Agenda/Notes:  March 19, 2017

Welcome!  
We had 19 people come to the meeting.  We started by going around and introducing ourselves.  Then we took about 25 minutes to discuss the "rumors" (see bottom of this page).  We agreed we would focus on what we do want at the site -- and we all agreed that we are interested in preserving Boys Totem Town land as an open space and community gathering space.   Then we brainstormed about the 4 questions below and our next steps for the remaining 1.25 hours.
Why do we want it to remain an open space?
  • It could become a wonderful jewel in the city/county cap -- an asset to the neighborhood and city -- one more thing that is great to bring people to our capital city
  • Following precedent - county has turned other acreage into open spaces/recreational spaces

The reasons we want it open space naturally grouped together into 5 main areas:
  1. Environment
  2. Financial (City/County)
  3. Community
  4. Health
  5. Historical

  • Environmental -
    • Interesting hilly terrain
    •  Should be preserved - it's pristine now.
    • Water runoff control/benefits 
    • Protected wetlands and vernal ponds
    • Oak Savannah (most endangered environment in the world)
    • Unique part of the river corridor -- part of the flyway of migrating birds and place where wildlife retreat to when the river is flooding.  We don't want to fragment it.
    • When river floods animals need to go somewhere -- they come up the bluffs (thus MNRRA cooridor)
    • If it were a Regional or National Park it would have a different focus than a local park -- could connect with the MN RRA (Mississippi National River & Recreation Area) physically and philosophically.
    • Totem Town is within the MNRRA Mississippi Natural River and Recreation Area boundaries.  It could/should be connected to other parks (Fish Creek, Henry, Battle Creek) with a trail system -- would increase user-ship in all parks.
    • Could be used by public almost right away -- development of a center and trails could happen over time, include public as volunteers to help and have ownership of the area (and save a bit on costs)

  • Financial boost for city/county
    • When include all costs --  including natural "capital" -- this is financially preferable
    • Doing something open / natural would increase value of existing houses in the area
    • Asset to bring in more people to our area -- which could lead to an increase for near by businesses
    • No clean up fund needed
    • Least expensive thing to do -  creating passive use areas
​
  • Community
    • Ramsey county is highest density county in the state -- any bit of open space would be a greater value to the county as a  whole (than a little development) for it's citizens
    • Nature Center / Visitor Center / Community Center -- would include education for all of the other parks as well and thus connect them all to each other and increase usership in all of the parks -- which would translate into more people in our community getting out and connecting with nature and each other.
    • Currently close to Somali population - keep kids close to moms.
    • Close to the current high-density, low-income housing -- so very accessible and would increase quality of life for the people who live in these communities.
    • "Passive Use" (no real building on it -- no need for a lot of infrastructure) would benefit the community
      • Natural play structures for kids
      • Trails for walking
      • It's been a passive use area for over 100 years -- we just want to continue that -- but make it useable for everyone
    • Enhances quality of life for everyone -- those close by and those further out.
    • Not everyone can afford a cabin - (especially low income folks) -- this provides an opportunity for recretaional space at a low cost to folks.  Could even put in little camper cabins.
    • Unique site -- different than the others in the city and county.  More wild, more natural, original.  Keep it that way -- so does not mimic Battle Creek or Conway spaces.
    • Accessible to those south of Londin Lane and east of McKnight.  To access other parks kids have to cross busy streets. 
    • Make connectons -- poeple and nature could pass through.  No barriers.

  • Historical
    • Connection to our past -- and our civic past.  
    • Great example of what the land was before settlement -- rolling lands, native land.  
    • Also important for more recent history up to present -- where we've raised our kids, the history of Boys Totem Town and the kids that have gone through it. 
    • It's important to have this connection to our history.

