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Membership Sideblog

  • The Marcus Welby of law, by Lance Heisler | Lampe Law Group
    July 31, 2010 | 7:45 pm

    Growing up in North Dakota during the 50s and 60s, I was privileged to experience something that's all too rare now - the old-fashioned family doctor. "Doc" delivered babies, set broken bones, treated pneumonia, and helped Grandpa with his newfangled hearing aid. Doc knew the community, the families, and the individuals whose basic medical needs he treated from birth through the end of life. Some of you who grew up in that time, and perhaps in smaller communities, may remember a Doc of your own. . . . → Read More: The Marcus Welby of law, by Lance Heisler | Lampe Law Group

  • Kitty Mania at the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
    July 28, 2010 | 10:51 pm

    Let’s talk about cats, cats and more cats! Why?? Because Prairie’s Edge Humane Society is full of cats and we have many more arriving daily. As of today, there are 44 cats on the adoption floor with more awaiting their surgeries so they are ready for adoption. There are cats in every corner of the shelter who need homes! We are in desperate need of homes for these cats. We cannot emphasize this enough. So we are having a cat sale and we are calling it Kitty Mania !

    Kitty Mania is this weekend, beginning Thursday, July . . . → Read More: Kitty Mania at the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl

  • On Watermelons and Widgets, by Tom Swift
    July 12, 2010 | 11:50 am

    The free market does many things well, but we know it does not do everything. Even market fundamentalists concede that the public must build roads, put out fires, police streets, and provide national defense. Most people, at least those to the left of the Tea Party edge of political spectrum, accept that the government must also be involved in education, disaster relief, and health care. That is, certain services must be rendered — necessary services, universal services — whether or not those services are financially profitable. If your house is on fire, you do not have time to . . . → Read More: On Watermelons and Widgets, by Tom Swift

  • Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance, by Dan Bergeson
    July 12, 2010 | 10:56 am

    Okay, so most of the news about the Vintage Band Festival so far has been about the bands. But there’s a number of other events during the weekend. Like the VBF Contra Dance, for instance.

    The Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance will feature music by The Dodworth Saxhorn Band of Ann Arbor, Michigan and will be led by dance instructor/caller Robin Nelson.

    Dancing will begin at 8:30 p.m. with a “Grand March” led by 60 costumed members of the 1st Wisconsin Infantry Brigade, followed by a variety of period dances including polkas, contra dances, schottisches, reels and waltzes.

    . . . → Read More: Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance, by Dan Bergeson

  • The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome, by Tom Swift
    June 27, 2010 | 8:00 am

    Even before I read the first word of this article I had a visceral reaction to it. The accompanying photographs — my eyes tend to skip over photographs in magazines — affected me in a manner that is difficult to articulate. I knew, immediately I knew, I was not going to like what I was about to read. In fact, for that reason I put the piece aside. Not now, I thought. Maybe tomorrow, I said to myself. But, then, I couldn’t not read it, either. If you have not done so already, I hope you will read . . . → Read More: The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome, by Tom Swift

  • Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! by Kathy Jasnoch
    June 27, 2010 | 7:54 am

    June may be Adopt A Cat month here at Prairie’s Edge Humane Society and we have lots of wonderful cats, but we also have PUPPIES!

    We have a male Newfoundland mix named Chong who is 6 months old, he was a stray so we don’t know a lot about him.  He loves to play! We also have three Australian Cattle Dog mixes who are two months old.  Marcia, Bobby and Cindy were born at the shelter and spent some time in one of our fabulous foster homes.  They are now back at the shelter and ready to find . . . → Read More: Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! by Kathy Jasnoch

  • Relay for Life of Rice County, August 6th, Rice County Fairgrounds. By Sandy Vesledahl
    June 23, 2010 | 9:35 pm

    The American Cancer Society Relay for Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay for Life, teams of people camp out at local parks or fairgrounds and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events.

    Relay for Life of Rice . . . → Read More: Relay for Life of Rice County, August 6th, Rice County Fairgrounds. By Sandy Vesledahl

  • Critter Cam live from Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
    June 16, 2010 | 9:04 am

    Now Showing! Live Kittens playing! You can now watch our adoptable animals at Prairie’s Edge Humane Society (PEHS) live 24/7 on the new Critter Cam installed in conjunction with KYMN Radio. Thanks to the fine folks at KYMN radio we now have a live feed of our adoptable animals showing on our website and KYMN’s website, Tim and Jeff are AWESOME!

