Landscape Architect Articles

LASN Stewardship OCtober 200609-27-06 | News

"Imagine Kutzky" Realizes Success

By Andy Masterpole, ASLA

The first recommendation of the Transportation Vision Plan was realized when the city council voted to return four one-way streets back to their original two-way traffic. A basket weave of stop signs is also planned which will reduce the amount of cut-through traffic and lower speeds.

Kutzky Park is an urban neighborhood that sits in the shadow of downtown Rochester, Minn., and its world famous Mayo Clinic. It is a typical traditional neighborhood (built between 1900 and World War II) that has a variety of affordable homes and apartments in its core and commercial properties on its edges. Its 279 acres is home to approximately 3,000 residents, many of whom walk to work.

I moved to the neighborhood in 1995, just as the neighborhood association was being formed. I started working pro bono on behalf of the association, as a way to give back or invest in the neighborhood. I initially organized well-attended annual landscaping projects for the park located in the heart of the neighborhood. In 2000, with a grant received from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, I designed and created a Rain Garden Demonstration Project in the neighborhood. Three adjacent homes now stand as a model of how rainwater can be efficiently handled in an established urban environment. In the fall of 2004, myself (I trained as a citizen forester in the city?EUR??,,????'???s NeighborWoods program) and others planted 65 street trees throughout the neighborhood.

A series of public meetings are held to inform the community of the proposed changes, answer questions, gather feedback, and seek approval from the city for the plan.

Despite improvements, Kutzky Park again was seeing increased crime, deteriorating rental housing and new development that did not fit the scale and character of the neighborhood. The association grew increasingly frustrated dealing with these issues.

In late fall of 2003, Dr. Glenn Faith, Stephanie Kilen (then KPNA president) and I began to meet and discuss how a special zoning district could be created to preserve the historic integrity and provide guidelines for new development that would fit the neighborhood.

In early 2004, we realized that to correctly approach this long-term planning and revitalization initiative, we would need funding because the volunteer time was becoming overwhelming. With the support and assistance of Sean Allen, director of First Homes (an affordable housing initiative of the Rochester Area Foundation) the group applied for and received some seed money to begin the first phase of ?EUR??,,????'??Imagine Kutzky.?EUR??,,????'??

An advisory board of community leaders and local stakeholders was established to guide the process. In the summer of 2004, three community workshops were held that were each attended by approximately 100 people. The workshops gathered information from residents on transportation, open space, focal points, town centers, and housing. It was also a great opportunity to educate residents on planning issues.

With input from the workshops and a neighborhood survey, a Vision Plan was created. Again, funding was provided by First Homes and also McGhie & Betts, Inc., the multidisciplinary firm where I am employed, donated $10,000 of in-kind services.

The Vision Plan synthesized the neighbor?EUR??,,????'???s input and created goals, objectives and recommendations for the future.

Imagine Kutzky generated a great deal of civic interest and a citizen?EUR??,,????'???s council was formed which helped prioritize issues and make decisions with implementation of the plan. The first phase of implementation involved amending the Land Use Plan and was completed earlier this year. I am currently working closely with the citizen?EUR??,,????'???s council and the planning staff on revising the zoning ordinance and creating design guidelines for new development.

Kutzky Park is a unique neighborhood with many challenges ahead. Imagine Kutzky has been a true participatory planning process and an inspiration to the neighborhood. It has instilled civic pride and most importantly, fostered a young enthusiastic group of community leaders willing to take on those challenges.

Andy Masterpole is a Landscape Architect with McGhie & Betts, Inc. in Rochester, Minn.