DSNA Meeting Minutes: April 2021 Meeting Minutes

Minutes Date

1. Call to Order

2. Sign-In & Introductions: Joanna Williams, Cedar Warman, Pima Cty Supervisor's office - Keith Bagwell & Adelita Grijalva, City of Tucson Transportation Dept - Andy Beemis, David Burbank, Erica Frazelle, Diana Alarcon & Sarah Spencer, Mark Goehring, Jon Bauer, Bill Davidson, Faffs Riederer, Gail Toomey, Dr. Orange Jenkins, Lisa Scoblink, Eneida Guerra de Lima, Miranda Farmer, Natasha Winnik, Alyn M., Jonathan Crowe, Abra Bentley, Margie Donovan, Richard Foster, Kyle DeWitte

3. Treasurer's Report: $960.33

4. Announcements:

a. Andy Beemis, Main Ave Road Diet - Resurfacing Main Avenue: starts Summer 2021 (mid-late July) - construction will not start until Stone Avenue re-opens. Reduce 1 lane each way 11ft wide with center turn lane 10 ft wide and 2 - 5 ft bike lanes. 15 parking spaces added on East side of street. Add HAWK Signal at Main and University. Zebra Zero cycle lane delineator used to separate bike lane from car traffic, has reflective elements built into them.

Not able to re-stripe from University South; there will still be 2 lanes Southbound and 1 lane Northbound due to previous agreement with UPRR. Hoping to tackle this once Downtown Links is completed, too costly to change plans now that have already been submitted and approved.

Main Avenue and Davis Street will have an enhanced pedestrian crossing, El Paso SW Greenway ends here.

No left turn onto 4th Street from Southbound Main Avenue, new concrete dividers added at crossing prevents this car movement.

b. Adelita Grijalva - TUSD Update: Mask Mandate still required even though Governor Ducey lifted mandate in schools. TUSD not going to be under desegregation order anymore.

c. Bill Davidson - Salvation Army Update: bill.davidson@usw.salvationarmy.org

Working with local utility companies through grant funds, helping families and individuals with evictions and paying bills

50-100 calls/day a year ago for help, 1000 calls/day at height of the pandemic

Serving more families- demographic change

There are 4 community centers in Tucson, used to mainly use 2, now all 4 are used daily. - can stay up to 2 months continuously

New Program for the summer with the City of Tucson - can stay during the day to get out of the heat, access to showers, snacks, change of clothes

5. Committee Reports

a. 11th Avenue Affordable Housing Project - no update 6. Reports from the Field

a. DNARC - see attached at bottom

b. Dunbar Coalition - see attached at bottom

c. Downtown Links - 6th Street re-opens Friday, April 30th. Stone Avenue & Toole closes Monday, May 3rd for about 8 weeks. 6th Avenue & 7th Street will close once Stone & Toole re-opens, mid-late July. Will not have two major streets closed at the same time.

7. Discussion

a. VOTE: Fiscal Sponsorship with Historic Fourth Avenue Coalition (HFAC) - this allows DSNA to open a bank account at Pima Federal Credit Union. Discussion in regards to longevity of HFAC, been in existence since 2017, getting stronger as Fourth Ave Merchant's Assoc.(FAMA) gets weaker. Moved and seconded and approved (10-0).

b. VOTE: Elections for the Board:

President - Faffs Riederer- lived in Dunbar for 10 years, kids went to Davis, teacher at Idea School, interested in Transportation and Homelessness (11-1) faffs.riederer@gmail.com 425-5626

Vice-President - Cedar Warman - new to neighborhood, UA Post Doc Scientist studying tomato genome (11-0)

Treasurer - Abra Bentley- moved into the neighborhood in 1997, has a daughter, small business owner, Environmental consultant, wants to take part in community (10-0) Secretary- Bill Davidson - works at Salvation Army Hospitality House, wants to work closely with the neighborhood, become a stronger partner (11-1)

Parliamentarian - Damian Rawoot - lived in the neighborhood for 4 years, has 2 sons and works for the Nature Conservancy (11-0)

c. VOTE: Faffs Riederer and Abra Bentley will be the two signers on the Pima Federal Credit Union Bank Account - Moved and seconded and approved (11-0)

d. Small Cell Tower Update - regulate through the state, they set the requirements. City Transportation Department trying to co-locate on existing poles. These towers have been going in for 2-1/2 years, started on major streets and were co-located on traffic light poles. As expanded to neighborhoods, then the problems arose as there are no street lights and new towers began to be installed with little oversight and no sat on locations. City Transportation Department working on a Utility Manual, hoping to finalize at the end of the week, push for Co-location on existing power poles. AZ Daily Star article with Bradford in regards to small cell tower and cemetery got National attention.

e. Approve Minutes March meeting - Moved and seconded and approved (10-0)

f. Meeting adjourned

Downtown Neighborhoods and Residents Council April 5, 2021

Dr. Pivo, Professor, U of A, equity study of GPLET projects and Central Business District

  • As the city looks at possibly expanding the Central Business District (CBD), Dr. Pivo was hired to look at the effects of GPLET projects through a sustainability and equity lens
    • His study area went past current boundary of CBD to look at impact on surrounding neighborhoods
    • He found gentrification with displacement when there was a loss of affordable units (turned into more expensive housing) and well as gentrification without displacement when all levels of rental units increased - low, middle and high costs
    • Looked at cultural displacement but didn't find overall change in numbers of residents of specific ethnicities in study areas
    • GPLET impact on legacy businesses - a decrease in small retail in CBD downtown more than elsewhere in region
    • Potential future benefits of GPLET project Can improve how GPLET revenues are spent, can build increased benefits to the community in GPLET projects - focus on affordable housing, place keeping, help legacy businesses, emphasize workforce housing and housing downtown
    • Economic analysis reports for GPLET projects were used for this report - the analysis was professionally done but there is one big assumption - the projects wouldn't have occurred without the GPLET incentive. This is debatable - the projects still could have been developed in other parts of town without the GPLET so the number of jobs created would overall be the same, even if GPLET not used
    • Question about how much gentrification is happening related to GPLET projects vs. just happening
    • GPLETs can be used to encourage and promote affordable housing in gentrifying neighborhoods, it just hasn't been used for this. City can also spend money to preserve culture. Community land trusts can be used to support affordable housing options as well.

