August 2016

Announcements

· Upcoming library events – Tue. Aug 16, noon-1, Container Gardening; Sat. Sept 3rd 11-1, Gardening for health; TueSept 6 noon-1 jazz; Tue. Sept. 6 6-7:15 Mental Illness Panell; Sat. Sept 10 2-4 Write Your Life workshop. The library will be changing hours starting the week of Sept. 12th – no evening hours. Mon-Thursday hours will be 9-6.

· Salvaged saguaros have been planted around the neighborhood

· One West developers (Speedway/Stone area) have approached Ward 1 and said they will build either a gas station or student housing on the property that they own. They are willing to not use any city land. Regina Romero has indicated she will back what the neighborhood wants. Developers are not willing to do a mixed use development. We will invite the developers to the Oct. meeting and create a subcommittee to work on this (contact Ezra if you want to be a part of the subcommittee)

· WAMO (Warehouse Arts Management Org) needs a representative from our neighborhood. They meet the 3rd Saturday of the month (not sure of time). Please contact Ezra if you are interested.

Discussion

· 11th Ave. parcel – This is to be a housing project between 1st/Speedway for folks who are low-wage earners. Mini committee (Ezra, Adam L., Matt, Anne L.) met with Ward 1 (Steve) and Glenn Moyer (housing dept) to discuss this housing project. There are questions about how much density we want, and whether we will accept any percentage of market rate housing. Heated discussion followed. If anyone has the document that was agreed upon years ago, please send it to Ezra. If there are houses in the neighborhood that you like, send photos to Ezra that we can use as templates for design elements to put in the RFP (request for proposal). The original design model had 7 lots. We can decide if we want row houses or bungalows or something else. We don’t have to build out to the entire size of the lot. Brad L. requested we create passive solar based on the spacing between the houses and overhangs to create shade in summer. There was also a request that the lots be graded to help with water harvesting. Another request was to create designs that will leave the trees currently there in place. Additional requests for native landscaping, curb cuts for water runoff, keeping houses closer to the front of the lot line to encourage interaction with people on the street. There will most likely need to be a minimum of 1 off street space for cars, but we can request back in diagonal parking on the street. We want to see a path to home ownership and that the homes will be affordable housing in perpetuity (a nonprofit would buy the home back and resell at a lower than market price). The neighborhood can participate in deciding who is awarded the contract eventually, as well as be a part of the design committee. There is a meeting Tue. August.23rd 6:30 at the Royal Sun. You can attend this meeting and/or e-mail your list of requests to Ezra. We will invite Glenn and Steve to the September meeting to discuss project with a vote at the October meeting. We will also ask Anne L. to come to September meeting to explain how homes can stay as affordable housing.

· Home buyer assistance program – If you are aware of any homes that the owners might want to sell (upkeep difficult, no one living there, perpetual rentals), contact Ron Spark at rpsparkmd@cox.net

· Fall home tour – Date selected Sunday October 16th from 1-3 p.m., with an after-party for neighbors and friends from 3-4, at Whistle Stop. We are looking for people interested in opening their house for this tour – deadline of September 1st to have your spot on the tour map. This will be a biking/walking neighborhood tour and will feature homes, businesses, artist studios, public art and green/water harvesting features. We have written a press release (to be updated as more info is available) and will have a Facebook Event page that you can share with your friends. We will check in with BICAS and El Grupo to see if they want to lead some kind of bike tour. Other possible additions include green/garden features at Paula and Becky’s house on 11th Ave, Lorraine has added her garden on Perry, Ezra will check with new business on Stone to see if they want to hold an open house (and to see if they will help with signage). Discussion about splitting the profits from the home tour with Caridad and how to use other money, discussion about purchasing token gifts for homes involved in tour. o Motion to split home tour profits – 50% to Caridad Kitchen and 50% to be used for future neighborhood community event. Approved 12-0 o Motion to provide a token to-be-determined gift given to home owners participating in tour – maximum $5/house or in-kind. Approved 12-0 o Printing will be covered by COPE and/or Originate – no vote taken o Contact Ezra (ezrroa@gmail.com ) or Karen (kgreene5050@yahoo.com ) to help out with the tour.

· Neighborhood cleanups – mini cleanups scheduled for Aug 21st from 8-10 – meet at 1st St/11th Ave. Will check to see if we can use dumpsters at Salvation Army (plus see if they will provide volunteers). Next mini- cleanup on Sat. Sept. 17th from 8-10, meet at 2nd St and 11th Ave. Major clean up scheduled Sat. Oct. 1st from 8-12. We have requested 3 roll-off dumpsters (at BICAS, at Dunbar School and 1st St. between 9th Ave/Perry) from the city. Meet at the garden and small groups will hit key areas. Still looking into whether we will be able to have chipper/shredder available. Bring hat, water, tools and gloves to any of the cleanups.

· Walkability concerns – a letter template was created last year. Anyone with concerns can bring a list of locations to the board and the board will send out letters. Committee Reports

· DNARC – prior report – three candidates interviewing for CEO position, new Thai rest on Congress, concern about development in W. University at Trinity Presb. Church on 4th Ave/University. They voted to not allow the developers to remove part of property from Historic Preservation Zone

· Downtown Links – no new information

· Garden – no report

· Dunbar Coalition – Barber Academy on 2nd floor with 38 chairs. 1st Floor will turn into training center for beauty college. Someone is leasing the kitchen for an entire year. Lisa is checking to see if they will be part of neighborhood tour. Resident author Aloma will give a presentation and book signing as part of the tour.

Motion to approve July 2016 minutes. Approved 12-0

Adjourn 9pm