ATTENTION Highland Park Residents,
Our neighborhood needs your help! If you have ever been on the fence about attending meetings, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE to help preserve historic homes in our neighborhood.
This is a once in a 30 year opportunity to help shape the future of HP and correct zoning mistakes made in the last city rezoning in the 70s.
Please show up for our special called online mtg 6.2.26 for a vote on the outstanding properties in city’s proposed re-zoning for the SOUTHERN ZONE including:
Red Mtn Community (Highland Park, Redmont, Forest Park/S. Avondale), Crestline (Crestline and Eastwood), Crestwood (Crestwood S, Crestwood N).
LATEST PROPOSED ZONING MAP
Our committee recommends the Highland Park Neighborhood adopt the position to City Council that the 35 properties in the accompanying chart must be zoned in a manner that prohibits development that exceeds a “quad plex”. We recommend this limitation since, to our knowledge, none of these properties currently have more than four units.
Under the City’s proposed Framework these properties are scheduled for zoning that will allow up to a 12 unit “multi plex” (D4 on the chart below), while others (D5), to an apartment complex. The committee recommends the Neighborhood advise City Council that we recommend the proposed Framework be rejected unless and until these 35 properties are limited to a maximum of four units.
Our rationale is not simply to save these specific buildings; it’s more than that: Losing these homes to excessive development – which is inevitable without proper zoning – will unleash a spreading malignancy that will fatally eat away at the historic character of our neighborhood. The cancer began in the ‘60s and was spreading rapidly until it was put into remission by the Framework’s predecessor, when, wisely, most of the neighborhood was downzoned to single family. And it was remission, not a cure.
Some may believe we are being alarmist, that developers would never seize these properties to build massive complexes – like those built immediately to our North and West in the past few years – and are still being built. We rhetorically asked the City department if they truly believe these properties are not at risk, then why are they wanting to zone them to allow 12 units – or more? If there is no chance of mega development, we asked, why not zone them in a manner to prevent this outcome? To date, we have not received a reply.
The Framework sets the City’s future plans for all the properties in its jurisdiction. The conclusion is inevitable that, as currently proposed, the Framework can only be read as aspiring to destroy these homes and replace them with massive developments.
The reason zoning exists is to preserve neighborhoods from destructive development, including apartments, in single family areas. This is the essence of the U. S. Supreme Court’s Village of Euclid v Ambler 272 U.S. 365 (1926) decision that recognized the right of a municipality to enact restrictive zoning. We believe the position we recommend is appropriate and necessary to protect our Neighborhood.
The committee urges all Highland Park residents to attend this critical meeting on June 2, the meeting will be held exclusively by Zoom.
Highland Park Properties of Concern
D4 allows up to a 12 unit “multi plex” and D5 allows an apartment complex
| Number | Address | City Proposed Zoning | Actual Use | Notes |
| 1 | 2617 11th Ave | D5 | Single family | May have former carriage house |
| 2 | 1332 34th St | D5 | Single family | Zillow says single family last sold in 2021 |
| 3 | 1336 34th St | D4 | Zillow says two-family rental | |
| 4 | 2900 Rhodes Circle | D5 | Believe has/had 3 multifamily | Keller house, been vacant |
| 5 | 2914 Rhodes Circle | D5 | Believe has/had 4 multifamily | Keller house, been vacant |
| 6 | 2918 Rhodes Circle | D5 | Believe has/had 3 multifamily | Keller house, been vacant |
| 7 | 2930 Rhodes Circle | D5 | Red brick Keller house, been vacant | |
| 8 | 2906 Highland | D5 | At least two units | |
| 9 | 2908 Highland | D5 | Clubhouse Residential / events center | |
| 10 | 1025 30th St | D4 | Single family home converted to multifamily | |
| 11 | 1105 30th St | D4 | Single family home converted to multifamily | |
| 12 | 3515 Cliff Road | D5 | Duplex | |
| 13 | 3319 Cliff Road | D5 | Single family home converted to multifamily | |
| 14 | 2931 Highland Avenue | D5 | Recently restored single family home | Little Villa |
| 15 | 1051 24th St So | D5 | single family home | Stone River |
| 16 | 1063 24th St So | D5 | single family home | Stone River |
| 17 | 3328 Cliff Road | D5 | Last sold as single family | Exterior access for second unit |
| 18 | 2817 11th Ave S | D4 | ||
| 19 | 2839 11th Ave S | D4 | ||
| 20 | 2843 11th Ave S | D4 | ||
| 21 | 1108 29th St | D4 | Coe House | |
| 22 | 2834 Highland Ave | D4 | Has Carriage house | Jordan Home |
| 23 | 2801 Rhodes Circle | D5 | ||
| 24 | 2974 Rhodes Circle | D5 | ||
| 25 | 2956 Rhodes Circle | D5 | ||
| 26 | 2944 Rhodes Circle | D5 | ||
| 27 | 815 30th St | D4 | Isolated single family historic home at base of 30th | |
| 28 | 1003 30th St | D4 | ||
| 29 | 1007 30th St | D4 | ||
| 30 | 1015 30th St | D4 | ||
| 31 | 1021 30th St | D4 | ||
| 32 | 1103 30th St | D4 | ||
| 33 | 1109 30th St | D4 | ||
| 34 | 1115 30th St | D4 | ||
| 35 | 1117 30th St | D4 |
Click here to view current zoning with proposed for the above properties.
