WECAN July 2010 Board Meeting Minutes • Draft

WECAN board minutes for July 1, 2010 as written by Pattiy Torno

The meeting was called to order @ 6:37pm. WECAN Board members present: Pattiy Torno & Yuri Koslen.  Others present include: WECAN residents: Morgan Daven, Whit Rylee, John & his son, Alwyn Nelson & Greta Dietrich… from the Asheville Design Center: Chris Joyell, Laura Clemmons & from city council & Staff: Gordon Smith, Stephanie Monson, Marsha Stickford & Billy Brittain.

 

WECAN residents & property owners’ comments from emails and personal conversations were read/relayed into this record as requested by Byron Ballard & daughter Kate, Lynn Player, Luella Heetderks, Gail McCarthy, Marty Black & Bret Frk even though they were physically unable to be present at the meeting.

Pattiy dispensed with approval of board minutes and treasure’s report.

Pattiy spoke about a conversation she had on June 24^th, 2010 with Adin McCain, PE & Project Manager from HNTB Corporation of Chicago, the consulting firm hired to get neighborhood feedback to include in the environmental studies currently underway by the NCDOT as regards the I-26 connector.  

It seems that this firm is getting some pressure to speed up the time frame of their work, with the hope of some public meetings this fall so that information can be included in the environmental study also due out this fall.   Pattiy will keep the neighborhood informed of any developments & opportunities to comment as she hears of them.  Pattiiy did pass on the names of active WECAN residents for Mr. McCann to contact.

All present looked at and commented on the latest version for the top half of the Clingman Streetscape Project plan.  This version was well received with minor comments that will be relayed to city staff currently working on the project.

Pattiy suggested that 100 Park Avenue is a wonderful place from which to watch the downtown 4^th of July fireworks display.  She also relayed that WECAN has permission from the current owners to occupy this property for select neighborhood events.  As there was a nice impromptu gathering there last 4^th of July that was enjoyed by those present, Pattiy suggested that perhaps this might happen again this year, so if you are inclined, please join your neighbors around 9:30pm, July 4, 2010 to watch the bright lights in the sky.  Pattiy will be providing sparklers for this event.

The conversation turned to the question of whether or not to re-open the pedestrian bridge across I-240 that connects Hillcrest with WECAN @ Roberts & West Haywood Streets. 

Pattiy entered into the record the following from emails she received from neighbors unable to attend this meeting.

Lynn Player: IT is my belief that the folks in HILLSIDE should have a safe passage across 240. I support the opening of the pedestrian bridge. The safety of all people is vital to our Asheville community. Please include my opinion in the discussion on Thursday.

Marty Black: I do have concerns over reopening the bridge since it was closed because of drug trafficking and other crimes.  I fear that it will once again bring easy access to our river arts district with a resulting in an increase in crime.  We're finally beginning to improve our "bad neighborhood" image.

Gail McCarthy: It looks like it’s going to one of those things that public opinion will have a heavy influence. 

In that case, I suggest that part of the deal is to have the city or someone commit to extra security measures for the neighborhood. Perhaps set up a “gate house” and/or video surveilance of the entry to the walkway.  I know the city’s budget is more than strained, but if somehow the residents/city/grants/public-private funding could cover the costs that might be a good thing.???  Especially with the new River Development Committee in existance now.  Perhaps we could rent the corner “office” in Whit ‘s building that overlooks that area???

Bret Frk: Just saw an article in the Mountain X stating that someone was killed while attempting to cross the highway on their way to Hillcrest.  In response, it seems that Councilman Gordon Smith is spearheading an effort, with a meeting with Hillcrest and the Mayor, to reopen the pedestrian bridge connecting Hillcrest with Club street.  I am heading out of town for a few weeks and was hoping to write a letter to both the mayor and Mr. Smith  expressing my concern – but am running out of time.  I am wondering if it would make more sense to come from WECAN and neighborhood.

The article stated that they have ‘walked’ the route on the north side of the highway and on the highway stating that, from a city planning perspective, that the bridge should re-open.  But also, from a city planning perspective, the area where this bridge routes people, it is not a 'defensible space' with little visibility, the ability to patrol being inaccessible by car let alone one way streets nearby.  It does not seem they fully understand the ramifications to the WECAN side, the issues that this causes and the extent of what happens now in the DOT Right of Way with the homeless camps, prostitution, public urination, and the happenings under the bridge and the staircase on club street.  To me, if they are going to have to re-open that bridge, a great deal of work will have to happen along the ROW, along the woods and along that sidewalk, not to mention additional patrols to make that truly safe – a true burden on our police force and tax payer dollar.

