Poll: Should zoning laws allow kids to sell cookies, lemonade, etc in front of their homes?

The St. Louis region made the national news this month:

In Hazelwood, Mo., Carolyn Mills and her daughters, Abigail, 14, and Caitlin, 16, have sold Girl Scout cookies from their driveway for years. But after a neighbor complained that the cookie stand created too much traffic and was causing dogs to bark, city officials told the Millses that selling cookies there violated the city’s zoning code.

Hazelwood officials say scouts are allowed to sell cookies in the city but must go door to door or set up at a place like a grocery store parking lot (with the store’s permission). So while the front yard snack stand is one American tradition, the lawsuit is another. The girls urged the family to sue, and it did. (NY Times)

Other national coverage:

• Perez Hilton
• Huffington Post

But the lawsuit didn’t go far:

CLAYTON • A St. Louis County judge [Circuit Judge Maura McShane] has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the mother of two Hazelwood teens who were ordered last spring to stop selling Girl Scout cookies in front of their home.

In her dismissal, McShane wrote that the Mills first should have exhausted their appeals asking the city to reconsider barring cookie sales before taking the case to circuit court. (STLtoday.com)

This  recent history is to introduce the poll question this week: Should zoning laws allow kids to sell cookies, lemonade, etc in front of their homes? The poll is in the upper right corner of the blog. Results on Wednesday August 31st.

– Steve Patterson

St. Louis Area Not-For-Profit Winners in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good Contest

Not-for-profit organizations on the Missouri side of the St. Louis region the did very well in Toyota’s just completed “100 Cars for Good” contest.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B062rImllJo

Here was the announcement of the finalists in April:

April 25, 2011

Toyota Announces Finalists in 100 Cars for Good Program

• 500 nonprofits selected as finalists in the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program

• 100 vehicles will be given away over 100 days based on daily voting on Toyota’s Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/toyota

• Public voting will begin on May 9, 2011 and will take place for 100 consecutive days

TORRANCE, CALIF. (April 25, 2011) – Toyota today announced the 500 nonprofit organizations selected as finalists in the “100 Cars for Good” program, which will award 100 vehicles over the course of 100 days to 100 deserving nonprofit organizations based on votes from the public.

Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good initiative engages the public to determine the 100 organizations to receive a Toyota vehicle for use in the community. The 500 finalists, selected from a pool of applications submitted via Toyota’s Facebook page from March 7-21, 2011, were chosen by an independent panel of judges who are experts in the fields of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. The finalists represent non-profit organizations servicing the community across a broad range of categories including animal welfare, arts, education, environment, health, safety and human services, among others.

Finalists will create an online profile, which may include a video showcasing how the organization plans to use a new Toyota vehicle to do good in their local community. Starting May 9, public voting will begin and take place for 100 consecutive days, with five organizations profiled on Toyota’s Facebook page each day. The public may vote for the charity they feel is most deserving based on the created profiles. A vehicle will be awarded daily through August 16 for a total of 100 vehicles. Voters may place one vote per day, each day, over the course of the program. Winning organizations can choose from the following vehicles: Toyota Prius, Tacoma, Tundra, Highlander Hybrid, Sienna, or Sienna Mobility. With each vehicle, Toyota Financial Services will provide a six-year 100,000 mile Toyota Vehicle Service Agreement to help provide extended protection from mechanical breakdowns beyond the vehicle warranty.

For a complete list of finalists, please visit www.facebook.com/toyota.

The following are the five winners in Missouri, all from the greater St. Louis area:

Day 5: May 13, 2011 - St. Louis Area Foodbank

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZPHs–zrdY

About us:

The St. Louis Area Foodbank (SLAFB) feeds hungry people by acquiring and distributing food through our member agencies, and educates the public about the nature of and solutions to the problems of hunger. We believe that our mission aligns with Toyota’s goal to allow each individual to live with dignity and hope. By providing quality food items, in a dignified manner to people in need, we alleviate hunger while instilling hope. 261,000 unduplicated individuals rely on the SLAFB annually, of which 101,790 are children—the largest demographic served (39%). In calendar year 2010, SLAFB distributed over 23 million pounds of product through 500 member agencies.

How we would use a new Toyota:

A new Toyota vehicle would be utilized by the SLAFB to more efficiently establish partnerships throughout our service territory in order to further our mission. SLAFB partners with 500 agencies in 26 Missouri and Illinois counties to feed hungry people. Agencies include food pantries, emergency shelters, residential facilities and soup kitchens. Agency Relations staff work closely with representatives of our partner agencies, which requires driving their personal vehicles within an expansive 14,173 square mile service territory in the bi-state region. In fact, Finance projects that a new Toyota vehicle would save the organization nearly 30% in mileage reimbursements annually.

Day 10: May 18, 2011 - Mission: St. Louis

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_VpEZ6_mxk

About us:

Mission: St. Louis fights poverty one neighborhood at a time, walking alongside people as they help themselves. While increasing home safety by providing free repairs, we build relationships. As we improve families’ surroundings, we also focus on long-term empowerment. We help people find employment so that they can provide for their families. In order to help break the cycle of poverty, we read with children to increase literacy and bolster educational success. Through a holistic approach that addresses education, empowerment, and economic development, Mission: St. Louis seeks to transform neighborhoods into safe and nurturing environments for all people. Vote for Mission: St. Louis!