    Currently the Critter Cam is featuring kittens available for adoption. Watch them play, sleep, eat, and everything else they do 24 hours a day 7 days a week! It’s better than anything you can see on TV! . . . → Read More: Critter Cam live from Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl

  • Save the Northfield Depot: fundraising help needed. By Lynn Vincent
    June 11, 2010 | 11:34 am

    A BIG Thanks to all of you who came to last Monday’s Volunteer Organization Meeting, and to those who contacted us saying you wanted to help but could not make the meeting.

    We have pretty full support for Communications and Design and Build sub-committees, and we got a web graphic designer to help with the site.  Alice Thomas is facilitating the Communications group, and Steve Edwins is facilitating the Design and Build group.

    What we are missing and really need are Fund Raising people.  We have two grant writiers, but we need folks who are committed to the . . . → Read More: Save the Northfield Depot: fundraising help needed. By Lynn Vincent

  • Photo albums: 2010 Prairie’s Edge Humane Society Walk for the Animals, by Bridgette Hallcock Photography
    June 11, 2010 | 8:09 am

    Thank you to all of those who came to Alexander Park on a beautiful Saturday morning in May to help support Prairie’s Edge Humane Society!

    I have placed all of the fun photographs on my Bridgette Hallcock Photography Facebook page so that everyone can see how much fun we had!  See the two 2010 Walk for the Animals albums here and here.

    If you would like a print, please contact me, as the proceeds will benefit the animals at PEHS.

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    Let’s crowdsource Northfield’s sidewalk dining scene

    HideAway Coffeehouse and Winebar

    I noticed that the HideAway Coffeehouse and Winebar put out its tables and chairs this weekend so it seems a good time to revisit the issue of sidewalk dining in Northfield (that’s a Tag link to all our blog posts on the subject since 2006.)

    Plus, there are two more Division St. eating/dining establishments opening this year.

    I blogged last November that “Northfield’s sidewalk dining ordinance has been in effect since early 2008 but only one establishment has taken advantage of the alcohol clause: the HideAway Coffeehouse and Winebar. Five others have not. It might be helpful to find out why.”

    Ross sent me a link a week ago to a blog called cooltownstudios that has a series of posts on outdoor cafe districts. (The blog is part of the bigger CreativeCrowdSource project.)

    One of those blog posts is titled How to crowdsource an outdoor cafe district and it links to a forum thread on related attempts.  The overview of how to do it:

    Continue reading Let’s crowdsource Northfield’s sidewalk dining scene

    Sidewalks and planters and trees, oh my!

    Robbie Wigley, drinking bubble tea on Eat StreetRobbie and I had our first experience with bubble tea on Saturday. Yum. (The rumors continue to swirl around Northfield that’s a bubble tea restaurant that’s going into the into the old Bagel Bros on Division St.) We got our drinks at Cafe Thang Bom on Eat Street before we grabbed some takeout at Harry Singh’s Original Caribbean Restaurant (yum again).

    Sidewalks at 28th and NicolletWhile walking around the intersection of 28th and Nicollet, I noticed how the in-ground trees, the planters, and the tables, chairs, and umbrellas for sidewalk dining all made for an attractive urban landscape.

    Sidewalks at 28th and NicolletAnd I noticed that the less-than-five-feet of clearance between the tables and the buildings does not seem to be an issue. 

    Why do I mention it?  Because the issue is back before the Northfield City Council this week as staff have brought back two options for trees on 4th St. reconstruction, one of which seems to include some faulty assumptions.

    I’ve closed comments here. Join the discussion attached to the blog post,  Council directs staff to include sidewalk trees on 4th St. reconstruction.

    Sidewalk dining downtown: why has it failed thus far?

    The Triumvirate, whining for some wine at The HideAway Northfield’s sidewalk dining ordinance has been in effect since early 2008 but only one establishment has taken advantage of the alcohol clause: the HideAway Coffeehouse and Winebar. Five others have not. It might be helpful to find out why.

    New ordinance causes some summertime disapointment

    Customers sit at tables outside of the Cocoa Bean prior to the ordinance. Photo by Griff Wigley.

    Customers sit at tables outside of the Cocoa Bean prior to the ordinance. Photo by Griff Wigley.

    At least one Division Street merchant is experiencing disappointment and some financial hardship because of an outdoor seating ordinance city councilmen approved in May, and she is hoping the councilmen will consider amending it before next summer.

    Eileen Seeley said on Monday her customers were disappointed when she hauled her outdoor chairs and tables back inside the Cocoa Bean following the ordinance enactment. But, she could not afford to pay for the additional insurance coverage she would need to qualify for the new outdoor seating permit.

