WECAN Board Meeting Minutes May 3, 2018
Board Members present: Danny Aull, Joe Fioccola, Jared Fischer, Lynn Hall,
Rebecca Lance, Rachel Larson, Caroline Mullis, Luke Perry and Pattiy
Torno. Members not present: Byron Ballard, Jessie Coleman, Also Present:
Bill McCurdy, John and Lynne Diamond Nigh,
INTROS: Rachel called the meeting to order at 6:33 pm.
MINUTES: Joe read his comments during the public comment period of the NAC
Central Area Meeting. Rachel was disappointed in the comments and feels
bad about not showing up. Lynn felt upset reading the minutes and took the
comments about gentrification personally. Pattiy suggested the challenge
was to word it better and not represent it as WECAN’s view of
gentrification. Lynn sees the challenge as how to manage it better going
forward and engage the neighborhood. Luke always looks at who benefits
and WECAN helps bring people together. How we participate in the community
is what is important. Jared empathized with both sides and lauded what
Byron and Joe have done for the neighborhood over the decades of service,
care, honor, passion, justice and wants to honor that as well. Dan offered
that everyone want a clean, safe neighborhood without traffic congestion,
and is that wrong? Joe explained that his comments were given at a public
meeting of a committee on which he serves and which is reflected in their
minutes. It came to WECAN minutes as a report on that Central Area
Meeting. It represented his opinion. Lynn moved and Pattiy seconded a
motion to approved the Draft WECAN minutes from April 5 with the assertion
that the comments about the Central Area Meeting did not reflect the
opinions of everyone in WECAN. The motion passed.
CRO Update: Pattiy noted the huge and growing homeless camp on the west
bank of the river. Rebecca noted that CRO Justin Wilson had sent her some
information to pass out about safety. She will post it on the FB Page and
make some copies to distribute door to door. Two lights have been placed
at the end of Jefferson but no signs about community watch.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Rebecca reported the checking balance was $811.42.
HomeTrust Bank has requested a resolution authorizing them to sent
statements to the treasurer.
Joe Moved and Pattiy seconded the motion to change account information for
the WECAN account at HomeTrust Bank, the WECAN Board hereby adopts the
Written Consent of the Board of Directors document from HomeTrust Bank,
and authorize the WECAN Recorder to deliver a signed copy and copies of
the by-laws, and minutes appointing the treasurer and any other documents
required by the bank.
Joe moved and Pattiy seconded a motion To make the permanent legal mailing
address of WECAN as c/o MHO 64 Clingman Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801 The
motion passed.
Joe moved and Pattiy seconded to adopt draft financial procedures which
call for annual financial reporting, 990 filing and orderly transition of
oncoming treasurers. The motion passed.
Joe moved and Rachel seconded a motion to permit all IRS filings for tax
emption to be available for public inspection by the general public as
required by IRS rules by request on the WECAN Website for a link to the
Google Drive. The motion passed.
Joe moved and Jared seconded a motion to approve payment of the balance of
the $275 fee (including costs for printing and postage) for the
retroactive reinstatement application form 1023 and form 990’s from
2010-2017 supplemented by additional funds donated by Pattiy Torno and
Lynn Hall. The motion passed.
After an explanation of the Reinstatement process a reading was waived of
the Reasonable Explanation for Late Filing and Reasonable Cause Statement
(which were passed around)
Lynn Moved and Rebecca second a motion to accept the advice of the
subcommittee and all the documents for the Application for Retroactive
Reinstatement of 501(c )3 tax exemption. The motion passed.
Rebecca noted for information purposes that the subcommittee received
assistance from a friend of Katy Aull who is tax attorney. Rebecca
informed the board that she will acknowledge the assistance and proposes
to name one bed in the community Garden for the late pet dog named Mr.
Burns.
Luke thanked the subcommittee for their work.