How we would use a new Toyota:

The Mission: St. Louis home repair program makes vital steps toward improving the safety of families. Currently, Mission: St. Louis does $6 in home repairs for every $1 spent on materials. We secure many thousands of dollars in donated goods, and we have a warehouse to store these materials until needed. However, we are limited by lack of transportation. A truck will help us get materials to the warehouse and get them to homes where they can be used to create safe living environments. With a truck, we can repair more homes. We can build more relationships. We can help more people get jobs, provide for their families, and build stronger neighborhoods. Vote for Mission: St. Louis!

Day 41: June 18, 2011 - Lincoln County Council on Aging

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oiSpXyQucQ

About us:

In 1978, several women from the community created Lincoln County Council on Aging to meet the needs of local seniors and disabled adults. The agency has grown from one center serving Troy, to four centers (Winfield, Silex and Elsberry) serving all of Lincoln County. The county has a large rural population and for many of the agency’s clients, participating in the home delivered meal program provides the support needed to remain in their own home. The four centers offer a wide variety of activities to promote socialization, education and general well being. Lincoln County Council on Aging promotes independence and dignity while encouraging clients to enjoy each day with quality of life.

How we would use a new Toyota:

Lincoln County Council on Aging’s fleet of vehicles’ average age is fourteen years old. Most are donated and require frequent major repairs. Driving rural routes quickly adds miles to the vehicles. They are less fuel efficient and increase the agency’s vehicle expense. A new Toyota vehicle would improve the safety and comfort for our volunteers, staff and clients. In November 2010, the agency’s main vehicle was totaled in an accident – leaving us with less reliable transportation for our volunteer drivers and our clients. A Toyota vehicle would reduce cost for repairs, fuel and maintenance. This savings would allow us to expand meal routes thereby, reaching more clients in need.

Day 77: July 24, 2011 – Friends of Kids with Cancer, St. Louis, MO

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvZDQ0DcHls

About us:

Friends of Kids with Cancer is devoted to enriching the daily lives of children undergoing treatment for cancer and blood related diseases by providing them and their families with the recreational, educational, and emotional support needed throughout the long hours of chemotherapy, illness and isolation. Friends engages minds, instills confidence and, most importantly, helps kids with cancer…be kids! Check out our impact on the community firsthand- here is a thank you note from a parent of a child in treatment: “We had an amazing time at Incredible Pizza today. Thank You!!!! I don’t think words could ever describe how big of a blessing you guys are to our family and so many others!”

How we would use a new Toyota:

Friends provides many programs ALL over the St. Louis area on a small staff, so we utilize many volunteers for errands and to implement our programs. We need a safe, clean vehicle for them to use that can hold the eclectic mix of items that we provide: toys, games, tickets and all kinds of great things for the kids at the treatment centers every day. We also hold events just for the kids and families. In addition to the programs, we have to run multiple special event fundraisers each year. Having a roomy vehicle would help us be more efficient and save on any costs related to hauling signs, shirts, auction items, banners, food, drinks and everything in between that comes up during events.

Day 84: July 31, 2011 - Operation Food Search

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6AYpIAYyPQ

About us:

The mission of Operation Food Search is to provide food and other basic necessities to individuals in need to relieve the burden of hunger and its consequences. Founded in 1981, Operation Food Search is the largest distributor of free food in the Saint Louis bi-state (MO/IL) region. We are a “big roots” organization serving the needs of 130,000 Saint Louisians, half of whom are children, through our network of 250 community partner agencies. Sadly, 1 in 4 children risk going hungry on daily basis. Operation Backpack and our Nutrition Education programs focus efforts on low-income children specifically, as these vulnerable kids face the greatest risk of starvation and malnutrition.

 

How we would use a new Toyota:

Our dietitians and their volunteers currently travel within a 75 mile radius around the bi-state region with food and cooking supplies to provide nutrition information to more than 4,000 low-income families. Our Cooking Matters team needs reliable, secure transportation, with ample space for their gear and staff, to continue their hands-on outreach program in our community. The families and individuals we reach rely on our team to learn how to keep their children healthy on a tight budget. Our current vehicle has nearly 190,000 miles on it and is falling apart. A new vehicle would be an asset to not only Operation Food Search, but to strengthening our community as a whole.

Congratulations to these organizations on winning a new vehicle.

– Steve Patterson

Highly Recommended: Brick By Chance and Fortune

Last Sunday I finally got to see Bill Streeter’s documentary  “Brick By Chance and Fortune” at the Tivoli Theater as part of the 11th Annual St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase.

St. Louis is a city with a rich heritage of brick architecture. Home to some of the largest and most innovative clay working companies of the nineteenth century, you can still see some of the finest examples of brick work ever produced all over the city and region. Today the city’s brick heritage is under threat by neglect, brick theft and urban renewal.

