September 2018 Meeting Minutes

Treasurer's Report:

$2321.67. In October $100 will be deducted by Karen Greene for the Gentrification project.

Announcements:

Union On 6th (formally Flycatcher)

Submitted a new parking plan and Infill Incentive District plan both of which were approved. There are still some conditions that need to happen and anyone that opposes then have until Sept. 25th and 26th to repel. 

The Infill Incentive District plan is supposed to sunset in January to allow for periodic review.

Public meetings are scheduled, however, at this time Karen does not have the dates but will send them out to the listserv.

Public Library Events

The One Seed project is happening again and the seed will be a garbanzo bean. The seeds can be checked out at the Library.

Partnership with the UofA to present three climate change lectures. Please visit the Library website for dates and info.

Living Streets Alliance has partnered with Exo Coffee and various downtown neighborhoods to put on a happy hour titled Hey Neighbor on Sept. 20th.

Traffic Circles

Jesse Soto will attend the October meeting to give a presentation about traffic circles and will field questions and concerns about designs or plans. If there is enough interest from the neighbors that will be directly affected by the traffic circle (potentially at 1st St. and 10th Ave) Mr Soto will also give a presentation at 5 pm (prior to the regularly scheduled neighborhood meeting) at the proposed traffic circle installation site.

Changes to Brush and Bulky

Speaker, Cristina Polsgrove on behalf of the City of Tucson Environmental Services

Door hangers will no longer be distributed for Brush and Bulky notifications due to cost and unreliable delivery. Environmental Services now has a downloadable application available called Recycle Coach that will provide the Brush and Bulky schedule. In addition anyone can visit the  City of Tucson Environmental Services website to download and print a .pdf file of the schedule.

One mail notification will be sent to each neighborhood with the Brush and Bulky dates for those who do not have online access.

Clean-Up

City of Tucson Environmental Services utilizes Department of Corrections workers to assist with illegal dumping and other clean-up projects.

Starting in 2019 six weeks before our neighborhood’s Brush and Bulky a dedicated code enforcement officer will review the area and check-in with the neighborhood to assess if specific neighbors require notification of code violations. The motive is to ensure residents are using Brush and Bulky to resolve potential code violations.

This is also the time to let the code enforcement officer know if there alleys, abandoned houses, or easements that are perhaps inviting criminal activity.

DOC crews will also do trimming and weeding along rights of way along main corridors - for instance Main, Speedway, Stone, etc.

In addition Streets will also be sending in a pothole crew to better neighborhood streets along with street sweeping.

Twice a year every neighborhood will get additional services.

Recycling:

As of January 1st, 2018 China set strict guidelines regarding what materials they will accept - One third of all recyclables produced in the USA were shipped to China.

Currently some plastics are recycled domestically along with metals and cardboard.

City of Tucson Environmental Services does not intend to remove any recyclables from the current list of accepted items because that will on increase the contamination rate, which as of the last audit was 36%.

China will only accept bails with less the half a percent of contamination.

Contamination is defined as yard waste, food waste, dirty diapers, plastic bags, styrofoam, clothing, pet and human waste, and much more. 

Environmental Services is asking residents to help educate the neighborhood and beyond about this contamination issue and to help reduce the percentage.

A rate increase is being (perhaps $1 a month) to establish public education programs.

A plan is also being discussed to fine households that do not adhere to recyclable policies.

Additionally decreasing pick-up service to once every two weeks is being looked at. Also beginning a green waste subscription program.

Graffiti Abatement: This now falls under Environmental Services. Special Brush and Bulky: Any resident can order a special brush and bulky pickup at $55 for 10 cubic yards.

Speaker, Kathy Bell, volunteer for Living Streets Alliance

Living Streets Alliance has been hosting dialogue sessions with neighborhoods to answer the question “What are complete streets?” and what needs to change in Tucson.

Kathy provides what she describes as the Cliff Notes version of those dialogue sessions beginning with a brief overview of LSA’s mission, the Cyclovia events, and statics on pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, which have exceed the previous years totals.

Mayor and City Council approached LSA to produce a draft policy to make Tucson streets safer.