  • Health
    • Health benefits for people -- being in or even near the open spaces.
    • Physical and Mental well being -- getting out in open space has tremendous value physically and emotionally (particularily PTSD folks)
​
  • Other - arguments against housing (of any kind):
    • Other places would be better to add houses to -- along transit corridors, infill areas, places where infrastructure already exists
    • No infrastructure  - would be expensive to add
    • Environmental - Hilly terrain - regulations on not building on steep slopes > 18%, grading could easily create run off problems, protected wetlands, wreck Oak Savannah (most endangered environment in the world), 
    • Extensive grading to develop -- what would this do to the tress, watershed.  
    • Costs would be huge - would return even be worth it
    • Do we have the city structure (fire?) to cover more houses.
    • Note: If houses -- maybe Tiny House Village as a model of how these tiny houses could have minimal impact on the environment (maybe on the edge where services could be more easily accessed)
What else could be on the site? (in conjuncture with the open space)
  • Multi-Use Center -- connect community/people and spaces.
    • Nature/Intrepretive  -- Environmental Education -- connect with schools in area
    • Visitor - Nature, Area, Historical info
    • Community - places to gather, hold events (parties, anniversaries, weddings, etc) -- especially good for people in nearby apartments, 
    • Retreat - Yoga, writers, etc
    • Camps - day camp, overnight (or Residential) camp
  • Recreation Opportunities
    • Trails
    • Play area - nature play area (e.g. Tammark NC)
    • Fish in pond 
    • Planetarium -- stars -- telescope
    • Gardens (recreational and educational)
    • Little cottages / camping cabins to rent 
  • Academic 
    • link with the school (e.g. Field Trips, especially Highwood Hills Elem)​
    • Pre-school (e.g. Montessori)
    • Language Village (maybe specialize in English for new immigrants?)
How to convey what we want to people in places of power?
  • Gather information about each topic we brainstormed about.  Research, get data.
  • Collective Advocacy -- present as a group, but organize information into "sections/specific points" and present it succinctly and cohesively- with one member speaking about each section
  • Put is in writing and make it succinct -- edit, edit, edit
  • Include photos
  • Create a report or presentation or website to be able to present the info to people
  • Be inclusive and make it about what we are FOR, not what we don't want.  Be positive - not negative.
  • Offer Tours -- get public officials to come and see the area - ask for support
    • Senator Foung Hawj
    • Mayor of St. Paul
    • Govenor
    • See more HERE
  • This will help to create personal relationships -- connections -- now instead of at the last minute.
  • Petition -- get farther afield, wider door to door
  • Outreach -- to neighbors, citizens, city and county
  • Build awareness of the space and issue -- many people don't even really know about the land or that there is an issue
  • Visit neighbors -- educate people about site and environmental issues
  • Mailings -- let people know what's going on, invite to join in 
  • Website
  • Disassociate with "Boys Totem Town" name.  A lot of people don't know what Boys Totem Town is -- and it's (mostly) leaving.  Identify name with our goal "Land Preservation" or "Oak Savannah Preservation" or "Green Spaces Preservation" etc. 
Larger audience contacted or should be contacted:
  • MN DNR
  • St. Paul Audubon
  • Minnesota Herpetological Society
  • Washington-Ramsey Watershed District
  • August Hoffman - Metro U (lots of infill land - build in these isolated spots on the east side) FYI: he wants apple orchard
  •  (Mississippi  River Critical Area) 
  • Mississippi National River Recreational Area (MNRRA)
  • Mississippi Valley Wildlife Refuge 
  • BTT Task Force - 
  • Public officials - Senator Hawj, city and county board members
  • South Maplewood
  • ​City
  • County
  • Friends of St.Paul / Ramsey county parks and trails (Shirley Erstadt)
  • DNR again -- connecting kids to the outdoors, low impact low key place to interact as a community, learn about the areas, flora, fauna, comfort,
  • Nature Conservancy - Stephen  
Next Steps:
  1. ​Build coalition with all neighbors to get involved (esp near by Somali population in the apt)
  2. Reach out to understand why we all want this -- show that we are having these conversations and including everyone
  3. Work the list
  4. Get out the vote -- so we are heard and gives more clot to Sen Hawj.  
  5. Post any other news/articles (e.g. Pioneer press editorial early March - Reason East side has such a deficit in city benefits aand attention.  Because we don't vote.)

Point People
  • Health:
  • Environmental:
  • History: Jean Wulterkens
  • Community: Open door to build trust (Joe Juvland, Stephen Katz)
  • City/County/Financial: Paul Wulterkens
  • ​Photos: Ann Schley
Announcements:
  1. Saturday, March 25 - Boys Totem Town Meeting
  2. Monday, March 27 - District 1 Community Council Annual Meeting (vote for board members)
Questions:
  1. Why did the county decide now to change things up?
  2. Why are the "deep crimes" going there?  What will need to happen to the buildings for that to happen?


Verified Information:
  1. I was told by Commissioner McDonough's office that kids who committed "deep crimes" will be housed on the land/buildings that are retained by the county (until further notice).  "Deep crimes" are things such as murder, rape, etc.  This will be a locked unit only.
  2. They are NOT closing the community gardens and compost site.​  Per  Jim McDonough.  Will not sell a portion of site.​
Unverified Information:
2.  The city and county want to put in high-density low-income housing.
  • People seem to get excited about this.  We have not heard this actually stated anywhere.  We have decided to do our best to calm this rumor and focus on what we do want on this site (open space).  Also we pretty much agreed that we don't have a problem with low-income housing done in a positive manner.  Actually, our neighborhoods are already mixed-income and multi-generational. It's just that we all see the benefits for our community to have this be an open space available to the public.

  • Best practices for affordable housing is now lower-density, mixed-income communities.  IF lower income housing was to go in we could mount an effort to make sure it was this kind of housing.  See info below about what lower-density, mixed-income communities are all about...

  • Background Info on low-density/mixed-income communities: 
    From Urban Land Institute's "10 Principles for Developing Affordable Housing":
  • >> It is now widely accepted that much of the public housing built in the mid-20th century was a massive failure—its configuration too isolating, its scale too dense, its towers too tall, its residents too uniformly poor. Unfortunately, powerful negative images of failed high-rise, public housing developments and their associated social problems have been burned into the country’s collective consciousness, leaving a lingering negative perception of affordable housing. People are still less familiar with the attractive, lower-density, mixed-income communities where much of today’s affordable housing development is taking place; in these communities, most residents cannot tell the difference between the market-rate units and the affordable ones. 

    >> Good design can foster a sense of community, provide for the safety of residents, and ultimately create community pride. In fact, one of the great lessons from public housing’s failed approach is to focus on building communities and neighborhoods, not projects and developments. 

  • A study found higher rates of all types of violent crime in areas of high-density residential land use, even after controlling for overall population. (The study is by two professors in the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.  Read more HERE.)  The city would not want this.
    ​
  • Example: High Point public housing, Seattle, WA
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