    She pays for a $1 million policy now, she said. But, she would need to pay $500 more a year leap to the $1.5 million tier in order to qualify for a permit. Seeley explained she would technically only need a $1.2 million policy, but her insurance provider would not sell her a policy between standard tiers. Seeley said she felt city officials did not recognize how that repercussion could negatively affect businesses like hers.

    Eileen Seeley removed the tables and chairs mid-summer. Photo by Griff Wigley.

    Eileen Seeley removed the tables and chairs mid-summer. Photo by Griff Wigley.

    When councilmen approved the ordinance in May, they did so with the knowledge that the ordinance might have to change later on to accommodate the concerns of at least three different downtown merchants, according to an article published at that time in the Northfield News.

    The ordinance remains unchanged so far, but councilmen are scheduled to review the ordinance again in May, Brian O’Connell, Northfield Community Development Director, said on Wednesday.

    “The ordinance was enacted for a period of one year, so it dies at end of that year,” O’Connell said.

    The concerns Seeley had about the ordinance when councilmen first discussed it are largely the same today. The primary goals of the outdoor seating ordinance are to regulate the consumption of food and alcohol outdoors on public property, O’Connell said.

    Seeley’s business serves food but not alcohol. She said the city should consider regulating only the consumption of alcohol. Food-vendors that do not serve alcohol, she said, should be considered more like the adjacent retail businesses, which may have outdoor seating and sidewalk displays without obtaining the new permit.

    O’Connell said he has been aware of Seeley’s concerns and has recognized the unfairness of regulating the sidewalks in front food and alcohol vendors but not those in front of retail stores. O’Connell explained that at the time councilmen enacted the ordinance, they only had time to discuss regulating food and alcohol consumption. The matter of regulating the sidewalks in front of retail stores could be something the councilmen address in the future.

    “First and foremost, it’s the city’s responsibility to manage property that the city owns,” O’Connell said of the ordinance. “The sidewalks are public property. The city wanted outdoor dining and wanted to have people sit outside and have a glass of wine or beer. But, we felt we needed to have some standard requirement in order to allow that to occur.”

    Should the ordinance remain in place, Seeley said she would explore a possible loophole in the city’s statutes that could allow her to place objects within a 5-foot distance from the front of her store without additional permitting.

    City Council menu tonight: two specials and a work session

    img-01111

    • There’s a special Northfield City Council meeting tonight at 5pm to interview the interim city administrator candidates.
    • There’s another special Northfield City Council meeting at 7pm to A) approve an outdoor dining permit; B) approve board/commission appointments; and C) consider proposal for Al Roder’s separation agreement
    • A Council Work Session follows to discuss: A) Commuter service; B) Energy Task Force; and C) Nonmotorized Transportation Task Force

    And see the Northfield city calendar for other public meetings that are scheduled this week.

    Update 7/30, 10:30 PM: Here’s the audio of Monday night’s Council meeting, courtesy of KYMN 1080.


    Click play to listen or download the MP3. 2 hours, 20 minutes.

    New snafu for sidewalk dining with alcohol. AAARRRGGGHHH!!! (Ross was right)

    IMG_8032

    After recording yesterday’s podcast at KYMN, Ross, Tracy and I sauntered down Division to the HideAway Coffeehouse and Winebar to be among the first to imbibe alcohol on the sidewalk, courtesy of the City’s new sidewalk dining ordinance.

    Jim and Joan Spaulding’s establishment was the first in town to complete the required paperwork, and set up tables and chairs with the proper boundary. They began serving alcoholic beverages last weekend.

    Alas, we were told by one of the HideAway’s staff that Northfield City staff told them on Monday they had to stop. Some sort of approval was required by the City Council. Huh?

    I phoned Joan this morning to confirm. She said was contacted by the City of Northfield’s Housing and Redevelopment Division staff person Michele Merxbauer on Monday and told that the City Council had to approve the deal before they could begin serving. She appealed to Community Development Director Brian O’Connell, to no avail. It was too late to get it on the Council agenda for Monday’s meeting, so they’d have to wait another two weeks till the next Council meeting.

    The Spaulding’s busted their butts to get this in place for today’s Crazy Daze, so naturally, they’re angry. I’m angry that Brian and Michelle did not inform me or Ross (with his NDDC hat on) about this since we’ve worked on this for over two years. Nothing about this approval-of-each-applicant-by-the-Council requirement was mentioned when the ordinance was approved (May 19 minutes) nor when the fees were approved at the July 7 meeting (agenda packet p. 31). The Northfield municipal code has not yet been updated as per the Council’s directive:

    ORDINANCE NO. 878 – AMENDING NORTHFIELD CODE CHAPTER 6, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, ARTICLE II, RETAILERS, DIVISION 2, LICENSE, BY ADDING NEW SEC. 6-70, TEMPORARY EXPANSION OF LICENSED PREMISES; OUTDOOR SALES AND SERVICE, AND AMENDING NORTHFIELD CODE CHAPTER 14, BUSINESSES, BY ADDING NEW ARTICLE V, OUTDOOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE.

