Wade Russell

Sierra Club

North Star Chapter

Twin Cities Group

Political Committee

City Council Questionnaire

1) Urban development is an important issue to our members. What role do you see for yourself as a central city council member to affect our region's growth patterns?

I strongly believe that urban sprawl into undeveloped properties and farmlands surrounding the metro area is negatively impacting the quality of all of our lives due to loss of resources.  Further, this puts undue stress on our transportation and utility infrastructure creating a financial

burden.   As a central City council member, I will support a two-pronged

approach to positively impact the regional growth patterns.

First, I will keep the city livable by:

the conservation of our urban wilderness and recreation areas such as the Mississippi River, Minnehaha Park and Creek, the Chain of Lakes and Theodore Wirth Park.

governing in a fiscally sound manner so we can maintain adequate funding for the protection and development of our urban resources.

supporting neighborhood councils which keep people involved in their neighborhoods and results in strong communities (for example the Longfellow Community Council, on which I serve, has been the primary force behind the restoration and preservation of the Mississippi River Gorge.  This committee has raised over one half million dollars of restoration funding).

keeping our city pedestrian and bicycle friendly by supporting developments like the Midtown Greenway and inner-city bicycle routes.

Secondly, I will be active within city government and other branches of government, like the Metropolitan Council and our County Commission, to promote smart growth zoning regulations and I will oppose the expansion of the Metropolitan Utilities Services Area.

2) What urban design principles will you support for riverfront development?

The Mississippi River is the very reason the City of Minneapolis exists and deserves our utmost respect.  The River in Minneapolis consists of three interconnected environments and each requires its own special consideration within the context of the whole. 

North of downtown, the river has a shallow bank that has spurred industrial development in this area.  I support mixed use of this area with the development of green space, residential development and commercial and industrial uses compatible with green space and residential use (the Kondirator is not compatible with mixed use development). 

Downtown represents one of the most dramatic sections of the entire river with St Anthony Falls.  Due to its proximity to downtown, development in this area must be consistent with high use.  The development of the Mill Ruins Park is appropriate for this area along with housing; however, any housing must include an affordable component to maximize opportunities for residents to enjoy this resource.  The commercial development must be consistent with this use and the City must stand behind its zoning decisions.  I would have opposed the variance for Padilla Spear Corporation to develop a large impervious parking surface next to the river and would support public developments like the Guthrie Theater.

South of downtown, the Mississippi River follows its only gorge along its entire length on property that is primarily parkland on both banks.  I support maintaining this area as a wilderness area within an urban context as proposed in the Mississppi River Gorge Master Plan prepared by the Minneapolis Park Board and Longfellow Community Council.  Development adjacent to this section of the river must be non-obtrusive to users of the parkland.  As a Council member, I would have supported that the Minnehaha Academy be required to conduct a Environmental Assessment (EA) prior to the removal of trees, expansion of impervious surfaces, and placement of a storm water collection pond adjacent to the River Gorge and parkland as requested of the City Council by concern citizens.

3) What will you do as City Council Member to reduce air toxic concentrations in our city?

The primary source of air toxins in our city is mobile air toxins, primarily from automobiles.  Therefore, we need to develop pedestrian and bicycle friendly transit ways.  The City must do its share and maintain the most-efficient vehicle fleet feasible and explore the use of alternative energy and hybrid vehicles where possible. Recent studies have shown that airports and related infrastructure are also significant contributors of air toxins (possibly exceeding 10% in some cities) and MPCA studies have show that some of the most impacted air quality, with respect to carcinogens, in the Twin Cities is adjacent to the Airport within Ward 12.  I oppose further expansion of the MSP Airport and support use of feeder airports to improve urban air quality.  I also support the development of quieter, energy-efficient commuter rail to reduce dependence on air travel.

4) What will you do to maintain and improve our parks and boulevards?

I am proud to be running for office in Ward 12, which is blessed with abundant natural resources including Lake Nokomis, Lake Hiawatha, Minnehaha Creek and Falls and the mighty Mississippi River.  These resources contribute greatly to the quality of life and I will work with our Park Board and all levels of government to protect these resources.

