Mayor Says Neighboring Cities ‘Don’t Get To Determine What Brooklyn Park Does’
Brooklyn Park Mayor Hollies Winston is weighing in on a letter the city received from mayors of neighboring cities asking Brooklyn Park to stay consistent with surrounding development.
“Maple Grove and Champlin saw fit to tell Brooklyn Park how we should develop our city, and I think the majority of Brooklyn Park folks take issue with that,” said Winston. “I certainly take issue with that.”
At issue is a 700-acre swath of land in northwestern Brooklyn Park that borders Champlin and Maple Grove.
Brooklyn Park’s early vision for the site is a biotech district that could potentially create 5,000-10,000 jobs.
But of concern to nearby cities is the possibility of high-density housing that could be part of the development.
In an interview with the Star Tribune, Champlin Mayor Ryan Sabas expressed worries about added traffic and public safety costs falling “on the backs” of his city and Maple Grove.
Mayor Winston spoke out Monday against that concern.
“I take issue with this when you say ‘we don’t want all this dense housing on our borders,’ said Winston. “First thing, you don’t get to determine what Brooklyn Park does.”
Winston said the city already needs more market-rate housing and will especially need a supply increase if more biotech businesses invest in the city.
The mayor also spoke about the crime notion surrounding high-density housing, calling it a form of “regional redlining.”
“The other piece I take issue with is when Maple Grove or Champlin, says ‘hey, listen, you set this up along our borders, you’re going to bring crime with that. I resent them assuming that any apartments that are built in Brooklyn Park somehow crime is going to spontaneously pop up, even though crime has been going down.”
You can view Mayor Winston’s complete remarks toward the end of Monday’s city council meeting.
Also See: Brooklyn Park Leaders Plan for Large-Scale BioTech Innovation District