    The March 17 version of the Temporary Expansion of Licensed Premises ordinance (PDF) has language that could be interpreted to meant that the Council has to approve every single application but I’m guessing that the Councilors had no idea that they’d have to do this… and that it would add at least two weeks to the process for a business owner. If I’d known, I’d have lobbied to have the language changed. It’s a Mickey Mouse requirement for businesses that already have gotten approval for their liquor licenses. City staff should be able to make the decision.

    And worst of all, I have to eat crow. Ross was right.

    Finally, let us remember that this process continues. We should follow the implementation, gather feedback from the businesses affected by the new ordinance, note the anticipated “sunrise” that follows the “sunset” of this ordinance next Spring, and be alert to any additional ordinances that may be proposed to change the way that the private sector may share the public space. Our work is never done.

    Council unanimous decision: No fees for at least a year for sidewalk dining, with or without alcohol

    The sidewalk dining ordinance passed back in May but at last night’s City Council meeting, the Council unanimously passed the permit fee structure: no cost till at least next May, 2009. Yay! Community Development Director Brian O’Connell said to me that he’ll have one of the City’s summer interns visit all downtown establishments in person Real Soon Now with a simple permit form for them to sign.

    NDDC board members at the Cow Sidewalk in front of the Loring Pasta Bar Outdoor dining at night in the Cinque Terre

    Left: After I left the Council meeting, I found some of the NDDC board members at the Cow, socializing a bit after a meeting. I told them the news. See the happy thumbs.
    Center: Division street could soon be looking like 14th Av. SE in Dinkytown, in front of the Loring Pasta Bar.
    Right: Eventually, sidewalk dining could spill out onto Division St. like this restaurant in Monterossa al Mare in the Cinque Terre region of Italy.

    We raised the issue of sidewalk dining (with alcohol) in a 10-minute discussion on Locally Grown podcast #7 back in Feb. of 2006. The NDDC raised the issue way back in April of 2005. They added it to their agenda for downtown and we’ve both been pursuing the issue ever since. Here’s an index of blog posts:

    Locally Grown

    NDDC

    Democracy works, albeit slowly.

    So which Northfield eating and drinking establishments are likely to offer sidewalk dining yet this year?

    New issues arise with the proposed sidewalk dining ordinance

    IMG_2130 IMG_2113
    Under the proposed new sidewalk dining ordinance, would the above type of sidewalk consumption of non-alcoholic food and beverages not be allowed anymore unless the business got a permit? In the second paragraph of the ordinance, there is a sentence that reads:

    “Similarly, and as provided by chapter 14, article V of this code, a purveyor of food and beverages on premises located in such districts who is not a liquor licensee may, on an annual basis, apply for a permit to use such an area for the sale and service of food and beverages other than alcoholic beverages.”

    Would it matter if customers just carry out their purchases for consumption on the sidewalk, but the establishment’s wait-staff don’t sell or service on the sidewalk?

    Also, in the Nfld News story, Outdoor dining passes first round with council, Victor Summa raised other issues at Monday’s Council mtg:

    Speaking before the council Monday, Summa wondered why the proposal didn’t include the word “sidewalk,” requires a landlord to consent if their tenant takes advantage of the ordinance, and asks business owners to carry more than $1 million in insurance.

    See Pages 36-40 of the May 5 ouncil Agenda Packet (PDF) or the plain text here:

    Continue reading New issues arise with the proposed sidewalk dining ordinance

    Sidewalk dining on Division St: two ways to do it

    IMG_2989.JPG IMG_2988.JPG IMG_3356.JPG IMG_3355.JPG
    I was in Duluth last weekend and happened to walk by a Green Mill restaurant in Canal Park. Their outdoor dining area (left and left center photos) sits on a sidewalk that’s approximately 14 feet wide, the same width as the sidewalk on the east side of Division, south of 4th St. (right center). So it seems to me that Hogan Brothers, James Gang HideAway, and Rueb ‘n’ Stein could all accommodate a similar sidewalk dining area. The sidewalk across the street (west side of Division, south of 4th) is about a foot narrower, but that still seems to be enough room, should the VFW or others want to do it. However, the Division St. sidewalk north of 4th St (right photo) on both sides is about 10 feet wide, and therefore might be too narrow to support this type of sidewalk dining. Sooooo….

