WECAN Board Meeting August 6, 2015 at 64 Clingman Ave.
Board Members Present were: Byron Ballard, Joe Fioccola, Rachel Larson, Floree Lowery and Pattiy Torno. Board Members not present were Jessie Nell Coleman, Tom Gibson, AnnaBeth Hardcastle, Mike Kenton, Yuri Koslen, Rebecca Lance, Luke W. Perry, Rafael Rettig, Marc Schieferstein, JoAnn Skinner and Suzanne Willis. Also present were: CRO Sean Davis and Marsha Stickford.
Chair Rachel called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.
MINUTES: The draft minutes from June 4 were approved as distributed. TREASURERS REPORT: Byron relayed information from AnnaBeth that there was no change from last month.
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT: Rachel attended part of the meeting on July 18. Development comes with challenges and opportunities. Some suggestions are adding housing and density bonuses. Marsha added that they took the information and will put it into goals. The philosophy is that development should benefit everybody--not just developers and we need to look for strategies that other communities have tried .for different areas of the city. The report from the sponsoring EPA is pending with action plans for each area. (One attendee's notes are attached.)
WATCH FOR ME CROSSWALK CAMPAIGN: The purpose is to make people (drivers and pedestrians) aware of crosswalk safety. Be warned that increased enforcement will occur in the next weeks beginning with warnings and leading up to ticketing--even jaywalkers in September. (Look to the Projects Page on the city website for details.) A request to place a banner at the corner of Clingman and Hilliard. It was approved by consensus lacking only the exact location and how to proceed.
APD/CRO UPDATE: Floree noted a traffic problem on Depot Street in the sharp curve near the Glen Rock which makes traffic go into the oncoming lane. Pattiy noted that in the next few years the RADTIP included complete streets from Depot to Livingston to Victoria. Floree also asked about Clingman Avenue extension. Pattiy reported that it would become one way from Ferguson towards the Clingman Cafe with parking on both sides (but not on the sidewalk). Also that Roberts Street would become one way from Lyman to the Traffic Circle. Sean reported a break in at the Grey Eagle and several vehicles broken into on Clingman Extension, Avenue, and Depot Street in June and July. He noted that the Traffic Unit was stepping up patrol on Depot. There is a new program called "Walk with a Cop." The new division Commander will determine the exact route but probably will include South. French Broad, the Grant Center and may include Clingman or Roberts St. The idea is for neighbors to come out and point out problems or just ask questions. A recent "Walk" was dome from Montford to Hillcrest. The tentative date will be Tuesday August 18 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Pattiy reported some problems she has been having with drug use, trespassing and vandalism on her property. Byron noted the problems with parking near the Bywater. Sean reported that Asheville's new Police Chief had the Department Reaccredited. Chief Hooper was beginning some reorganizing and Sean did not yet have details on the Neighborhood Enhancement Team or the Community Services Section. Marsha noted that when the new District Commander was in place they would come to one of our meetings. (Sean recently returned from a hiking and backpacking vacation to Iceland to see the volcanoes and hot springs.)
NEIGHBOR/BLOCK JESSIE UPDATES: Joe relayed that a vacant lot on Girdwood recently was purchased for $100,000 with plans to build a house. He also reported that Luke's house on Yarrow Place was now roofed. Floree remembered when those houses were built and Mr. Yarrow made and dried the concrete bricks for them. Byron reported a new satyr sculpture at Hanger Hall. Pattiy reported a pregnancy at Curve Studios and her first apple pie from her apple tree. Marsha reported that the sagging fence on Hilliard was getting fixed soon. Chad Bandy found that it was part of the sidewalk project. Joe reported that construction was underway on Club/Trade Street across from Park Avenue. Byron wants people to pick up after their dogs all over the neighborhood.
COMMUNITY GARDEN: Joe reported that The Urban Agriculture group had completed an assessment questionnaire. The first harvests included: tomatoes, peppers, cabbages, eggplants, collards, carrots, cucumbers, beans,. Joe noted that it was hard to picture the volume of the harvest since small amounts were taken out over several weeks and not big bushels all at once.
