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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974 01-08 New mayor wants growth controlled DISPATCH New mayor wants growth controlled The address of Maplewood's new is 10 years ahead of the mall, he said. Heb mayor, Robert T. Bruton, is 2114 Beam said there is talk of tripling the commer-'. Ave. That should tell everyone what his cial development at Southdale. There is number one concern is as he takes office. talk of high-rise apartments because of Bruton read- the traffic and the need for roads.The res- ily admits that idential area is becoming totally sur- it's controlled �, rounded, and their only access to their growth, espe- homes may soon be a freeway, Bruton cially growth said. around Maple- That's too much growth,he said. wood Mall. 'Bruton said the Metropolitan Council Communities, is talking of about 10 regional centers, all he said, have balanced. That's not happening at South- to pay atten- dale. tion to the con HE SAID THERE will be many stores sequences of 7 in the Maplewood Mall and more in the growth and immediate area. But, he said, "that's it allow it whenfor commercial." Now let's start buffer the ' y are truly ��� � � � ing it down,he said. prepared for I He also said he is against strip devel- it. ' opment along arterial routes, as is the Bruton also ta < comprehensive plan. The planners are believes the saying put your shopping in one area,Bru- missing as- ROBERT BRUTON ton said. pects of the Bruton was cautious about estimating comprehensive plan, such as the storm his standing with the other members of sewer system, should be filled in. Another the council or what their positions on the goal of his is to give people more informa- mall issue may be. He said they would all tion in advance and less after the fact. be there for two years together and they THE NEW MAYOR is one of the foun- will have to work together during that ders of Citizens Against Residential Ex- time. ploitation, or CARE. He became con- HE ANTICIPATES being able to work cerned, he said, when the Homart devel- with the just - being - organized Maple- opment became a regional center instead wood Chamber of Commerce, he said, • of the shopping center originally planned whose members have transportation con- for that site. cerns in the Highways 36 and 61 area. He He began appearing at meetings in said he supports formation of that organi- 1972, he said. By the spring of 1973 he be- zation. gan speaking more to the council. "I real- Bruton said he believes the chamber ly didn't think they were looking far of commerce will bea valuable form of enough ahead at the magnitude of what input to the council. He also said he's sure was happening there,"he said. he and the chamber won't always agree. Eventually, he said, he was advised The chamber should form before the that the best way to find a satisfactory mall becomes an overly powerful organi- solution was to seek political office. The zation, Bruton said. Businesses in a given Beam Avenue and Maplewood Mall con-fr.'-pall are commonly organized, he said. cern was "certainly a prime factor" in They're going to be a large and influen-I motiviating him to run for mayor,he said. i/tial group." There will be about 147 businesses in! However, Bruton said he is personally the mall alone. somewhat satisfied with what has come The first problem that has to be dealt out of the village's task force that has with at the mall is traffic, Bruton said. been studying the problem. Homart recently asked for signal lights He said he thinks the council has been and temporary ones were okayed,he said. saying, a good hard look at the total area A study in 1971 showed a definite traffic is needed, that "Beam and Lydia and problem around the mall, Bruton said. those guys are only a small part of the "Congestion discourages people from us- total traffic problem." ing a shopping area." THERE IS ALREADY a commitment HE WON'T ARRIVE at any of the ini- in existing and future buildings at Maple- tial council meetings of the new year with wood Mall, the mayor said. His concern, specific proposals, he said. One of his he said,is with adjacent property. priorities is to tie into some of the city's He would like to stick to the compre- commissions. hensive plan, confining commercial de- He was at a park and recreation velopment to key corners. Behind the commission meeting and they couldn't commercial property would be a buffer raise a quorum, Bruton said. People don't zone consisting of office buildings or high- recognize the important'role these com- er density(but not high-rise) apartments, missions can and should play, said Bru- then lower density, smaller apartments ton, who wants to get these commissions and finally rOsidential property. up to full staff and active. "We don't want downtown St. Paul to Bruton said he has no changes in mind grow right there," Bruton said. "We," he for the village staff. There are some sala- said, means himself and other people in ry problems, he said, that the village cre- the area of the mall. ated for themselves. Bruton compared the present develop- "Hopefully we can resolve them to ment at Maplewood with Southdale,which everyone's satisfaction,"he said.