READ ON FOR MORE SPECIFICS on how we got here…
Current Zoning Outlined (Feb 2025) – Warning: the city has told us on several occasions that the GIS maps may not be updated
Current Zoning Shaded (Feb 2025) – Warning: the city has told us on several occasions that the GIS maps may not be updated
Proposed Rezoning 4.8.25
Proposed Rezoning 1.10.25
Proposed changes list from Zoning Committee 2.4.25
Past Versions:
Proposed Rezoning Version 9.10.24
Proposed Rezoning Version 10.16.24
View how to find your current zoning
Highland Park is already one of the densest neighborhoods in the STATE and was not meant to have more cars. Our quality of life is at stake and so are MANY HISTORIC HOMES!
Many have already been lost. Keep scrolling for images.
Overview/Summary:
(solidified in the formal text of a resolution below it):
The city would like to make large sections of Highland Avenue into a zoning classification (MUM, mixed use medium) that is normally associated with downtown environments. For example, this could include four to six story structures supporting large multi-family developments, retail, offices, hotels, private clubs, and live/work structures.
This designation does not protect the historical buildings that currently line the Highland Avenue, nor does it take into account its original design as a residential thoroughfare. Highland Avenue was never meant to be the ‘main street’ of a town center.
There have been many beautiful old homes torn down in our neighborhood over the decades, and that is why it is critical that we try to preserve what is remaining by making sure they are provided with the correct zoning classification. The ‘single family’ (D3) designation is extremely important in our fight against unwanted destruction and development, and that is why we are requesting the city to restore this classification to existing historic homes. However, it is important to understand that the D3 re-classification WOULD NOT AFFECT their current use. So, for example, if the house was now an apartment, or a business, they can legally continue to function as such. It is called ‘legally nonconforming’.
Resolution:
By a Resolution passed at our monthly neighborhood meeting on Feb 11, 2025, Highland Park Neighborhood Association supports the viewpoints below set out by the Neighborhood Zoning Committee*:
1. Designating large sections of Highland Avenue – and its environs – as MUM (mixed use medium) is inappropriate.
2. “Mixed use” does not preserve the history of Highland Avenue. “Mixed use” is described in the code as “…often with a “Main Street” spine that historically served as a town center…”. This is not what Highland Avenue east of the Expressway is – or ever was.
3. Any structure that was ever residential must have D (dwelling) zoning. If it was ever a single family residence, it must be designated as D3, regardless of its current use.
4. Non-compliant, but otherwise lawful, current uses of any structure may continue in accordance with the code (as “legally non-conforming”).
5. The solution is historically accurate and absolutely vital to preserve the character of this locally, and nationally, recognized neighborhood.
6. This is critical to preserve the homes that created the historic nature of the neighborhood.
*This resolution and voting NO to the city’s proposed re-zoning does not prevent possible future zoning changes (with conditions) if a property owner so desires. It DOES preserve and protect the historic structures in our neighborhood.
Email preserveHP@gmail.com to help or with questions. Please spread the word!
This home at 2803 Highland Ave.
was lost to this
This home at 1211 27th Place S
was lost to this
This home at 2900 Highland Ave
was lost to this
HELP US BEFORE MORE OF HISTORIC HIGHLAND PARK IS LOST FOREVER!
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