>From a KFAI REPORT
MONDAYS, 1–2 P.M.
Environmental justice
The Neighborhood-Roof Depot Fight
Air date: Aug 13, 2018
Tags: city of Minneapolis, Environmental Justice
Listen here:
The Roof Depot site has become the focal point of a struggle over community
self-determination in Minneapolis’ East Phillips neighborhood. East Phillips is
a small southside neighborhood, tucked between Lake Street, Franklin Avenue,
Highway 55, and Bloomington Avenue. Like the Phillips community generally, the
area is home to substantial populations of East African and Hispanic immigrants
and is the core of the city’s Native American population. East Phillips is also
among the most polluted neighborhoods in Minneapolis, with two highways and
several industrial sites causing high concentrations of air pollution and the
resulting family health and developmental issues.
The Roof Depot warehouse, originally built in 1947 as the Sears distribution
center and more recently a distribution center for roofing materials, became
the center of a major controversy beginning in 2014. EPIC, the East Phillips
Improvement Coalition, along with neighbors and other organizations, developed
a plan to re-use the 7+ acre site for community-driven sustainable activities.
The plan along with the relocation of two adjoining heavily polluting
industries was seen as a very positive redirection of this prime
transit-oriented development site. Their plan gained traction with support from
the Native American Community, the Somali and Hispanic communities and other
interested neighbors who saw the benefit of what became known as the East
Phillips Indoor Urban Farm project. The Community sought investors and began
negotiating with the owners for purchase.
The City of Minneapolis, which unbeknownst to the community, had for over ten
years been planning an expansion of their 8 1/2 -acre Public Works site which
adjoins the Roof Depot Site. The expansion would house their water yard and
sewer maintenance facility. The City’s plan, as it stood, would completely
shatter the Community’s plan to build a nonpolluting industry with jobs for the
neighborhood, one that would meet all the criteria of the “Green Zone” concept.
The community also objected to the increased traffic, noise, and pollution the
City’s plan would bring to their already environmentally burdened neighborhood.
With support from CM Alondra Cano, they pushed to stop the purchase.
Ultimately, however, in 2015, after the City threatened the use of Eminent
Domain, the city council voted 9-4 to purchase and convert the site. CMs
Gordon, Frey and Andrew Johnson joined Cano in opposition.
The neighborhood groups came together under the name East Phillips Neighborhood
Institute (EPNI). With the help of legislation sponsored and passed by Rep.
Karen Clark and senators Jeff Hayden and Patricia Torres Ray they received a MN
Dept. of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) grant to plan and help
develop their East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm project. They are now attempting
to reach a compromise with the City of Mpls., requesting that three of the
site’s sixteen + acres be set aside for community use. EPIC commissioned
concept drawings of the “community plan” which would use the three-acre space
for affordable housing, organic urban food production, a coffee shop/cafe and a
bicycle shop on the Midtown Greenway, all producing quality “second chance”
jobs for the community. The coalition is also exploring pollution-mitigation
mechanisms for the public works facility, such as zero-emission municipal
vehicles.
The city’s public works department is currently analyzing their needs and a
complete proposal is expected in July. However, in initial meetings, the city
has offered only 0.8 acres of space for the community –not contiguous and not
sustainable. The City plan is being created with no community input, in
contrast with the community plan, which meets every goal of the Green Zone as
well as the city’s stated goals for community engagement and environmental &
food-justice. The City has ignored their own principals of Community Engagement
in this process, which states in part, “Right to be involved – Public
participation is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision
have a right to be involved in the decision-making process”. (Passed by the
City Council in 2007)
Given the turnover on the City Council, East Phillips organizations and their
allies – working together informally as the “Roof Depot coalition” – see an
opportunity for a meaningful change in favor of the community. This may come
through pressure on the public works department in creating the city plan and
involving the community, but likely will require the intervention of the city
council, either informally or through a vote.
The Roof Depot coalition is seeking help from allies around the city to lobby
city councilors in favor of an environmentally just plan that meets residents’
needs. A robust, city-wide push could change the issue landscape and show the
city where residents’ priorities lie.