Transportation Dept. - Downtown Links and other projects

  • Downtown Links broken into 9 segments.
    • Segment 2 - Broadway north - excavation complete, storm drain installed, building retaining wall
    • Segment 3 - Stone/6th St (SE quadrant) - box culvert construction, crossing 6th St with box culvert, 6th St reopens May 7th
    • Segment 4 - Stone/6th St (N quadrant) - box culvert crossing, E. side of Stone finished May 21st, W. side of Stone finished August 21st
    • Segment 5 - Church (6th St/9th Ave) - storm drain installation, working on sewer and
    • water lines, followed by retaining walls, Church opens some point in the summer
    • Segment 6 - 6th Ave/7th St - Sewer installation complete, then box culvert. Intersection closed until early 2022, next working on 6th Ave overpass
    • Segment 7 - Near Citizens Warehouse - retaining wall and box culvert work through June, underpass starts this summer after 6th St is closed
    • Segment 9 - (Franklin/Toole/Stone) - FULL CLOSURE May 10th through July to install storm drains and pipes in intersection
  • No sound study was ever done for underpass/deck plaza area (even though asked for this at multiple public meetings)
  • Restarting the art process for the deck plaza
  • Moving forward with transportation projects - no promises will be made
  • Final budget for project $63.5 million
  • Other transportation projects - 22nd between Kino and I-10 - moving forward with bridge work over the railroad, starting this summer. Looking at traffic and see if need to expand road or not
  • Broadway - drainage improvement work happening. Will look at Plummer on north side to make for safer crossing.
  • $14 million in road repair money is part of 2022 budget - $2 million/ward - local roads only and worst streets fixed 1st - working with ward offices to identify
  • Report potholes at tdotconcerns@tucsonaz.gov

Downtown events

Meet me at Maynards starting up again (at Hotel Congress); Haiku Hike; Troubadour Thursdays in April, 5:30-8 pm music traveling around downtown; Rialto Theater Photo Gallery - Friday/Saturday nights 6-9 pm need reservation; Hotel Congress - music outdoors 6 nights/week

Neighborhood roundup

Armory Park – Concern about increased foot traffic along 12th St towards CBI and trespassing issues;

Iron Horse -new traffic circle to happen at 9th St and 3rd Ave, parking meters north of 8th St, homeless camp along aviation pathway - concern that there is a bike chop shop set up, scooter renewal contract will indicate that scooters can only be ridden on asphalt, not sidewalks

Ward 6 - having a meeting with Verizon and AT&T re: 5G poles and looking for better locations; Kroeger Lane –irrigation lines fixed in neighborhood garden and fruit trees are happy, doing sessions with the Poetry Center

Dunbar Coalition Report from 3-16-21 Meeting

Guest: Desiree Gonzales-The Health & Wellness programs are now virtual. There are two programs per month. They are partnering with the Arizona Commission for the Arts and is also involved in a pilot program that will be working with the youth. The Haury Grant will be ending this year.

Drew Barryhill, a Black owned nursery business is moving to the Dunbar Garden.

Debi is working on a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU). The garden will be getting a new gate. The basketball court will be repainted.

President's Report – Sam Brown reported that at every meeting he will go over a portion of the By-Laws. Article II – General Membership. Section 1. Definition of a Member. Membership to the Board of Directors shall be an individual with interest in the mission and sufficient knowledge, experience, perspective, dedication, skills or other qualities to assist in the mission, and has been recommended to the Board by one of the member organizations of the Dunbar Coalition or by at least three current members of the Board of Directors. Membership criteria shall be periodically reviewed by the Board of Directors.

Sam would like to update the membership application.

Sam acknowledged the retirement of Cynthia Alexander-Green and thanked her for her dedication and commitment.

The crack in the historical building is getting worse. He has also met with Friendship MBC and the Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood Association.

He also wants to have an Events Bulletin Board, physical and on-line to high light activities at Dunbar. Paul Brown has a TV he will donate that can be mounted at the entrance to Dunbar. Kendall Foster asked if Dunbar had Blax Friday Directory information. The answer was no. The Blax Friday directory can be included on the TV to be mounted at the entrance.

Cell Towers in the neighborhood – This generated much discussion. Ernest Rose said cell towers are a revenue maker. Debi will look into the guidelines for our historical status regarding what we can and cannot do. It was moved by Paul Brown, seconded by Jordan Rhone to support the letter that was submitted to oppose the cell towers. Motion passed.

Interim Executive Director Report – Debi Chess reported.

Auditorium – We have permits for the CDBG grant to fix cracks, bathrooms, patio, office and auditorium. We are putting out bids for contracts. There are no plans to fix the crack in the historical building. The ground is shifting and it will take 15k to even look at the scope of work that needs to be done.

Organizational Audit/Strategic Plan - Everyone must meet with Amanda Bankston. Debi wants to invite her to the next board meeting. Would like documents to be written up by May.

Debi has now moved to Ohio and will come back once a month until June 2021.

New Business: Friendship MBC wants to utilize both parking lots to administer COVID-19 vaccinations. It was moved by Paul Brown, seconded by Ernest Rose. Motion passed and approved.

dunbar-spring-april-2021-meeting-minutes.pdf