June 2016

Announcements

City has requested we work on chicanes on 1st Street – they are getting clogged and blocking visibility.

Upcoming library events – Tue. June 28th Asian music, noon-1; Yoga, Saturdays in July 11-12:15 starts July 9-23; Learn to juggle for adults – Tue. July 12th 6-7:30

Discussion

Fall home tour/after party meeting feedback – Date selected Sunday October 16th from 1-3 p.m., with an after-party for neighbors and friends from 3-4, location TBD.    We are looking for people interested in opening their house for this tour.  This will be a biking/walking tour and will feature both historic homes as well as green/water harvesting features and hopefully some long time residents telling stories on the patio of Zinmans.  Maybe we’ll join with El Presidio for the after party.  Some homes might not have inside access, but perhaps a table with a flyer about the home available outside.  We are looking into opening a bank account so we can deposit money for the tour (tentative cost $10/car, $7 for walking/biking/bus) as well as connect to a Paypal account so people can buy tickets ahead of time.  The Pima County Historic Commission might have a small grant available to help pay for costs of printing brochures – waiting to hear back from them.

Fall cleanup – tentatively scheduled for Saturday Oct. 1st at 8 a.m.  We will have the city send out a postcard that has both the cleanup and home tour on it.

Deck Plaza Oversight Committee – want to get this committee set up before the Deck Plaza is even built so some structures are in place in terms of how people can reserve to use the deck plaza, who maintains schedule, who calls for maintenance work (and who do we call), etc.  Will include El Presidio neighborhood, WAMO, Citizen’s Warehouse, Dunbar Spring, Steinfeld Warehouse.  Karen Greene will get discussions started.

Motion to start process for Deck Plaza Oversight committee – Passed 7-0

Tanno’s garage update – no new information.

Safety and security – An officer will be at our July meeting to discuss recent break-ins, car theft and other thefts.  We will discuss neighborhood watch vs. block captain type approach to build community.  Discussed behavior of resident on Perry Ave – board will send a letter to landlord expressing our concern with aggressive verbal attacks on numerous neighbors.

Mosquito/Arroyo Chico wash info – Ezra will attend a meeting on June 21st to include El Presidio neighborhood, Pima County Health Dept and U of A.  We decided we didn’t want spraying, but would prefer a dunking option (checking with Arbico Organics for a product that isn’t environmentally harmful).  Concern with happens after big storms and there is standing water and/or whatever method is used gets washed away.

Verizon update – no new information.

11th Ave. update – Steve A. from Ward 1 office will be at our August meeting.  We are looking for the housing to be built to be 100% affordable housing, and that the city work with a nonprofit agency to do this, not to work with a developer.  Ideally, we would like owner occupied with deed restrictions to keep the homes affordable.  Want a single story on 11th Ave (two would be maximum).  No garages on 11th Ave, but can have a garage behind the house.  Car ports are ok.  Ezra will share this information with Steve as the city writes the RFP for this project.

Committee Reports

DNARC – report sent earlier – highlights – national search for CEO for Downtown Tucson Partnership; 1916 Parish Hall at St. Augustine will be demolished over neighborhood protests/ concern about development process; Caterpillar moving into Menlo Park – they will have neighbors on the design committee; W. University concerned about Trinity Presb. Church (4th Ave/University) wanting to take part of the property out of the Historic Preservation Zone; 4 historic homes in Iron Horse (across from the Buffet) for sale and developer talking about three story condos; Sister Jose will move to Armory Park neighborhood

Downtown Links – no new information

Garden – Becky moving forward with proposal.  Alexander has donated water meters.  Library is starting a One Seed Tucson project for everyone to plant tepary beans.

Dunbar Coalition – trying to get younger people on the board; barber academy moving upstairs, current location may turn into beauty salon; Memorial being planned for Cress; Want to update entryway; Possible Central Tucson Learning Center will rent out some space; Lisa will ask about lights on basketball court