LSA has determined the primary issue is Incomplete Streets, which can be defined as streets to present a barrier to safe, healthy, and inclusive communities. 

These are things we see everyday. For instance pedestrians crossing busy roads because crosswalks are to far from one another, drivers failing to see pedestrians, sidewalks and bike lanes that abruptly end forcing cyclist and pedestrians out into automotive traffic, and bus shelters that do not provide shade.

A key focus of Incomplete Streets is to slow cars down and to shift planning and public perception away from car centric living in order to generate a balance for all who use our streets.

Complete streets would have shade, rain water harvesting features, and remove barriers for people with disabilities. 

The LSA proposal will be handed over to the Mayor and City Council by November in order to craft and pass a complete street ordinance.

Kathy distributes a photo safari showcasing narrower streets, speed humps, traffic circles, visible crossings, consistent signaling, pedestrian refuges, two-way protected bicycle lanes, bicycle parking, mass transit, shade, planters, paint and other tactics. First we review recent complete streets initiatives in Tucson and then sample what other cities have done.

6th Ave and 7th street will be an experimental intersection to showcase a working complete street funded by a grant.

For more details check out LSA’s complete streets landing page:

https://www.livingstreetsalliance.org/our-work/campaigns/complete-streets/

Discussion Topics

Street Lights

TEP lights are out in the neighborhood as are historic lights. Karen Greene wants to submit one request for repairs. 

Christopher Rolls volunteers to walk the streets to identify light outages.

When Karen contacts TEP she will also inquire about light shields and dark sky compliance.

Future and potentially controversial topic of adding lights for public safety will surface.
Christopher Rolls will be a map coordinator and will work with neighbors to submit a map of outages to Karen Greene via email.

Historic 4th Ave Coalition, Natasha Winnik 

Final negotiations with the developer of Union On 4th are approaching. The developer is only interested in request from businesses on 4th Ave and not businesses surrounding the entire develop.

Another development is already in the pipeline to span from 5th Ave to 6th Ave, which coupled with the Union development will span from 4th Ave to 6th Ave.

By not intaking and cooperating with requests from the surrounding neighborhoods and business Natasha feels a precedent is being set to potentially favor national franchised businesses over established local business.

In addition Natasha sees the completion of Downtown Links as changing the development future of what is now classified as a flood plan therefore it cannot be built on, however, once the drainage infrastructure is in place 5th Ave could go vertical with highrises, office complexes, and commercial business. 

Natasha warns that we as neighborhoods must be ahead of the curve in order to cap development first desires.

The coalition is asking to limit rents to favor local business and a fund to mitigate when necessary.

Streetscape maintenance is forefront on the coalition request of the developer. 

The coalition is also requesting that marketing be broadcast to a diverse landscape of potential residents rather than the student forward focus that we’ve seen thus far.

Natasha has generated a letter to show support for the 4th Ave Coalition and proposes a vote.

VOTE

“We are in support of the Historic 4th Ave coalition community benefit agreement.”

Yes - 14
No - 1
Abstain - 2

17 in attendance, Motion: 1st from Dan and 2nd from Brekana.

Bunny Signs (traffic calming)

Natasha and Turtle walked 10th and 11th Aves and 1st and 2nd Streets.

It was determined that half the proposed number of signs could be affixed to existing posts and the other half will need new posts.

3 signs on 1st heading West. 3 signs on 1st heading East.

On 11th - 2 signs heading South and 2 heading North.

On 10th - 1 sign heading South and 1 heading North. 

A total of 14 signs to be printed in a single sheet at $16 per sign.

$30 for 8ft poles.

A conversation opens up about the controversial skunk. See the listserv for details.

Committee Reports:

DNARC - Update on the Santa Cruz River Heritage Project. Karen Greene asures us this will not be a river but rather a modest amount of water. Barrio Anita - Community garden has reopened on the North edge for the neighborhood. Dusk Music Festival - This will be hosted at Armory Park. Creative Lights - Sept. 15th.

Downtown Links - No update.

Community Garden - Tree trimming took place.

Dunbar Coalition - Parking in 2nd situation is coming to a head.
11th Ave - No updates of note.

July and August minutes still require approval.

Natasha and Karen will approve next month.

Good Bye.