As council member, I will put the needs of the preservation of these resources over the desires of developers.  These resources deserve full-time council representation and are one of the chief reasons I've decided to run for City Council.  The current Council member (Sandy Colvin Roy) lobbied against citizen testimony before the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District

(MCWD) for the placement of environmental conditions on the permit associated with routing Highway 55 through Minnehaha Park.  The MCWD listened to the citizens and an independent hydrogeologic assessment was conducted that resulted in environmental protections for the resources adjacent to the highway.  Additionally, as a direct result of citizen testimony, the MCWD promulgated groundwater rules that enabled them to act on the dewatering of Lake Nokomis by the MAC.  This action could have never occurred in an adequate timeframe if the MCWD would have followed the political wishes of City Hall over that of the protection of the environment. 

Sandy Colvin Roy again voted against citizens who were concerned about the expansion of the Minnehaha Academy adjacent to city-owned parkland adjacent to the Mississippi River and requested that an Environmental Assessment (EA) be conducted.  The expansion resulted in the removal of mature oak trees, increased impervious surfaces and a parking lot run-off pond.  Expert testimony was provided on the biota and hydrogeology and the need for the assessment.  Again, Colvin Roy voted for the concerns of development over that of the environment.

Specifically, I will support continued separation of the City and Park Police Departments, traffic calming on our parkways, and the doubling of speeding fines on parkways.  This will help to keep these resources enjoyable to their many users.  I will work with our neighborhood groups to preserve green space through the Neighborhood Revitalization Program and look for State and Federal Grant opportunities for the habitat restoration programs (such as buckthorn removal).

5) With the increased commercial development of our downtown what will you do to help solve the growing transportation pressures into our city?

I support the development of mass transit systems to comfortably and efficiently move people in and out of downtown.  We need to expand our bus service.  I support dedicated bus lanes as an immediate step to promote increased mass transit ridership.  While I support LRT, we must realize that it is very expensive and it may be over a decade before we see the expansion

of the Hiawatha Line.   I would also support a feasibility study to explore

personal rapid transit (PRT) options as a long-term solution.

 We also need to promote housing solutions that put people closer to the places they work and tie mass transit into our developments both within the city and outside of the city to discourage the use of individual automobiles.  No new transit infrastructure should be developed in the metro area without a mass transit component.

6) What will you do to deal with the continued airport expansion and transportation pressures related to increased airport traffic?

We cannot allow for further expansion of our airport due to its impact on the City, and just as importantly, it doesn't make economic sense since it is not possible to build and maintain a world-class airport on the limited property available to the MAC. I will work to:

oppose the further acquisition of land by the MAC for the MSP Airport, including the Bureau of Mines property.

begin to land bank property to build a sister airport to alleviate air traffic, especially with respect to air cargo. The State should acquire this property before its cost rises even further as development continues to encroach on likely locations.

support use of second tier airports, such as Rochester's airport, to reduce traffic and develop high-speed rail between Minneapolis and Chicago.

7) Run off from impervious surfaces, roads, sidewalks, roofs and lawn chemicals are impacting our lakes, rivers, and creeks. What will you do to improve water quality in our city's waterways?

A)        Would you support a citywide phosphorous fertilizer ban? 

Yes, I support the fertilizer ban recently passed by the City Council. However, I would not have waited until an election year and the issue being raised by an opposing candidate before implementing it.

B) Would you support a storm water treatment system? 

Yes, the phosphorous ban alone will not significantly improve surface water quality since many of the inputs are from other sources.  For example, impervious surfaces result in the crushing and rapid release of plant material that, in a natural system, would return to the forest floor and decay into soil.  This material in itself can create a high phosphorus load to our surface water bodies and should be settled out prior to entering our water systems.

C) Would you support building additional holding ponds to protect our city lakes? 

Yes, I support additional holding ponds to protect the quality of our lakes. Unnatural human landscaping has reduced natural filtering capacity of our lakes and should be restored for the long-term health of our lakes.