    IMG_7359.JPG IMG_73601.JPG IMG_736111.jpg
    I’d like to see the new sidewalk dining ordinance that Ross Currier and colleagues at the NDDC are working on allow restaurant owners the option to place a removable structure for sidewalk dining in the street in front of their business. (The photos above are from Levanto, Italy, where Robbie and I visited a couple years ago.) There will soon be four restaturants in this area of downtown that might be interested in doing this.

    Imagine if Northfield became known far and wide because of its culture of sidewalk dining. Good for tourism, good for residents.

    Whither the changes to the sidewalk dining ordinance?

    IMG_2578.JPG IMG_2574.JPG IMG_2575.JPG
    I was downtown St. Paul a couple of weeks ago and noticed the sidewalk dining structures on E. 5th St. between Wabasha and St. Peter. The width of the lane between the curb and the dining structures is less than 4 feet. I don’t know what code is.

    In May, 2006, the NDDC hosted a downtown forum on this issue of sidewalk dining. Ross Currier blogged about it and wrote:

    Panel and audience members offered some ideas, including defining a 42 inch clear zone for the sidewalk in the ordinance, specifying closing times for outside seating, temporary use of parking spaces for seating during special events, and creating a green buffer of potted plants around the outside seating.

    Downtown business owner and [then] EDA member Tracy Davis seemed to sum up the sense of the group when she said, “It doesn’t sound like there are any concerns that can’t be addressed, shouldn’t we just give it a try?”

    On May 16, 2006, Ross blogged about ArtsPlan ’06 consultant Tom Clough’s support for the idea and wrote: “David Hvistendahl and Maren Swanson are circulating draft ordinance language right now.” (I also posted some of my photos of sidewalk dining structures in Italy to the NDDC blog.)

    IMG_2805.JPGRobbie and I ate dinner last night on the sidewalk tables (left photo) in front of the James Gang HideAway but of course, we couldn’t have a beer or a glass of wine with our meal. Nor could the patrons down the street at Hogan Brothers. Nor the patrons up the street at the Rueb.

    Meanwhile, the Nlfd News reports quotes Rueb owner Joe Grundhoefer as saying, “We’re in the works of having a smoking patio built out back but we don’t know if it will be ready by fall.” I’d much rather see a sidewalk dining structure that smokers and non-smokers could share. There appears to be plenty of room for it on either the Division or 5th St. side of the building (photos below).

    IMG_2809.JPG IMG_2806.JPG

    So here we are, a year later, summer about to begin, and I don’t think anything has happened to move the ball along. With two and maybe three new restaurants opening this summer on Division (two serving liquor) it would seem that the time is right to have the ordinance changed.

    What’s holding things up?

    Podcast: real estate guide wars, news racks, sidewalk dining, outdoor smoking

    locally_grown_team.jpgIt was just us three co-hosts in the studio today, yacking away about the real estate guide wars, news racks, sidewalk dining, outdoor smoking, and The Crossing.

    Click play to listen. 30 minutes.

    Our show, Locally Grown, airs on Tuesdays at 4:30 PM, KRLX, 88.1 FM. You can also subscribe to the podcast feed, or subscribe with iTunes. We seek your comments and suggestions. Attach a comment to this blog post or use the Contact Us page to send us email. See the show archives for audio of other episodes.

    Why not use Stillwater’s approach to ticketing engine-revving motorcyclists?

    I’m a future resident of downtown, an advocate of more sidewalk dining, and a motorcyclist.

    I’d like to see Northfield follow Stillwater’s lead and crack down on motorcyclists (as well as drivers of other vehicles) who come through downtown, deliberately revving their engines. Rather than trying to measure decibels, the cops ticket for the illegal exhaust modifications.

    For more background on Stillwater’s approach, see this coverage: Strib editorial, WCCO, and Pioneer Press. For more on loud motorcycles, see Noiseoff and Noisefree America.

    And for a clever ad, view this “I have a small penis” YouTube video:

    Locally Grown podcast #16: Sidewalk dining; Northfield Library expansion report

    This content originally appeared on Northfield.org.

    Issues covered in episode #16 of Locally Grown, recorded this afternoon (May 5): The “Northfield Public Library Preliminary Report on Community Needs Assessment And Space Needs” with guest Adam Gurno, library board member; also, a brief recap of Tuesday’s NDDC downtown forum on sidewalk dining.

    You’ll need the latest version of Adobe Flash Player to access this content.

    Click the play button to listen (30 minutes), or download the MP3 File, or subscribe to the feed, or subscribe with iTunes. Join the ISSUES discussion list to continue the conversation on these and other issues. Attach a comment to give us feedback. See the Locally Grown page for previous episodes and more on the show.