UPDATED: Linden Hills Council To Host Open House

UPDATED 8:51 p.m. 12/2/11: This article originally misstated the time and hosts of the open house.

UPDATED 3:34 p.m. 12/5/11: A time for the open house has been announced!

The three-year-old, winding saga of Linden Corner may be nearing the endgame. His plans officially submitted to the city, and a hearing before the Planning Commission penciled for Jan. 9, developer the Linden Hills Neighborhood Council (LHiNC) are giving the Linden Hills neighborhood a long look at the final plans for his controversial development.

Stop by the recreation center at Linden Hills Park on Sunday, Dec. 11 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to see the final plans, which were modified somewhat following a series of focus groups with a select group of neighborhood residents. Representatives of Linden Hills Residents for Responsible Development, the neighborhood group opposed to the development, and developer Mark Dwyer will be there to answer questions about their respective positions. 

But just what will determine whether Dwyer's proposal goes through?

Many residents have raised a host of objections to the proposed building—the scale, the elimination of the pocket park at 43rd Street and Upton Avenue, soil contamination from a long-ago gas station, among others. But it's the tallest objection—building height—on which Linden Corner's fate rests.

According to city ordinance, the parcel Dwyer wants to develop can't have buildings higher than 42 feet (three stories). Dwyer has insisted Linden Corner stand at five stories, which would require a Conditional Use Permit, granted by the Planning Commission. 

To get this permit, Dwyer needs to prove his development fits a narrow set of criteria, including not interfering with:

• Access to light and air of surrounding properties.
• Shadowing of residential properties, significant public spaces, or existing solar energy systems.
• The scale and character of surrounding uses.
• Preservation of views of landmark buildings, significant open spaces or water bodies.

You can find more information her about conditional use permits and proposals to increase the maximum height of buildings.

See Patch's Previous Coverage of Linden Corner