For those who have been actively following the issue let me start by thanking you for your support. Those of you who may be new to this story, let me give you a brief overview...
This is the story of Ronald 'Arjo' Adams and his labor of love known as "The Peoples Park".
There wasn't always an empty lot next to the house at 676 Wells Street. Located in the Payne/Phalen neighborhood in the 6th Ward, District 5 on the East Side of the city of St. Paul, the lot that has become known as The Peoples Park used to support a home. That home was purchased by the city of St Paul in 1999, and as you can see by the information provided on the city of St Paul property lookup system as depicted in this picture, a screenshot taken on September 25, 2013:
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| "Permits Online". Property lookup by address. City of St Paul. stpaulonestop.com, Feb. 2006. Accessed 25 Sept. 2013. |
the property was considered abandoned as of the year 2000 when the permit for the sewer contract was closed. Soon after this lot and home were purchased, the home was demolished to allow for development of what was supposed to be either low-income housing, or for the use of by the John A Johnson elementary school (the real reason is not quite known at this point by this blogger, I have heard both versions).
Ambiguous as the intended purpose may be (see: Proper use of CDBG funds?) the property was purchased and the home demolished for a city project that never came to fruition in the scope that included the use of this property.
NOTE THAT THE PROPERTY INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S OWN WEBSITE STATES THAT THIS PROPERTY IS ABANDONED SINCE 2000!!!
As a byproduct of the demolition, the land began to slide downhill (be mindful that this property is located on a bluff, with an extremely steep grade), which prompted the communication with Mr. Adams and the City of St Paul department of Safety & Inspections (DSI) in 2000. This communication began with Mr. Adams requesting the city build a retaining system for the newly upturned land on the bluff, land which his home relied on for stabilization on the bluff. In short, the city said "no way, that costs too much money". After several letters back and forth, the city agreed that Mr. Adams could build his own retaining system if he chose to do so, to retain their newly purchased and newly upturned land and keep his home from shifting on the bluff.
In this email from Robert Humphrey, spokesman for St Paul Department of Safety & Inspections to Leslie McMurray, director of the district planning council dated July 16, 2013, Mr Humphrey states "Prior to Parks and Recreation officially becoming the land owner last month, the materials at 680 Wells were constructed without any permits or authorization from the City on City-owned property. DSI became aware of the materials and inspected them for safety". This is in and of itself a complete untruth.
Mr. Humphrey is aware of this email as he is the author. Mr Humphrey is also aware of another email, this one dated October 27, 2006, from Bob Kessler to Dave Thune. In this email Mr Kessler states that according to Thomas Riddering (city building inspector at the time) "most of the retaining walls are soundly built and do not pose a danger and should be allowed to remain in place".
This is quite the contradiction. A full seven years before DSI and Parks and Rec have their epiphany that there has been a series of walls built on city property without permission, the city in question ordered an inspection of these yet undiscovered walls, an inspection that the walls built by Mr. Arjo Adams passed. How could Mr. Humphrey and the department of Parks and Recreation not be aware of this record? Simply put, they couldn't.
This is a permanent part of the property record, one that would have been scrutinized before this parcel of land could be transferred to a different department to ensure that there are no hazards of exactly this type, or other possible hazards such as chemical waste or perhaps a gas leak or sewer issue. It would seem to me that the walls are not the issue as much as the land they retain. These walls all connect both of the city lots 680 Wells and 674 Wells, via the back of the property at 676 Wells (you guessed it, this is the home of Mr. Adams).
Since the inception of this blog, discrepancies have been discovered and uncovered.
Every attempt has been made to bring some clarity to this issue by this blogger. With every new bit of light shed on the issue, another contradiction is discovered.
The powers that be are taking notice.
In a letter from the Payne Phalen District Five Planning Council to Marcia Moermond, the legislative hearing officer that has been quick to deny requests for an amicable resolution in the past, the council made the following recommendations:
So to clarify city of St Paul and District 5 Planning Council, this 120 day 'cooling off' period is for the benefit of whom? Mr Adams to organize his duties and post the proper bureaucratic red tape forms and fees? Or is it in fact a time for the city to gather its bearings and further investigate the claims that have been brought forth in these blogs?
Whatever the reason, this blogger agrees that time to 'cool off' would be in order.
- The city Dept of Safety & Inspections did come in guns-a-blazin, ready to tear down the newly labelled incredibly, horribly neglected-death trap of a park and home of the creator of that park Mr. Adams (the perception they imposed upon the mind of those who would believe these allegations sight unseen) when in fact...
- Permits were pulled over a year ago, the work was declined an inspection by DSI.
- The property has not been inspected in over a year by a city official.
- The property has passed an independent inspection by a professional inspector contracted by Mr. Adams to inspect the home and the work done within that home.
- Repeated denials of service, boarding up of the residence, trivial impositions by the city of outrageous requirements such as cash bonds and unrealistic cost estimations for the required repairs which leads me to...
- The gradually inflated abatement order. The original repair order was a fraction of the size of the abatement order in place today. Considering that most of the additional items on the current abatement order are merely cost inflating fluff, and NOT NECESSARY TO PASS A CODE COMPLIANCE INSPECTION as per a licensed contractor in the city of St. Paul have all made it nearly impossible for Mr. Adams to make any progress in a positive direction with the code compliance.
- The claims of DSI to be unaware of the retaining wall system erected by Mr Adams are false, as is proven by the email communication between CPED (planning and economic development) and the inspector who ok'd the walls in 2006.
- The stories of other homeowners who have gone through the exact same issue for what seems to be no other reason than the smooth completion of a proposed city project like the story of Mr. Ahrndt, and his 'nuisance house' at 1901 Maryland that was cleared to make room for the "Furness Parkway Project".
- The reasons that this whole situation does not add up to what it should are starting to add up to something they shouldn't.
- According to statute, Mr. Adams had every right had he chose to do so to place a 'caretakers' lien on the property that has come to be known as The Peoples Park for the maintenance he performed on that lot for thirteen years since the city bought it, demolished the structure that stood there for a project they never completed, decided it didn't need after all, then promptly abandoned.
Where am I going with all this?
I am not asking for your vote on a poll today. Although, if you choose to, you can vote here: Facebook poll.. where do you stand on this issue?
I am not asking you to sign a petition today. Although, if you are so inclined you can do so here: Support the Park and the creator Mr. Adams at Change.org.
This is for those who may find themselves in the possession of a 'vacant building' in the City of St Paul. If and when the city finds a better use for your property... and you get that dreaded abatement order...
I am suggesting to you, and to you Mr. Adams that you do what any American Citizen has the RIGHT to do.
I am asking you to stick up for yourself residents of the city of St. Paul. This is a clear violation of your civil rights. Treat it like the attack that it is. Retaliate. Retaliate with a Federal injunction. File a case in Federal court against DSI and the City of St Paul for violating your inherent right as a US Citizen to have your civil rights protected.