This was closed for a reason back in 1994 and in my belief, should not be re-opened.  If it truly is an issue of safety, the fence should be blocked at the highway at hillcrest, residents use the existing bridges on the north side of the highway and understand that the quickest route to downtown is not necessarily the safest.    

Pattiy also included two conversations she had:

With Byron & Kate Ballard who Pattiy heard to say:  the bridge should be reopened.  Kate suggested that she would love to be able to walk to Westgate to go have Chinese food.  Byron suggested that with the correct level of attention, creativity,  cooperation & common sense, what is now a problem area could become wonderful.  She suggested a partnership between the City of Asheville, Asheville Greenworks, APD, Asheville Housing Authority, etc to bring all the pieces together to make this work.

Matt Parris:  Matt owns Roots Studios @ 166 W. Haywood Street and has commented about the unsavory reality that he lives with on a daily basis and the need clean up his end of the River Arts District, particularly the DOT ROW and under the I-240 bridge.

And now back to the live meeting:

Pattiy Torno:  sees it as a social justice issue.  She would like to see WECAN, Montford & Hillcrest Residents, the Asheville Housing Authority, City Council & Staff, the NCDOT all come together to do the short term & long term plan around what is best for all concerned here.  Reconnecting the Montford, Hillcrest & WECAN neighborhoods is paramount.

Morgan Daven: sees it as a social justice issue.  Morgan voiced concerns the flow resulting from opening the bridge can be good or bad, depending on who is involved, and suggests trying to get the good element to prevail here.

He is more in favor of having the bridge open if there is an investment to make that space more visible and open…make the WECAN side safer, cleared out… He would love to see the investment happen…Just cutting the padlock would be the worst possible scenario.

Whit Rylee: recounted a story from the early 1990’s of his neighbors who used to run off crack dealers off their porch every day when they got home… While it is better than back then, he still get folks filtering  thru the woods, one time a gun shot victim in his front yard at 4am.  Whit still councils neighbors to not go into the woods under the I-240 bridge.  One friend did not listen and found the police looking for a guy who shot another man. 

Whit said that what we now know as Hillcrest was originally named “WEST END Apartments”… so it belongs with us.

“Until you address this whole area… there will be good folks and bad folks using an unsafe space”… Whit would like to see the dangerous place become a safe place… perhaps the bike/mountain bike course would be worth making a magnet park… Open the Bridge… just do it right!

Marsha Stickford is here at the behest of the Mayor… She announced the  July 20, 2010 meeting of the Public Safety Committee of City Council as a fact finding mission about this issue… This meeting will be held @ 3:30pm in the Municipal Building (downtown fire station) Training Room on the 4^th floor… and invited anyone who might wish to have their views heard on this issue to attend.

Stephanie Monson: as staff liaison to the Asheville Riverfront Redevelopment Commission, her focus is how this issue fits into the bigger picture… working for the City’s office of Economic Development, her job looks at the big picture as far as funding opportunities are concerned. 

Yuri Koslen: also considers this a social justice issue… There are three bridges that cross I-240.  He uses the one @ Hill Street.  He is concerned that the current bike & pedestrian infrastructure (bridges, sidewalks & stairs) in place is not being maintained which makes it unusable.  This needs to change.  He suggested a mural project like Lexington Avenue, getting Hillcrest involved & the kids of all the neighborhoods to help good folks take ownership of this are.

Whether it is opening the bridge… or the redesign of the whole deal…it is important to do the immediate & the 10 to 20 year plan

John Nelson: we need to have pedestrian & bike connections.

The bridge not being open is not stopping people from coming thru just not safely…. people go under the bridge, thru the holes that are cut in the chain link which means that bridge being locked is only slowing people down a little but making it hard for that to crossing to ever be bike or elderly or handicapped friendly.

Gordon Smith: The pedestrian crossing under discussion was closed in 1994 and revisited 1999 after two similar deaths & council voted in 1999, 4 to 3 to keep it closed.  The focus was on Hillcrest as far as public feedback at that time & no other neighborhood was consulted.  At the time there was a lot of illegal activity that the Hillcrest residents felt might go away if the bridge stayed closed.

