Readers Support Regulation of Drones in Missouri

ABOVE: A $299 personal drone from Amazon

Few seem to care about the use of drones by law enforcement or other individuals, only 45 voted in the poll last week.

Q: Thoughts on Drone Use in Missouri?

1. Regulation is needed to protect my privacy from government & individuals 29 [64.44%]
2. Meh, no big deal. Let the boys play with their toys 8 [17.78%]
3. Use by government should be very limited but I should have an individual right to use one 4 [8.89%]
4. Unsure/no opinion 4 [8.89%]

Perhaps if I’d have included the phrase “new regulation” in the question that would’ve enticed more to respond? You can read the original post here.

– Steve Patterson

I’d Love an Urban Plant Nursery in Downtown St. Louis

In the first months of this blog, three years before I moved downtown, I posted about what Washington Avenue was missing. In the eight years since many of the types of stores I listed have opened, though some closed as well. A florist & kitchen store are examples of two types of stores that opened and closed.

One retail type that didn’t occur to me at the time is a nursery.

ABOVEL Nursery in Manhattan on October 30, 2001

Living downtown for 5+ years now I see a need for a nursery that can easily be reached without a car. Potted plants for indoors, bedding plants for the balcony, seeds and  other supplies. In addition to residents, office workers might like a small plant to brighten their desk. Paperwhites anyone?

Such a business could transform a dreary & forgotten space. All that’s needed is a fenced area that gets some sun & rain plus access to water & power.

ABOVE: One location might be this unused corner (bottom left) of the Mansion House complex

There may not be a sufficient market for such a retail business downtown, it would most certainly be seasonal. Still I hope some green thumb reads this and considers it.

In the Central West End is the very nice, but pricey, Bowood Farms and associated Cafe Osage. Both are great but they’ve made a substantial investment in the location which is reflected in the prices. Still, when I had a car I’d go there as well as the former gas station turned nursery of University Gardens.

– Steve Patterson

Now Part of a One-Car Household

ABOVE: Steve & Dave

Personal mobility is a big part our lives, it often consumes a large percentage of our income. Over the 8+ years of this blog I’ve written about the many changes to my own transportation modes.

I had a car when I started, added a 49cc scooter after Katrina, got rid of the car in 2007, sold the scooter and bought a car in 2008 after my stroke, began using transit and then finally in April 2012 I sold my car.

Here are the posts:

1. 9/2005: My Way of Dealing With Rising Gas Prices
2. 7/2007: First Time in 25 Years, I Don’t Own A Car!
3. 6/2008: My Beloved Honda Metropolitan Scooter Has Been Sold
4. 7/2008: I Drove My Car Today
5. 2/2010: No longer bus-averse
6. 4/2012: I’m Car-Free…Again!
   

I have one more change, my boyfriend and I have been living together for more than two weeks and his car makes me part of a one-car household. Many one-car couples I know both drive the car, just depending upon who needs it. In our household, for now at least, he’ll be the sole driver.

This new status prompted me to look into some demographics of car ownership.

ABOVE: From the Summary of Travel Trends: 2009 National Household Travel Survey, click image to view PDF

Poll: Do you support the idea of “Participatory Budgeting” in St. Louis?

The idea of participatory budgeting has entered the local conversation. What is it? Glad you asked:

ABOVE: Participants are given slips to vote for various projects. Photo source: The Participatory Budgeting Project

The process was first developed in Brazil in 1989, and there are now over 1,500 participatory budgets around the world. Most of these are at the city level, for the municipal budget. PB has also been used, however, for counties, states, housing authorities, schools and school systems, universities, coalitions, and other public agencies.

Though each experience is different, most follow a similar basic process: residents brainstorm spending ideas, volunteer budget delegates develop proposals based on these ideas, residents vote on proposals, and the government implements the top projects. For example, if community members identify recreation spaces as a priority, their delegates might develop a proposal for basketball court renovations. The residents would then vote on this and other proposals, and if they approve the basketball court, the city pays to renovate it. (The Participatory Budgeting Project)

Sounds like a way to get more people to participate in decisions rather than just complain after the fact. But how would this work on a local aldermanic level? We just need to look to Chicago’s 49th ward and Ald Joe Moore:

Over the past three years, I’ve asked my constituents–the residents of the 49th Ward–to decide how to spend $1 million in tax dollars.

