WECAN Board Meeting Minutes
June 1, 2017
Board Members present: Byron Ballard, Rachel Larson, and Pattiy
Torno. Members not
present: Danny Aull, Jared Fischer, Tom
Gibson, Lyn Hall, Mike Kenton, Rebecca Lance, Luke Perry, JoAnn
Skinner and Suzanne Willis. At
Large Members not present: Rafael Rettig and Floree Lowery.
Also
Present: Jessie Coleman, Joe Fioccola, Caroline Mullis and APD Officer Justin
Wilson,.
INTROS: Byron called the meeting to
order at 6:37 pm.
MINUTES/ TREASURER”S
REPORT: Byron
moved and Pattiy seconded a motion to approve the draft WECAN minutes from May
4 as distributed. The motion passed.
APD/CRO Update: Justin reported that
there was not a lot of activity in May. An unlocked vehicle was broken into on
Birddog Lane. A bullet hole was found in a house on Park Avenue North,
increasing graffiti and homeless camps cleared from the Boy Scout’s Hill. He
explained his frustration with the process in place for homeless campers along
the interstates. There are other places in the neighborhood that are not along
the interstate, such as two of the west corners of the Clingman and Hilliard
intersection. Pattiy encouraged the city to post their newly acquired
properties in the RAD. The neighbors assured Officer Wilson they will support
any of his attempts to solve the problem.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT: The annual event
sponsored by Target will be on Tuesday August1. Justin reported that the fee
will be waived if you register through the Neighborhood Coordinator. In the
past there was competition for attention between individual neighborhood
anti-crime efforts and collective gatherings such as at City County Plaza,
Carrier Park or the Buncombe County Soccer Complex. Again this year the city is
encouraging individual efforts rather than big centralized outings. Pattiy
expressed confusion about what it is for and why.
BACOATE BRANCH GREENWAY
NAMING:
Pattiy noted that the naming of Bacoate Branch, and Forest and Greenway was now
officially approved by City Council..
RAD FORM BASED CODE: The Asheville Planning and
Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing to review the proposed River Arts
Form-Based Code for the greater River Arts District on Wednesday June 7 at 5
p.m. Requested changes have been made to building heights and there doesn’t
seem to be a lot that needs neighborhood support. Pattiy noted that commercial
interests on the commission do oppose it but they are outnumbered.
RADTIP: City Council will vote on
funding at their June 13 meeting.
SOCIAL: SPRING FLING: At 2 pm on Sunday May 28
of Memorial Day weekend was the a cook out and pot luck at Owens Bell Park to
celebrate Jessie Coleman’s 79th Birthday. The weather was very
pleasant, about 30 people showed up and feasted on chicken, hot dogs, sausages,
salad from the community garden, potato salad banana pudding and cake. There
was discussion of how to better communicate the next one.
BLOCK JESSIES: Pat Crisp is back in the
hospital. De De posted on Next Door that her neighbor’s wall had
collapsed. Pattiy recommended
organizing helpers from the neighborhood to put in our neighborhood support
toolbox. Perhaps helpers could assist debris removal and Luke and Joe can start
by help Jessie dealing with a leak or runoff.
COMMUNITY GARDEN: Joe reported that
strawberries are running, corn is rising, tomatoes are planted and the wood
fenced half has been weeded. He has only seen one town snake and a birds nest
in the vertical ‘diaper’ garden. Pattiy has seen frogs. Lynn had asked for a
submersible pump Joe explained that it was to drain their wading pool up to the
community garden barrels instead of using buckets. Pattiy also noted that Roots
has food grade barrels for the asking.
DUKE SUBSTATION: Pattiy and Rachel met with
Laura and Steven at the Haywood Street Congregation to arrange the next meeting
with Duke. Steven will welcome attendees and make a pitch for development that
supports their need for additional parking. At this point WECAN does not
support a traditional substation at that location. Pattiy will propose a
win-win-win solution with mixed use, GIS in a building or under a parking deck.
She will try to control the conversation to listen to what Duke is proposing
and what options they have to offer and keeping our neighborhood response in
our back pocket. Before the meeting she has offered to meet with business
owners who have not been at prior meetings to bring them up to speed. There is
a concern that it may be too late to use the media. Joe noted that Duke has a lot of pushback on their gas fired
generators and don’t need another black eye and this may be an opportunity for
Duke to do the right thing—even though they don’t legally have to.
KUDZU HILL: No work day was set for
June. It is too late to spray the kudzu and the ineffectiveness of spraying was
discussed.
OTHER ISSUES: Moving the Bacoate Branch
stream culvert at the stone works, Zoning issue at Roberts Street and Trade
Street. Caroline reported that her house won a Griffin Award from the
Preservation Society and she would be renting it for about a year. Dogs running loose jumped on JoAnne with
her grandson and dog on Short Hilliard until she was rescued by a passing
motorist. Jessie reported that dogs continue to defecate on the sidewalk on
Hilliard. Dog owners need to pick up the poop.
ADOPT A HIGHWAY: Rachel will bring the
contract renewal around later this month. Our current contract expires on July
1.
Meeting adjourned at 8:02
pm
Minutes submitted by Joe
Fioccola, Secretary Emeritus
Important Upcoming Dates:
June 7
Duke Substation meet up2:30 Haywood Street
June 6,13,20,27 Community
Garden Workday/meeting 6 pm
June 7,14,21,28 RAD Market at
All Souls Pizza
June 11 Father’s
Day
June 12
C.A.N. Meeting 7 p.m. Oakley Community Center
June 16 NH
leaders Roundtable 8:30 @ Riverlink
June 28 Comp
Plan Draft Public Meeting TBA
July 6 Next WECAN Board Meeting Thursday 6:30 pm
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