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<br />The Code's the Key (2/06/2000) <br /> <br />Page 201'2 <br /> <br />Mall officials believe the city should continue to measure lot coverage as it always has. <br /> <br />"It appears the city has used this code interpretation throughout the city's history," said Tim <br />Prinsen, vice president of Bradley Real Estate, the mall's owner. <br /> <br />But residents, fed up with existing traffic from the shopping center, say the time has come <br />for the city to change its thinking. <br /> <br />"It's an overdeveloped shopping center right now," said resident James O. Thompson Sr. <br />"We're against this continual commercialism. It really destroys the residential areas around <br />it. " <br /> <br />Neighbor John Ridge shares Thompson's concerns and believes challenging a city code <br />interpretation is their last hope to halt the project. <br /> <br />"I think the City Council has done all that they can to put a higher standard on this <br />business," Ridge said. "The only thing we can do at this point is focus on what was the <br />intent of this law. II <br /> <br />Mayor John Kysylyczyn praised the neighbors' research, but wishes the timing was <br />different. <br /> <br />"I'm glad that the residents took enough time to look into the issue," he said. "It's a shame <br />that it comes at this part of this process." <br /> <br />While Kysylyczyn said he doesn't question why the residents pursued the matter now, he <br />does worry about the city's liability in changing its application of the city code to <br />development. <br /> <br />'" see this as a potential situation that could lead to a tremendous amount of litigation," he <br />said. "I want to be fair to the neighbors, but I also feel I have to be fair to the taxpayers," <br /> <br />In the meantime, Battis and his neighbors are gearing up for what they hope will be their <br />final fight. <br /> <br />"It's not done until it's done," Battis said. <br /> <br />iiifarisa Agha, who covers north suburban c6mmLinTfies-:-c~in be reachetf'af" lJ1~glia@pJ9n~rR~iis~;~Qrrio'r---- <br />(651) 481-0353, <br /> <br />MinnesotalTwin Cities <br />Susiness------- <br />PersonaTFinance <br />~':-JiOrtScolumnfi~ <br />Copyright @ 2000 Saint Paul Pioneer Press <br /> <br />., ./021469 .htm&NS-query=Battis&NS-search-type=NS- BOOLEAN -QUER Y &NS-co 1 Jection02/0712000 <br />