576.20. - Findings and purpose.
The West Broadway Avenue corridor has been the subject of recent attention by organizations representing the communities immediately surrounding the avenue and the city's planning department. Building on a 1997 strategic vision for West Broadway Avenue, the West Broadway Area Coalition (WBAC), representing the business, residential and nonprofit communities that border on West Broadway, hosted a charrette in October, 2000, to refine the vision for West Broadway. Further work over the next year will result in a corridor plan that defines appropriate locations for various uses along the avenue, proposes design guidelines for future commercial and residential development, and informs the re-construction of public infrastructure.
The development of the corridor plan is timely, because Hennepin County plans to completely reconstruct West Broadway Avenue from the city limits to Girard Avenue beginning in the spring of 2002. This would include curbing and sidewalks, and would result in the permanent closing of several street outlets that have been temporarily closed.
The city council is concerned about development not in conformance with the emerging corridor plan. New or expanded commercial or industrial uses in areas suitable for eventual residential redevelopment, or auto-oriented businesses at locations which are appropriate for neighborhood-oriented walk-up business may contribute to neighborhood instability through negative environmental impacts such as increased traffic, noise and visual blight. This could exacerbate existing tensions between land uses in the area, and associated disinvestment in residential and commercial properties. It may result in undue conflicts between pedestrian movement and automobile traffic. It could make it more difficult to foster future redevelopment in conformance with the future corridor plan. Development and adoption of the corridor plan, along with appropriate revisions to the city's official controls can ensure that activity in the area will not undermine the future development of the area.
The city finds that this interim ordinance should be adopted to protect the planning process and the health, safety and welfare of the citizens. (2001-Or-027, § 1, 3-2-01)