MASTER PLANNING: Marsha is working on getting CAN and NAC together to present a workshop for neighborhoods to create their own neighborhood plans. The planning department is setting up what information they need and what form it will take to become part of the 2025 Comprehensive plan update. She also noted that new Planning Director Todd Okolichany has been hired effective September 8 and that Alan Glines will be Assistant Planning Director.
DUKE SUBSTATION: Marsha noted that planning needs to develop rules and standards for buffers at utilities and sub-stations.
NEW BELGIUM BREWERY: Joe, Rachel, Pattiy and Marsha attended the Neighborhood Leaders Roundtable where the plan to reduce truck traffic on Haywood Road was explained. Craven Street is now completely open.
TRAFFIC CALMING ON HILLIARD: Marsha will forward the City Traffic Calming Policy to Rachel.
PATTON PLACE APARTMENTS: Joe reported a proposed apartment complex on Patton Avenue between Clingman Avenue and Pearl Street which will be four stories tall and include 116 apartments, and a pool and self contained parking in the rear(off Pearl Street) One concern is the traffic load on both ends of Pearl Street may be a problem. In the next two years the sidewalk on Patton will be closed and the trees on Patton and a very large one on Pearl will be lost.
RAD FORM BASED CODE: Some who attended the charrette felt that it did not look good for community or artists and a lot of high end residential was expected and that artists didn't want very tall buildings. Pattiy explained the flaw in the question to artists about wanting to live there. She observed that it was a good reality check and many findings were correct but it won't make everybody happy. She believes that 'live-work' has worked elsewhere and is the way to go. She also observed that there will be no development in some areas because of the cost of pile driving foundations in the flood zone and only building two stories high with parking below..
CLINGMAN FOREST GREENWAY: Marsha reported that some action is happening about moving the Parks Maintenance Facility and a new RFP would come out soon. Pattiy noted that TIGER VII money was allocated and did have an expiration date. RADTIP construction will begin in the Fall of 2017 and the city will begin land acquisition in September.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT: The event was held at Pack Square Park (aka City-County Plaza) this year. It went well. It could have used more information booths and Splashville was broken
SIMPLI-CITY Marsha reported that SIMPLI CITY is live now. It replaces MapAsheville and is geographic information based.
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
DRAFT Minutes submitted by Joe Fioccola.
August 8 5K Marathon passing through WECAN should be done by 9:30
August 8 Riverlink RiverFest Anything that Floats FBR Park 1-7 pm
August 4 Community Garden Group 6 pm
August 5 Garden Club 2 pm mulching garden at Owens-Bell Park
RAD Farmers Market next to All Souls Pizza 2-6 pm
August 11 Community Garden Group 6 pm
August 12 Garden Club 2 pm
RAD Farmers Market next to All Souls Pizza 2-6 pm
August 18 Community Garden Group 6 pm
August 19 Garden Club 2 pm
RAD Farmers Market next to All Souls Pizza 2-6 pm
August 22 GreenWorks The Big Sweep 10 am
August 24 Community Garden Group 6 pm
August 25 Garden Club 2 pm
RAD Farmers Market next to All Souls Pizza 2-6 pm
September 3 Next WECAN BOARD Meeting 6:30 pm
September 4 New Belgium CLIPS Beer and Film Tour Pack Square Park 7 pm
Fridays 8 pm Foreign Film Cinema Phil Mechanic Studios
WECAN PLANNING: Joe noted the major concerns in the next four months are: September: work on Mailing list, October: plan Halloween/Harvest Social, November publish Newsletter and December General Membership meeting and election.
GARDEN CLUB WEDNESDAYS: Joe reported that the Garden Club had completed Rector at Hilliard over two weeks in June. In July they tackled the Sign Garden and across Hilliard at the car lot. and began weeding at Owens Bell Park. They were rained out once and did a walk through to create a task list all around the area. The garden club boasts a new member from the South French Broad Neighborhood and may have recruited a resident of Owens-Bell Lane who works nights.
