant will develop the plan using this input with advisement from the Steering Committee and CPED.

Steering Committee Meetings

Steering Committee Meetings are open for the public to attend and observe. These are working meetings for the Steering Committee.

  • Meeting #1: July 31, 2012: Introduction to Planning in Minneapolis. Click here to see the meeting notes from the July 31st Steering Committee meeting.
  • Meeting #2: August 15, 2012: Roles of Steering Committee and project scoping exercise. Click here to see the meeting notes from the August 15th Steering Committee meeting.
  • Meeting #3: September 5, 2012: Review draft project scope and communication plan. Discuss roles of steering committee. Click here to see the meeting notes from the September 5th Steering Committee meeting.
  • Meeting #4: September 10, 2012: Finalize draft project scope and plan for September 23rd Open House. Click here to see the meeting notes from the September 10th Steering Committee meeting.
  • Meeting #5: October 1, 2012. Discuss the community input received at the September 23rd Open House and review the RFP. Click here to see the meeting notes from the October 1st Steering Committee meeting. Click here for the Linden Hills Small Area Plan RFP.
  • Meeting #6: December 3, 2012. Review the seven Small Area Plan proposals submitted in response to the RFP which closed on November 21. Click here to see the meeting notes from the December 3rd Steering Committee meeting.
  • Meeting #7: December 11, 2012. Interview the three finalists for the Small Area Plan. Click here to see the meeting notes from the December 11th Steering Committee meeting.
  • Future meeting dates and topics are to be determined.

Public Meetings

Linden Hills Small Area Plan Community Vote

On Tuesday, October 23rd the Linden Hills Neighborhood Council (LHiNC) held a community vote on whether to reallocate Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funds to develop a Small Area Plan to include the commercial nodes at 43rd & Upton and 44th & France, the 44th Street corridor that connects these nodes, and portions of France Avenue. 77% of voters approved of LHiNC reallocating up to $60,000 of Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funds to hire a consultant for a Small Area Plan for the neighborhood. The vote tally showed 109 residents voted in support of the reallocation, and 33 residents voted against the reallocation.

Linden Hills Small Area Plan Open House

The Steering Committee hosted a community Open House to discuss the Linden Hills Small Area Plan on Sunday, September 23 at Linden Hills Park. Topics covered at the Open House included the Small Area Plan process, the need for Small Area Plan in Linden Hills, the proposed draft scope for the Small Area Plan, and community opinions regarding whether LHiNC should move forward with a Small Area Plan.

Click here for more information about the September 23rd Open House.
Click here to review the explanatory boards presented at the September 23 Open House.
Click here to review the draft Project Scope for the Linden Hills Small Area Plan, as presented at the September 23 Open House.
Click here to see the Frequently Asked Questions handout from the September 23rd Open House.

Additional Resources

The Minneapolis Plan for Sustainable Growth:
View the complete Minneapolis Plan
Land Use Chapter
Urban Design Chapter

Past Plan for Linden Hills:
Linden Hill Neighborhood Design Framework: A Plan for the Commercial District

Historic Resources:
Linden Hills History Study Group
Commercial District Walking Tours

Example Small Area Plans:
West Broadway Alive
Uptown Small Area Plan
Marcy Holmes Master Plan
Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Plan

Contact

Please contact the CPED project manager, Brian Schaffer with questions.

Brian Schaffer, AICP, Principal City Planner
Minneapolis Department of Community Planning & Economic Development
Planning Division
250 South 4th Street, Room 110, Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: (612) 673-2670 Fax: (612) 673-2526