WECAN joins NextDoor.com

Thanks to the efforts of our wonderful APD Community Resource Officer, Evan Coward, WECAN is one of several guinea pigs, in Asheville, for a private social media resource called NextDoor.com.  The hope is that NextDoor.com will be an easy way for WECAN neighbors to stay in contact with each other, with our surrounding neighborhoods as well as a way for us to talk with the City of Asheville & the City of Asheville to let us know about events, road closures, planning initiatives, etc that may effect WECAN folks... please sign up if you want to.... not sure if you need to get invited to join... if you do, please send an email and you will get an invite! Thanks

Smokestack Repairs

Harold Whitley, of Western Waterproofing will be up high in the air over WECAN for the next several weeks, re-pointing the brick tile @ the top of the Ice House Smokestack.  Harold says we will be seeing a new copper cap to keep the snow out & a water seal that should help keep the Stack standing a good while longer.  If anyone has a few extra of the brick tile that was used to build this tower, Harold could use a few to fill in several "missing teeth" on the facade of the stack.

ADC Ped Bridge Almost Done

pictures say most of it... forms should come off today... the bridge is scheduled to be craned into place early next week... party next friday happy hour? will keep you posted!

WECAN October 2013 Board Meeting Minutes • Draft

WECAN Board Meeting October 3, 2013 at 64 Clingman Ave.

Board Members Present were:  Byron Ballard, Joe Fioccola, Rachel Larson and Pattiy Torno . Board Members not present were Jeff Carnivale, Jessie Nell Coleman, Tom Gibson, AnnaBeth Hardcastle, Mike Kenton, Yuri Koslen, Luke W. Perry, JoAnn Skinner, and Suzanne Willis.  Also present were: Officer Evan Coward, Stephanie Greiner and Marsha Stickford.

    Vice chair Rachel called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.  The Draft September minutes were approved as distributed.

    APD CRO Update: Evan pitched everyone to register in a new social network: NEXTDOOR.COM. The only info required is an address in the WECAN area and/or a landline or a phone number. The next 21 days are a trial period for the site. (If at least 10 people sign in  the site goes live.) Evan has put in the WECAN boundaries and assures us that it is totally free: no advertising, pop-ups or banners. The only people who have access are the residents and smaller groups can be created such as WECAN Board, garden club, neighborhood watch, etc. When you sign up you can send invites to your neighbors-- up to 50 e-post cards a month. You can also specify how you receive messages: mobile, email, face book, etc.         Reports of several vehicle 'break-ins' from Park Square to Girdwood and to Park Avenue. Residents should continue to lock their vehicles and take care with personal items and valuables left in plain sight. Also if you see transients hopping trains call the Asheville Police since the railroad police are severely understaffed.  Also the small brick house on Yarrow Place close to Hilliard Ave. was covered in graffiti has windows uncovered and a mattress outside. 

    HALF-MARATHON; 15 very enthusiastic volunteers had a lot of fun cheering on runners on Saturday September 28 from 6:30 am-9:45. Thanks to Alphie, Jeff, Sawyer, Joe, Byron, AnnaBeth, Lance, Recie and children for helping earn WECAN over $300.

    TUESDAY GARDEN CLUB:  Joe reported that the September dates went well. Rebecca and Charlie from Jefferson Drive joined him and Rachel. Work will continue on Saturday after Adopt A Highway and also on Tuesdays October 15 and 22nd from 5-7. Goals are reclaiming the sidewalk on Clingman, Jefferson Drive and weeding Owens-Bell Park.

    ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY cleanup date set for the fall litter pickup on Saturday October 5 at 10 a.m.

    RAD LOFTS: Joe Pattiy and Rachel attended a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Weds. Oct. 2 hearing a Conditional Zoning Request f0r RAD Lofts to change the zoning of the Dave Steel site from Commercial Industrial to Urban Place. The change would allow 209 residential units, over 40,000 sq ft  of retail space, over 13,000 of office space, 338 parking spaces in a two level parking structure, 24 off street parking spaces and 16 new on-street spaces. The new zoning calls for 10 foot sidewalks (except in 3 places.) and over 200,000 sq ft of gross flooring area. Some concerns were elimination of on street parking (which is currently informal), increased traffic, and affordability--none of which are restricted by Urban Place which encourages high density. All of the 209 apartments will be designated workforce housing. Building height for the five buildings should be no more than seven stories some of which will be below grade.

