December 2019 Meeting Minutes

Minutes Date

1. Call to Order

2. Sign-In & Introductions

3. Treasurer's Report

  • $1074.67

4. Announcements - 7:00 pm

  • TPD Update -- Officer reports more vandalism, mostly Salvation Army and Estevan Park, 26 incidences total. Warns residents that with holidays comes more property theft. Do not leave the empty boxes (from holiday gifts) outside your house, as it advertises what is inside your house.
  • Lane Santa Cruz, our new Ward 1 council person, invites all to an open house at Ward 1 space in the new year. Open house meeting proposed for 1st weekend in February, specific date TBD. Intention to create a community bike space at Ward 1 with community bike tool library, lending library, kid’s corner, etc.
  • DeMoss Petrie/KinoTransmission Line Update -- Next meeting to take place Thursday 12/19.
  • Cities Tucson and South Tucson have applied for a grant with the Federal Transit Administration's pilot Transit-oriented Development Program. This grant would be for a high capacity transit line to connect the Tucson International Airport to Tohono Tadai Transit Center near the Tucson Mall.

5. Committee Reports

a. DNARC – Liz Morales, housing and community development director, came to meeting to discuss affordable housing. Reported that Section 8 has a waiting list of 9,000 and waiting list will open up again 2020. Looking to hire 1-2 deputy directors with a focus on affordable housing. Working with UofA Eller School of Business to do study of local housing needs. Also having issues with scooters and their troublesome placement in the community (e.g., blocking handicap sidewalk ramps).

b. Downtown Links – Pre-construction continues. Representatives plan on attending future neighbor meeting before the Spring.

c. Dunbar Coalition – Postponed for next month.

d. Neighborhood Foresters – Potential tree planting in January.

e. 11th Avenue – Added as a committee item.

6. Discussion - 7:30 pm

a. TEP Update with possible VOTE (10 min) – Security upgrade for Dunbar TEP Substation scheduled for
this spring. Substation is an integral part of Tucson’s power. A wall is to be built around property to replace fence. TEP asking for approval of building code variances to allow for wall to be built and bypass city setbacks. (FYI— A setback is the distance measured from the building line to a property line. Within the Tucson zoning code are required minimum setbacks. A variance is a waiver of a setback requirement or height restriction in the code. It allows TEP to build closer to the property line than the code allows.) Plans can be viewed at Tucson GIS webpage (https://www.tucsonaz.gov/gis). Vote to approve a letter to support the variance passes unanimously.

b. Neighborhood Meeting Signs with possible VOTE (10 min) – Meeting attendees vote to approve meeting sign design and have 10 signs printed in green.

c. Tool Library (10 min) – If interested in Tool Library, meeting is Monday Dec. 30th @ 7:30. For meeting address or suggestions for Tool Library, contact Karen @ kgreene5050@yahoo.com or (520) 791-0395.

d. Replace Tree in 2nd & Main Chicane with possible VOTE (10 min) – Motion made to ask Idea School to
replace tree that was struck by teacher’s car and removed on the corner of 2nd and Main. Motion passes to
write kind letter to Idea School asking them to replace tree.

e. Thrive In The ’05 - Allison Miller from Thrive In The ’05 would like to schedule a meeting between
West University, Barrio Anita, and Dunbar. This meeting will discuss what those 3 neighborhoods on the South boundary would like to see happen, needs they see, problems share, etc. How we can participate There will be a meeting this Wednesday night from 6-7:30pm at Pima College Downtown Campus. Neighborhood will respond to Allison and propose a potential meeting in January on either a Sunday afternoon or a Monday evening (before our monthly 7pm neighborhood meeting).

7. Approve November minutes

8. Adjourn - 8:15 pm