Deep within the bowels of St. Paul City Hall, little birds tell the Scoop…
COLEMAN FOR PRESIDENT?
Assuming he wins a third term in office, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman will be inaugurated as the new president of the National League of Cities on the weekend of Nov. 14 – 16. Save the handshakes and the applause for when he returns to St. Paul: the league will be holding its conference in Seattle that weekend, so the mayor will be out of town (again). “He just has to get re-elected,” said his spokesman, Joe Campbell. Coleman is currently the league’s “first vice president.”
UNIDALE MALL FARMERS MARKET
Over the objection of some community advocates, the zoning committee of the St. Paul Planning Commission is recommending that the Unidale Mall Farmers Market be allowed to take up 82 parking stalls between the parking lot’s two easternmost entrances.
The farmers market, at 544 University Ave. west, sits in front of the Sun Foods / Double Dragon Supermarket and was originally approved in 1998 for up to 25 vendors in 25 stalls seven days per week. It currently hosts about twice that, ranging anywhere from 40 to 65 vendors, Thursday through Sunday.
In July, the Department of Safety and Inspections mailed an enforcement notice to the mall owner, noting that he’d counted 44 vendors taking up 82 parking stalls, and the market was operating past 2 p.m., its authorized closing time. He also noticed the farmers market selling imported foods that were obviously not grown by the farmers themselves, as well as “non-produce items,” according to a city staff report to the Planning Commission.
Vera Ashley, a community organizer in Ward 1, said the neighborhood district council opposes the expansion. “There’s been major complaints,” she told the zoning committee. The zoning committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to the full Planning Commission for approval.
LILYDALE REGIONAL PARK
Work on Lilydale Regional Park is apparently moving along swimmingly. An Oct. 2 update on the city’s Lilydale Park website gives the play by play : (http://www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?nid=2693)
“Native seeding and planting of trees and shrubs has been completed. The contractor is finishing remaining signage and striping along the roadway. Once these items are in place; Lilydale Road will be open to the public. Anticipated completion date is mid-October 2013.”
August 21, 2013
Contractor continues to make progress within the park. All trails have been paved as well as the new parking lot and boat launch to Pickerel Lake. The majority of the work should be completed by Labor Day. Native seeding to occur within fall seeding window of September 20th to October 20th. Current anticipated date to reopen Lilydale Road is early October.
August 8, 2013
The base course of asphalt was installed and most new trail connections have been paved. Remaining construction items include placement of fill, topsoil, seeding, landscaping, and installation of site amenities. The roadway continues to remain closed during construction.