8) What would you do to promote bicycle and pedestrian transit?

The City needs pedestrian and bicycle friendly development.  The City cannot follow the model of large mega stores surrounded by a sea of parking.  This is not the type of development that draws people to live in the city and encourages unnecessary use of automobiles.  As a small business owner, I will provide assurance that the City works with our small neighborhood businesses, which are developed on a scale that does not constantly require the use of automobiles due to their close proximity to workplaces and residents.

We need to recognize the bicycle as a viable transit option in the city, and support the development of commuter routes such as the Midtown Greenway. Where dedicated bikeways are not feasible, we need to explore ways to calm traffic to make bicyclists and pedestrians feel safe. 

I would support the initiative promoted by mayoral candidate RT Rybak to dedicate a portion of the City's parking fund to bike and pedestrian pathways.

9) Do you believe central cities should accept a greater or lesser share of the Twin Cities projected population growth?

I believe that urban sprawl is one of the biggest challenges that affect our entire metro area.  The City can accept a greater population density along with the inner-ring suburbs.  In fact, the City has supported higher populations than it currently does.  However, this can only be successful with smart-growth development and keeping the city livable.  We can only do this by strong leadership in the area of environmental protection.  If the City accepts higher density, green initiatives and effective mass transit will be required for the protection of our health.  The 1917 publication Plan of Minneapolis states, " the cost of public health is the cost of the preservation of our open spaces and parkland...open spaces have well been called the city's lungs."  This is even truer today.  However, population growth must include commitments from the suburban communities in the area of affordable housing and mass transit to help minimize income disparity.

10) What if anything will you do to promote city level campaign finance reform? 

There currently exists a huge loophole in the design of City campaign finance rules.  Candidates are not required to disclose contributions over $100 and yet are not allowed to accept contributions over $100 in non-election years.  This means there is virtually no accountability 3 out of 4 years of a Council member's term.  We need to close this loophole and require full disclosure of campaign contributions every year or ban non-election year contributions.

11) How will you use your position as City Council Member to direct city procurement policies towards green products and buildings, such as super high efficiency vehicles, passive solar construction, chlorine free paper, recycled carpets and clean fuels?

I have made "green initiatives" part of my campaign because I feel strongly that the City must lead by example.  We are a major purchaser of non-renewable fuels and products and we need a comprehensive program to assure that we are doing everything that we can in our procurement policies. We cannot afford to look only at the short-term lowest bid any longer, but must also consider the long-term environmental impact of our decisions.  As a major purchaser of products, our government, all levels, must make environmentally sound decisions that will help drive the marketplace to create affordable environmentally sound products.

12) What will you do as a City Council Member to help protect Camp Coldwater Springs (Bureau of Mines Land) and the 27 acres of green space that surrounds the area?

A)        Would you oppose the Metropolitan Airports Commissions efforts to

build on the current land a parking facility or any other type of development that would disturb the current green space?

As a result of the recent unfortunate events, the MAC has "postponed indefinitely" its interest in the Bureau of Mines property, an acquisition which I opposed.  This property has significant cultural and ecologic significance and should be under proper guardianship.  The mission of the MAC is move planes not preserve public resources. Now is the time to act to make sure that an appropriate guardian is found for this property.

B)        Would you support turning the Bureau of Mines Land over to the

either the Department of Natural Resources, State Park System or Minneapolis Park Board to be restored to it original natural state. 

Yes, I would support the acquisition of the land by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource and incorporation into the State Park System since the property has state-wide significance and they are best able to supply the funding required for the level of preservation this property deserves.  The US Department of Interior should be held accountable for the clean-up of this property and removal of unnecessary buildings (which is estimated to cost in the tens of millions of dollars) since they are the partly responsible for the impact in accordance with federal superfund legislation. I would like to see it primarily restored to its natural state with at least one of the buildings preserved for public use (such as an interpretive

center) and the historic structures associated with Coldwater Spring itself. Preservation of the green spaces associated with this property would connect Minnehaha Park with Fort Snelling creating a world-class park.