It was also reported that the RAD Lofts developer had hired someone to promote a QUIET ZONE for the railroad crossing between Lyman and Depot St.  

    DISASTER:Pattiy reported that several landslides in the area had been declared a federal disaster and federal repair funds had been aproved.

    FESTIVAL OF NEIGHBORHOODS: We need to confirm 6 attendees for the event on October 27 from 3-5 p.m. at the Sherrill Center at UNCA.  Set up is at 2:30, then at 3 Remarks from Chancellor Ponder, Mayor Bellamy, Dr John Wood and Councilman Chris Pelly. At 4 is time to view other neighborhood tables and staff ours and network to see what others are doing. Then there will be light refreshments. The representatives confirmed so far are Byron, Rachel, Stephanie (maybe), We need 3-4 more by October 5.  Please email Joe if you can attend.

    ADC PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE: Pattiy reported that after settling some right of way problems with MSD that next Monday morning ground breaking work on the bridge footings should begin.

    NEW STOP SIGN: Marsha reported that a stop sign was requested on the westbound side of W. Haywood St just before  you turn left onto Park Avenue. Possibly improved lane striping would suffice.

    NEIGHBOR/BLOCK JESSIE UPDATES: Luke has found a place in the East End neighborhood off MLK Drive.   New houses are going up on Club St off Roberts St. and behind the Club House site. also on Park Avenue behind Asheville Redefines Transit. Stephanie reported that 'Roaming in the Raw" was serving salads and juices in the clear area below the Clingman Lofts on Thursday and Friday from 10-3. Pattiy reported a Gloria Howard Free sighting. She also reported that the Community Arts Council was having the Emerald Ball on Depot St which would be closed from five points to Bartlett St from 4 p.m. to Midnight on Saturday October 5. Also a new restaurant and Sake Brewery called Blue Kudzu should open soon on Depot where the Magnetic Field was.

Regarding feedback for the Clingman Forest Greenway Rachel will contact the Multi-Modal Commission.

    EOTR RADTIP: Pattiy reported it had gone out to bid.

    MASTER PLANNING DISCUSSION Extended discussion of the Master Planning process. Some feel we are not ready. We are already behind schedule. That we haven't got a vision for what the process is and what we want and are not prepared to conduct it at this time. The energy we had last year to do it ourselves with resources living in our community has dissipated. The issue of cost was raised for paid staff? how much and for whom? The Chicken and Egg dilemma how much money is needed to do the job and how do we raise it versus what needs to be done and can we do it ourselves?. Pattiy thought we needed more specifics on the process. The goal was to see what is in the 2000 Citizens Master Plan what has been done, what still needs to be done, what can't be done and what shouldn't be done. Joe felt the population has grown and changed in the last 12 years and our plan should reflect the current residents. Byron noted that the biggest success of the last plan was making a community out of a black neighborhood and a white neighborhood. There was also the issue of consultants in general and their professional efforts to please their funders and massage community input to reflect and validate the funders desires. This depressing discussion raised some important issues that the board needs to consider. Maybe WECAN has fulfilled its purpose and isn't necessary any more. Maybe the life cycle of our neighborhood group is nearing its end. Maybe we need some new blood. Maybe some of us are just getting old and tired. Maybe the bulk of our neighbors are too busy or just don't care.

The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.

DRAFT Minutes submitted by Joe Fioccola.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Oct  5  Sat 10 a.m.                  Adopt A Highway Cleanup

                                                Also Yard Sale at Joanne Skinners  

Oct  8  Tue                               Primary Election Vote for Mayor.    

Oct 15 Tue 5-7                        Garden Club Weeding Party Clingman and Hilliard

Oct 22 Tue 5-7                        Garden Club Weeding Party Clingman and Hilliard

Nov 7 Thu  6:30                       WECAN Board Meeting 6:30 at 64 Clingman Avenue