Each alderman in Chicago gets over $1 million a year to allocate for various infrastructure improvements in his or her ward. This so-called “menu money” goes to resurface streets and alleys, repair sidewalks and curbs and gutters, put in new streetlights, and the like. I’ve also used the money to subsidize special infrastructure projects, such as the Harold Washington Playlot and the Willye White Community Center. This menu money is spent at the total discretion of each alderman.

Beginning with the 2009-10 budget cycle, I have ceded my decision-making authority to the residents of my ward through a process known as Participatory Budgeting, or “PB49,” in which all 49th Ward residents are eligible to vote directly on the infrastructure projects that are funded in our community.

The 49th Ward is the first political jurisdiction in the nation to adopt such an approach to public spending, and it’s been so well-received that I have pledged to make it a permanent fixture in the ward. Word of our success has spread. This year, three other Chicago aldermen have pledged to use participatory budgeting to decide how to spend their aldermanic menu money and other cities in the U.S., including New York City and Vallejo, California, are emulating our model. (source)

St. Louis, like Chicago, has funds available for each ward. These funds get allocated and spent each year with little to no input from the public. In some cases the money isn’t spent, the alderman decides to hoard the funds instead.

So what do you think, do you support this idea in St. Louis? The poll is in the right sidebar.

– Steve Patterson

Parks Beautiful in Winter

Everyone loves our parks on perfect summer days but even in the winter they can be a place of beauty.

ABOVE: Sunset last week as seen from the Forest Park Boathouse’s enclosed patio

Which of our 100+ parks is your favorite in winter?

– Steve Patterson

Different Sidewalk Conditions on the Same Day

When you use a wheelchair to get to the store to buy groceries and pick up prescriptions snow-covered sidewalks are a major barrier. Thankfully we don’t get much snow and most downtown property owners do a good job clearing the sidewalks.

ABOVE: By noon on February 23rd the sidewalk on Washington Ave east of Tucker had been cleared of the snow.

But problems remain, such as parking lot owners pushing snow onto sidewalks.

ABOVE: 40 minutes later the sidewalk on 11th (between Pine & Olive) was quite different

The sidewalk above is the same one I posted about recently. I even went to the offices of St. Louis Parking to complain but clearly they don’t care about pedestrians or the law.

ABOVE: CPI routinely pushes snow from their parking lot onto the 16th Street sidewalk I use regularly, their parking lot is clear and bone dry.  Taken the same day as the rest of the pics in this post.

This is why we must require a physical barrier like a fence or planter between parking lots and sidewalks. It’s required now but existing lots aren’t required to get updates nor does the city prevent the owners from illegally using the public sidewalk for snow storage.

The other big issue I encounter is curb ramps.

ABOVE: Pedestrians wear a nice path in the snow but this doesn’t necessarily correspond to the location of the curb ramp.

This situation is largely the result of a design flaw with how our curb ramps were designed  and installed. Rather than aligning with the standard pedestrian flow they’re at the apex of the corners, pointing toward the center of the intersections rather than the next sidewalk across the street.

I’ll just be very glad when we’re into Spring.

– Steve Patterson

Board of Elections Open Saturday March 2nd 9am-1pm

ABOVE: The St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners is on the first floor at 300 N. Tucker (@ Olive)

Are you one of those unable to get to your polling place on Tuesday? The St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners will be open Saturday March 2nd from 9am-1pm.

Presumably absentee voting rules apply:

1. Who is Eligible to Vote Absentee?

Any voter may vote an absentee ballot if he/she expects to be unable to go to his/her regular polling place on election day for any of the following reasons:

• Absence on Election Day
• Incapacity or confinement due to illness or disablity (sic)
• Religious Belief
• Employment as an election authority
• Incarceration provided all qualifications for voting are retained.

If voting on Tuesday will be a challenge I encourage you to vote Saturday.

