Stone Arch Phase II
A proposed development of a 79-unit apartment complex near the Stone Arch Bridge has been moved back to a City Council committee after Marcy-Holmes residents petitioned for an environmental assessment worksheet.
 

The developers of the project are seeking a variance from the city  that would allow them to construct a 79-unit building in a location where many residents want parkland. The city has denied multiple appeals from the developers, citing high density as a concern.
 

At the City Council’s July 31 meeting, they opted to neither approve nor deny the project. The petition by residents of Marcy-Holmes requires that there is an environmental review of the site before the council can make any decision.

Garbage  Burner
The Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC), a garbage burner located near the new Twins Ballpark in downtown Minneapolis, will not be burning more garbage anytime soon.

Officials from HERC went to the city’s Planning Commission earlier this summer, seeking a variance to allow them to burn 212 more tons of garbage a day – going from about 1,000 tons to about 1,200. But when commissioners denied the request on the grounds that there were environmental concerns, the HERC officials went to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to discuss an environmental impact statement, instead of appealing to the full council as expected.

The HERC officials will come back to the planning commission in August, when they will update them on a time line for completing the environmental review.