Readers Write (April 17): City Council, Kmart, Trader Joe's, foster homes, voter ID

Customarily busy with municipal minutiae, the Minneapolis City Council, prompted by members Gary Schiff and Cam Gordon, has afforded itself an opportunity to consider larger questions: Will government support citizens in their right peaceably to assemble on public plazas for purposes of public discourse and expression of sentiment?

Or will council members attempt a different "order," with new ordinances and squandered police resources foreclosing citizen rights to occupy public space?

Do we have a democracy, and do we have a commons? Must citizens seek permission to gather in a public place? Are we subject to curfew? May we, as citizens, come together to discuss these matters and others?

Stay tuned.

DAVID LUCE, MINNEAPOLIS

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On April 13, columnist James Lileks ("Another voice for preserving our past -- the good and bad") blamed Minneapolis' planners for closing Nicollet Avenue at Lake Street and the Kmart store that was then built over the vacated street. Lileks referred to this plan as the planners' "simple solution for complex problems." His facts or recollections are a little faulty.

A Kmart store, with its vast, bleak parking lot, was not what the city had in mind when it initiated redevelopment. In fact, the initial redevelopment scheme proposed by the city's planners respected the traditional close-to-the-street building alignment and multistory buildings.

However, after this more complicated plan was approved and acquisition and demolition occurred in the early 1970s, a significant recession crippled redevelopment efforts.

The city found itself with no developer and the prospects of not having new development taxes to pay for the tax-increment bond payments that were coming due.

While the city was in this vulnerable position, Kmart proposed rescuing the city from its financial crisis with a project that nobody really liked, but it paid the bills. The rest is history.

PERRY THORVIG, MINNEAPOLIS

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An April 3 article took readers immediately off-track with its title: "Lyn-Lake Not Sold on Trader Joe's." In fact, the Lyn-Lake Business Association in Minneapolis voted to fully support this redevelopment.

A petition in support of Trader Joe's coming to 27th Street and Lyndale Avenue S. now has more than 300 signatures. Planning commissioners also made many positive comments when they received a presentation about the project in March.

The majority of the site has been in our family since the mid-1960s, and we will continue to own the property and lease it to Trader Joe's. The other portion is owned by Art Materials, which will move a few blocks down Lyndale to the vacant Rockler Woodworking building.

This is a win-win: A tired stretch of Lyndale will be renewed, and an existing business -- Art Materials -- will remain in the vicinity.

Trader Joe's requires a "Commercial-2" zoning classification, rather than the property's current "Commercial-1" classification.

The city's land-use plans identify these blocks on Lyndale as a commercial corridor that could have more intensive commercial uses. The change to "C-2" is wholly consistent with this plan.

There have been numerous neighborhood meetings, and we have responded to many good suggestions made during those discussions.

The most notable change was to add underground parking, which nearly doubled the cost of the project and provides the maximum parking allowed by city zoning. Bike racks on the plaza will accommodate the commuting preferences of shoppers.

This project will bring a popular, well-established business to our city. We hope that city officials will take this additional information into account.

JEFF AND SUE MINEA, PLYMOUTH

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For years I worked with at-risk children, many of whom were in foster care over the years during which public attitudes about smoking have changed ("DFL legislator wants to outlaw smoking in state's foster homes," April 13).

By the time many teens get to foster care, they are already addicted to cigarettes. Practically all of the children in foster care have issues that dwarf ideas about smoking.

This is another one of those things that take the focus away from the real needs of these children. It's well-meant, but realize that smoking isn't a primary hazard.

Most people who smoke are very aware of it and take it outside or down to the basement. Most smokers care about others and don't smoke when it offends others.

JIM GOUDY, AUSTIN, MINN.

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During the Vietnam War, I voluntarily served my country for four years on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, in part to ensure that future generations would enjoy the freedoms for which America is envied throughout the world.

One of these freedoms is the right of citizens to vote. It seems to me that if I can sacrifice four years of my life to this end, legitimate voters could somehow make their way to their local courthouses to obtain proper voter documentation. Sorry for any inconvenience.

JIM HERMOE, ST. JAMES, MINN.