– Steve Patterson

Bollards Needed to Protect Pedestrian Route Into Omni Majestic Hotel on Pine Street

I’m used to building entrances being oriented to auto driveways, such is the case at the Omni Majestic Hotel at 1019 Pine St.  This hotel does have a pedestrian sidewalk to get from the public sidewalk to the entrance.

The design flaw is that it’s too easily overtaken by vehicles and used as additional parking, as happened on the morning of February 12th when I attended a breakfast meeting in the restaurant off the lobby.

ABOVE: The entrance to the Omni Majestic Hotel on Pine faces the mid-block circle drive.

ABOVE: Moving closer we see the first SUV parked out of the way for other vehicles.

ABOVE: The problem is this leaves very little of the walkway for pedestrian use.

ABOVE: Looking from the entrance back out to Pine Street.

ABOVE: The SUV is just outside an emergency exit

This SUV was here when I arrived and when I left an hour later.  Though the driveway and sidewalk are different colors, the fact they are level encourages drivers to park here.

A couple of tasteful bollards are needed to keep the walkway open, a link to this post will be sent to the Omni.

– Steve Patterson

Readers: Either February 14th or 15th is OK For St. Louis’ Birthday

The poll last week on St. Louis’ birthday was a dud, not getting many responses:

ABOVE: On Feb 14th/15th next year St. Louis will celebrate turning 250 years old.

Q: Do you think St. Louis was founded on February 14th or 15th on 1764?
1. Either is OK 30 [45.45%]
2. 15th 15 [22.73%]
3. 14th 10 [15.15%]
4. Unsure/no opinion 7 [10.61%]
5. Other: 4 [6.06%]

Here are the “other” responses submitted:

1. Don’t care
2. founded in 1904 and downhill ever since
3. who cares
4. Show us a copy of the manuscript so that we can make an intelligent guess!

I’ll try to get a copy of the original document so we can see if we think the date was the 14th or 15th.

– Steve Patterson

Where’s Tammika?

Last Wednesday evening ten candidates took time from their busy campaign schedules to appear at Trailnet’s Amazing Candidate Race:

Trailnet and the Livable St. Louis Network are proud to present the first St. Louis candidate forum focused on livability issues of land use and transportation. Come join candidates from the 5th, 6th, and 15th wards and the mayoral candidates for a lively discussion on the future of St. Louis.

How much do the candidates really know about multimodal transportation and sustainable development? Do they have special skills that distinguish them from other candidates? You’ll find out these answers and more at The Amazing Candidate Race! Civic participation has never been so fun.

When: Wednesday, February 20, 7:00-8:30pm

Where: Contemporary Art Museum

Invited Candidates in ballot order: Francis Slay, Jimmie Matthews, Lewis Reed (Mayoral); Michelle Hutchings-Medina, Tammika Hubbard (5th Ward); Christine Ingrassia, Damon Jones, Michelle Witthaus (6th Ward); Jennifer Florida, Lisa Miller (15th Ward)

So all candidates from most contested primary races were invited to attend. That’s great, a chance for voters to hear from the candidates so we can make an informed decision a week from today. Except those of us in the 5th ward haven’t had a chance to hear from both of the candidates seeking to represent us for the next four years.

ABOVE: Left to right: Lisa Miller (15), Jennifer Florida (15), seat for Tammika Hubbard (5), Michelle Hutchings-Medina (5), Christine Ingrassia (6), Damon Jones (6), Michelle Witthaus (6), Lewis Reed (mayoral), Francis Slay (mayoral), Jimmie Mathews (mayoral), Jean Ponzi (moderator)

Perhaps Ald Hubbard is confused, thinking she’s a ghost employee. Hubbard was a no-show for the 3-way candidate forum in December 2011 when we had to select someone to finish the term of April Ford-Griffin. The Board of Aldermen is no place for someone unwilling to face her challenger(s) in public and respond to questions from voters.  If you live in the 5th ward please vote for Michelle Hutchings-Medina March 5th.  If you have friends in the 5th ward please encourage them to vote for Hutchings-Medina.

ABOVE: Current 5th ward map, click image to view larger PDF.

I detailed Hubbard’s fictional accomplishments here but this race is too important to the entire city to ignore.

– Steve Patterson