REZONING REQUEST at 339 W Haywood St.: Rachel, Jared and others attended
and spoke at the Planning and Zoning meeting concerning the proposal to
change the zoning from Neighborhood Business to Commercial Business
Industrial. She reported that unsurprisingly P&Z approved the change and
passed it anyway despite her opposition. She noted that the fight can
continue with public comments at city council meetings, emailing
councilors, further meetings and petitions showing opposition. Joe
observed that the Neighborhood Business zoning was intended to provide a
transition from commercial and residential areas. Some differences are
allowing single family residential and size restrictions. Developers were
asking for some single family which Residential Multifamily 8 units per
acre (RM8) or Commercial Business might allow. There are also issues of
on-site patking and lot sizes. Some presidents like CB1 and some are
afraid of density and traffic. Some like RM8 and NHB. There is not a clear
consensus. Lynn suggested that we develop systems to collect and
disseminate information about issues. In each of the three possible zoning
categories the outcome is unclear. Luke pointed out that P&Z may want
increased density but single family housing has the lowest density.
Rebecca pointed out that traffic will increase under each zoning option.
Lynn suggested a fact-based, unemotional explanation of the issue. Rachel
wants a community survey.
Luke noted the key point is good accurate information spelling out the
trade-offs and explanatory links and bullet points. Joe inserted that
the Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan was going to City Council in June
and calls for increased density along main travel nodes. People should
look at it on the city website. Also after it is accepted the Unified
Development Ordinance (UDO) will be rewritten and other zoning changes
may emerge. Rachel, Jared and Luke will form a subcommittee to format the
issue with facts. Rebecca observed that the current email list is out of
date and hard to update unless you go door to door and canvassing the
neighborhood works best person-to-person. Perhaps a piece of paper on
every doorstep with a link would work
NCDOT ENCROACHMENT AGREEMENTS: Joe expected Brenda to be at this meeting
with a progress report. There was a vague issue about planting on the
site. Not sure if that is holding it up. Joe repeated that NCDOT did clean
up the site on April 6.
STEPS TO HILLCREST: Luke repeated his concern about the erosion at the
base of the steps that he reported years ago. Some markings have appeared
at the steps that imply something is being done. He will check with Greg
Shuler at Public Works for an update.
DUKE SUBSTATION: Luke summarized the meeting yesterday which was the first
since October 2017. Pattiy outlined the four basic principles: 1-Alignment
with community goals, 2-Community Benefit (leaving an easement on Clingman
to allow increased lanes for bikes, turning, etc to be developed by the
city after the substation is completed in a public process.) 3-Make it as
invisible as possible and 4-Respectfully deal with residential neighbors.
All four goals are still in play. Luke explained the process the group has
gone through so far and what options and trade-offs have got us to this
point after two years. There is an emotional issue about Jessie’s house
one of the longest occupied in WECAN. There may be some naming opportunity
in future development. He wants it to be documented before it is lost
forever and also to attempt to understand the impact on the neighbor
across the street.
WEST HAYWOOD DEVELOPMENT: Bill McCurdy went to P&Z with the goal of
subdividing 4 lots into 5. They advised they could approve it only if
1-rear access is mandatory, 2-there need to be sidewalks on West Haywood,
3-a requirement for front porches and 4-no driveway cuts on W Haywood. He
showed an illustration of how it would look with a single space driveway
in each.
Parking on W Haywood is an issue that is being used to justify the ban on
driveways. John and Jared both have concerns about using the rear access
which would despoil their views from the back of their Club/Trade Street
houses.
MSD NEW LINE: Rachel wants to thank MSD for their work. Pattiy offered to
send a photo and will bring a thank you to the next WECAN meeting.
RADTIP: Road closures begin on Monday. The stop lights between Southern
States and Smoky Park Supper Club will control traffic in both directions
through one lane of the railroad trestle for the next six weeks.
JESSIE MAE MEMORIAL GARDEN; Rachel thanked Pattiy for the face Book
picture of a yellow iris given to her by the late Jessie Mae Jones. She
will reach out to JoAnne Skinner for info on getting plants..
QUEEN CARSON COMMUNITY GARDEN: Wood chip mulch arrived thanks to Duke Energy.
It has been spread to cover the garden paths and around the perimeter.
Rebecca announced there is room for more gardeners to participate. The
regular meeting is on Tuesdays at 6 pm.
KUDZU HILLWORKDAY: The first will be this Sunday May 6 at 5 pm starting
at the Roberts Street side to keep the invasive plants off the new
hawthorn trees.
Meeting adjourned at 8:33 pm
Minutes submitted by Joe Fioccola, Secretary
