Linden Corner Opponents Score Council Seats

Neighborhood worries—and perhaps some anger—propelled seven opponents of the Linden Corner development on to the Linden Hills Neighborhood Council (LHiNC) Board. The unusually intense election was Thursday night.

, several members of the organized opposition to the Linden Corner project and other like-minded Linden Hills residents put themselves forward as candidates who would "uphold the current zoning laws."

In an email to Patch comparing LHiNC's experience with the failed CVS development several years ago to the proposed Linden Corner development, outgoing LHiNC Board chair Lesley Lydell said "all board candidates and members uphold the zoning code(...)the code allows for the very type of CUP (conditional use permit) and variance Mark Dwyer and his group are planning to apply for."

In previous community meetings on the Linden Corner development, some residents had called for LHiNC to issue a more forceful statement against the development than its current approach, which is to create a detailed recomendation based on the community's specific comments on and objections to the project. It was an objection that may have played a role in resident's voting choices, although members of the organized opposition to Linden Corner have said they support LHiNC's moves.

"For folks on the planning commission and city council, the rationale against the development will need to include more specific information and address clearly articulated points on which they can take action, once the final plan details are revealed," Lydell said in her email, explaining that LHiNC board members had gained the information from the CVS development experience.

Christopher Maddox, one of the development opponents elected to the board on Thursday, said the issue was holding the line against developments that tried to breach the three-story height limit in downtown Linden Hills. He told Patch on Friday that he was excited to begin working on the council board, particularly on the board's initiatives on aging.

The election was unusually contentious, drawing 258 votes, according to the Southwest Journal. By contrast, the Journal reports, eight seats were open last year, but only four neighborhood residents chose to run.

Updated 9:20 p.m. 10/16/11: This article was updated to clarify statements from outgoing LHiNC Board chair Lesley Lydell on campaign rhetoric from Linden Corner opponents and on the process LHiNC has followed to collect and present to the city community input on the Linden Corner project.

See Patch's Previous Coverage of Linden Corner