It was primarily the solid brick buildings that got me to move to St. Louis 21 years ago. But after seeing this film, learning about the history, I have an even greater appreciation for what the generations long ago built. That we lucked out to be sitting on a large deposit of clay helped our city takes it form.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrTAKgL6upw

Two screenings are coming up at Off Broadway: Friday September 2nd & Saturday September 3rd, both at 7pm.  The cost is $8.

– Steve Patterson

This Week’s Poll Closed Due to Self-Selection Bias

I’ve never closed a weekly poll before, I’ve always let them run Sunday to Sunday.  But on Monday I decided to close this week’s poll. Why? When the number of votes after 36 hours exceeded the typical number of votes for an entire week it was very clear I was not getting the perspective of my usual reader. The poll had zero value with such a highly biased sample:

Self-selection bias, which is possible whenever the group of people being studied has any form of control over whether to participate. Participants’ decision to participate may be correlated with traits that affect the study, making the participants a non-representative sample. For example, people who have strong opinions or substantial knowledge may be more willing to spend time answering a survey than those who do not. Another example is online and phone-in polls, which are biased samples because the respondents are self-selected. Those individuals who are highly motivated to respond, typically individuals who have strong opinions, are overrepresented, and individuals that are indifferent or apathetic are less likely to respond. This often leads to a polarization of responses with extreme perspectives being given a disproportionate weight in the summary. As a result, these types of polls are regarded as unscientific.

There have been many weekly polls in the last couple of years where the results differed from my personal viewpoint, but that was the viewpoints of the readers.

That said, here are the results from the first 36 hours of the poll:

1. Should be repealed 47 [40.87%]
2. Don’t like the law, but I do like having more smoke-free places 10 [8.7%]
3. So glad we are finally a smoke-free city! 23 [20%]
4. Great, but we need to remove exemptions so all employers are smoke-free 33 [28.7%]
5. Other: 2 [1.74%]
6. unsure/no opinion 0 [0%]

Those who want to repeal the ban make up the single biggest group, but nearly half like the law (48%).  Here were the two other answers:

1. i like it, leave smokers some places tho
2. In America, smoking cigarettes is freedom. Stop infringing on my freedom!

Ah yes freedom! The freedom to make others smell your addictive habit. The freedom to make anyplace smell like an ashtray simply from the toxins contained in your clothing. The freedom to fill the bus or light rail train car with smoke. The freedom to be completely inconsiderate of others around you.

Most likely I will never do a poll about smoking again.

– Steve Patterson

Readers Split on Naming Commercial District

When last week’spoll (Name the future commercial district along Grand at the Old White Water Tower) started I thought the number of responses was going to be quite low, but it ended about typical (104).  But unlike most weeks, the results ended up being tied at four levels.

#1 (tie)

• Grand Water Tower District 20 [19.23%]
• Doesn’t matter, will never become a commercial district again 20 [19.23%]
• College Hill 20 [19.23%]

I knew there would be many that would take the negative answer, just glad to see it didn’t get more votes than any other. I voted for College Hill, the name of the neighborhood,  but then I started thinking the commercial district and adjacent neighborhood should have their own identities.

#2 (tie)

• Bissell Point 8 [7.69%]
• The Column 8 [7.69%]
• The Corinthian 8 [7.69%]
• Other: 8 [7.69%]

I like Bissell Point as that was the name of the water plant that required both water towers in College Hill.

#3 (tie)

• 20 Grand 5 [4.81%]
• Grand College Hill 5 [4.81%]

#4 (tie)

• Old White 1 [0.96%]
• unsure/no opinion 1 [0.96%]

The eight other answers were:

1. who cares?
2. the pits
3. The towers
4. Do master plan first, then you will know what the name is.
5. Grand Column
6. tower point
7. Ask local residents for their preferred name.
8. The Intersection of Crack and Guns

For several of the above, may I direct you to STLtoday.com.

I would have asked local residents but I don’t want their religion forced upon me just to talk, as I found out when I tried to set up a casual meeting. Hopefully I can find residents outside the official group that I can meet with in a place other than a church and without a prayer at the start and end of the meeting. More residents and businesses are needed, a closed religious group will not accomplish that goal.

The marketing of the neighborhood and district clearly needs significant help, the type of help not gained through prayer. You know things like consistent marketing of the name, website, Twitter & Facebook, etc. Neighborhood organizations should be inclusive and secular.

As I said above I think the neighborhood and commercial district need their own branding and campaigns. For the commercial district I’m partial to Bissell Point at College Hill. We would just call it Bissell Point for short, but the “at College Hill” would help market the neighborhood as well.

I suggest the following for the commercial district:

• Set up a design charrette to plan where new buildings should be constructed, along with their massing & form. Adopt a form-based code based on the outcome.
• Set up marketing for the neighborhood  & commercial district; a blog, Twitter account & a Facebook page for each.
• Concentrate businesses on the circle and to the west, residential to the east of the circle.
• Consider a Community Improvement District (CID) to help fund public improvements in the district.
• Plan for restaurants around the circle with outdoor seating facing the water tower.
• Work with Metro to promote arrival by MetroBus to minimize the need for large parking lots.

Many more things must be done, of course, but this is a start.

The potential is there, but will it be realized?

– Steve Patterson