Whose view? From where? — May 2008

This photo is of the Fish Creek area at the southern tip of Maplewood, between I-494 and US Highway 61. Representing some of the last remaining undeveloped land in Maplewood, it has caught the eye of developers seeking to transform rolling hillsides overlooking the river into a new subdivision.

Because of an alleged conflict between zoning for the site and the Citys Comprehensive Plan, the owners of the site sued the City in 2006 to rezone the site to allow development at traditional suburban densities.

The City is working toward a possible agreement with the sites developers to allow the site to be developed as a fairly traditional suburban subdivision. But the developers have agreed to set aside a portion of the site to be protected as open space, provided funds can be raised in sufficient time.

The City of Maplewood and other partners anticipate they will be working this fall to raise funds through a possible ballot initiative to protect the land. Watch Mississippi Messages for further updates.

About Whose view? From where?

Each month in this section, we feature a photo somewhere along the river corridor in the Twin Cities that is in some way significant or important or just plain scenic. Individuals may then e-mail us and identify the view and explain why they believe it is significant to the community or important to them personally. Well publish some of your responses in the next issue of Mississippi Messages, where we will also reveal the correct answer.

To submit your guess and response, e-mail Bob Spaulding, River Advocate, through our contact form. The respondent to provide the first correct identification of the view and hopefully some interesting thoughts about its significance will receive a valuable prize for their effort. All entries must be received by the first day of the following month for consideration.