The July 20^th Meeting is an important fact finding tool for council.  APD will be bring crime stats to this meeting… Council will visit this issue sometime in August 2010.  The recommendations decided by council would then need to go to the NC DOT for agreement & compliance.  Generally, the DOT does what Council asks, according to Mr. Smith.

Hillcrest has had one community meeting regarding the death of Anthony Ray Gilmore.  Gordon meet with David Nash & Gene Bell who said there would be a second community meeting in Hillcrest after the issue cooled a little.  The Asheville Housing Authority will most likely not voice an position here, letting the public comment do that job.

Chris Joyell: Executive Director for the Asheville Design Center, spoke about their desire to help re-integrate the Hillcrest community back to its roots.  He talked about the three versions of the I-26 connector still in the running, 3, 4 and 4b.  He informed that the ADC 4b plan has been modified by the NCDOT and he has not seen the current version.   He said that the environmental assessments were due this fall but that the public comment session were scheduled for this winter.  He also spoke about the Western North Carolina Alliance and their push to include all the affected neighborhoods, noting that they do not have a contact with WECAN.  Now they do.

Laura Clemmons: Americorp Vista intern at the design center who works mostly with the Burton Street community & the I-26 connector

Billy Brittain: His 5 years of working for APD has brought him in close contact with the issues surrounding Hillcrest, WECAN & the Bridge debate.

He voiced the concern that opening the bridge might be good initially but without appropriate follow thru could be a bad thing.

He agreed that security measures would be needed which could include additional patrols, lighting, vegetation removal, neighborhood watch & getting the good folks to use this area on an ongoing basis.

Now on to more just meeting conversation:

There was a discussion about the reality that this part of our neighborhood is not a family friendly place.  This is not new… It has been & will continue to be a dangerous place until something changes.  The closing of the bridge in 1994 did not change this reality.  The bad element still uses this area on a daily basis.

Perhaps the discussion of reopening the bridge will be the needed catalyst for change here to make this end of WECAN a more positive, productive, happy section of our community.

It was also pointed out that if you open the bridge to pedestrians, once on the WECAN side @ Roberts Street, there are no sidewalks for folks to walk on.  It was suggested that the City of Asheville needs to take a more aggressive stance in favor of more sidewalks and stop relying on developers to build our sidewalks for us.

So to RE-CAP the salient points:

Just cutting the lock will not work.

A concerted, cooperative effort on the parts of WECAN, Montford, Hillcrest, the APD, Asheville City Council & staff, The Asheville Housing Authority and all other interested parties will be necessary to make the reopening of the pedestrian bridge over I-240 @ Roberts Street a positive for all the citizen affected.

Those present at this meeting seem to be in favor of reopening the pedestrian bridge IF the plan and actions include:

1. Removing the overgrown vegetation around the pedestrian bridge as well as in the DOT ROW under the east side of I-240 Smokey Park Bridge.
2. Making sure the steps and sidewalks that connect the pedestrian bridge down to Roberts Street and up to Downtown are cleared of brush and then repaired & maintained to stay clear of debris and vegetation.
3. Additional security measures are put in place that may include routine police visitation, lighting for the area, a gate house for security patrol & ways to encourage the positive element to frequent this area.
4. Steps are taken to involve the communities on both sides of I-240 to help take ownership of this area that might include a mountain bike park & a mural project for the neighborhood kids.

Next steps:

Pattiy will draft minutes from this meeting and circulate them back to those here at the meeting and to the neighborhood for comment.  Once the comments are received and integrated, then these minutes will be forwarded to Mayor Bellamy, Maggie Burleson & Jeff Richarson at the Mayor’s request, for consideration during Council’s deliberations on the issue of reopening the pedestrian bridge. 

Pattiy will also put out a call to the neighborhood for anyone who wishes to come to the July 20^th meeting of the Public Safety Committee of City Council to be sure that WECAN has representation.

Pattiy will continue to keep the neighborhood posted on facebook and via email as to any meetings concerning this topic to the WECAN residents email list… if you are not getting regular WECAN News Flashes from Pattiy and wish to, please send your email to: pattiy@ashevilleRAD.com for inclusion on that list.

WECAN Board minutes 1 July 2010