WECAN Meeting Minutes March 7, 2019

WECAN Meeting Minutes March 7, 2019   Board Members present: Sherrod Barnes-Ginifer, Joe Fioccola, Lynn Hall, Rebecca Lance, Rich Peterson, Sandy Sox, and Shelly Schenker. Members not present: Danny Aull, Lesa Peterson Also present: Matt Bacoate, Byron Ballard, Maggie Carnivale-PFA, Gerald Harbison, Chip Howell-PFA, Julia Kress-Moberg-Asheville GreenWorks, Rachel Larson, Leslie Meyers, Brenda Mills—Neighborhood and Community Engagement Manager, Amanda Paffrath, Jeff Poe, Mike Vance-Mountain Housing Opportunities, Janet Webber, APD CRO Justin Wilson. INTROS: Lynn called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Rich’s name was inadvertently omitted as a January and February Board member. He is a board member and was present in February. Lesa submitted corrections to the New Business section of the draft which should read as follows: COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE: Lesa met with Pattiy and got the WECAN admin and login information for Google and Mailchimp. She is in the process of culling and updating the various mailing lists within Mailchimp and creating templates for ease of future mailings. She observed that the WECAN BlogSpot acts as an archive or repository of the minutes, agendas and financial information but a website would be more interactive and user friendly. We could drive traffic to the website for neighborhood announcements, events and pictures. She indicated that she would pay for the creation of a new website on SquareSpace but that the ongoing web hosting fee would cost $12-15 per month. Cost may be an issue as the BlogSpot is free but it hasn’t had minutes posted since August and most neighbors are unaware of its existence. Joe will send her copies of the approved minutes since then to post. Sandi moved and Rich seconded a motion to approve the draft February 7 minutes as emailed and corrected. The motion passed. APD CRO UPDATE: Officer Wilson reported vandalism on Roberts Street at White Duck and report of drug activity at the end of Park Avenue North off Girdwood. He reported a new campsite behind #8 Club Street that is still there and a campsite cleared by NCDOT by the Hillcrest walkover. Another new one was reported on the steep slope behind Knoxville Place and another inside the chain link fence on Duke’s property closest to Clingman and Hilliard. He recommended contacting Jason Walls about the debris left in the area of the bushes on Clingman at Hilliard. In response to a question about statistics for traffic stops he suggested using the City Open Data for official numbers. NEIGHBOR/BLOCK JESSIE UPDATES:  An uptick in prostitution sightings was reported at the end of Jefferson and a suspicious person in a hoodie and scarf on a bike from the nature trail up Jefferson. TREASURERS REPORT: Rebecca reported no activity last month the balance is $760.99 The IRS form 990 is due by May 15 and she will have it ready to review before then. OLD BUSINESS NEIGHBORHOOD TILES: Mike noted that MHO was storing the box of tiles. Rebecca will pick them up and store them as Treasurer. SAFE STREETS: Rich did not have an update, but Brenda Mills, Neighborhood and Community Engagement Manager did advise that Andrew has it on his schedule but will not use sensitive equipment until the weather warms up, like in late March or April. Rich noted that there wouldn’t be any new signs until the counts were completed. Lynn suggested the use of radar controlled speed bumps to deal with cut thru traffic. COMMUNICATION UPDATE: Rich read an email from Lesa that work was ongoing to refine the Mailchimp list and comparing it to the neighborhood spread sheet and updating it contacts with names and addresses. Once completed an announcement email will be sent to request info, make changes and direct to the website for information. One idea is to publish a neighborhood directory to get to know neighbors or ask for help. Rebecca acknowledged Joe’s contributions in keeping the email list over the years. NEW BUSINESS:  ASTON PARK ADVISORY BOARD: Shelley attended an organizational meeting on Tuesday. The goal is to have the entire park better used by the community and not just the Tennis Players. Helen Hyatt from South French Broad Neighborhood, brought up the idea of the two neighborhoods coming together for a barbecue and walk through the neighborhoods on August 5 for "National Night Out". Brenda observed that this advisory board was not appointed by the city and will have to identify their needs as they begin to organize. Asked about the replanting of trees removed from the Hilliard side of the tennis courts Brenda will find out. 36 JEFFERSON DRIVE lot (OLD OAK TREE): Discussion –Leslie Meyers: Mike Vance reviewed the situation. Last fall it came to light that the lot was only to be held for 10 years for affordable housing and that back taxes were due. They were paid and the issue was opened. MHO sees it as a resource but with the cost of construction and the steepness of the lot they are better off selling rather than building. Leslie lives at 53 Jefferson and appealed for ways to save the tree. She observed that it is a home for 3 hawks and other wildlife. She heard of a program called Patchwork Urban Farms which plants food and supplies co-ops in the city. She pointed out that food, farm and conservation was a better option than a city park with maintenance costs and vagrants and the steep slope problems. An idea of Community Land Trust was suggested but Rachel inserted that they are looking at bigger tracts and perhaps an Audubon group would be approached for funding and perhaps the Jefferson neighbors would assume liability or a conservation group for tax credits. Mike offered that MHO was ready to sell but would delay for one month to see if a plan or proposal could be made. Leslie, Lynn and Rachel will dive deeper and use the 30 days to research plan options. Brenda offered to invite Paul Deangelo to come to a WECAN meeting with a presentation about Economic Opportunity Zones. Julia acknowledged that ‘Tree City,” Asheville has among the weakest tree protection ordinances. We recognize Treasured Trees by hanging a plaque on them, we don’t do well at saving them. MHO: CLINGMAN AND HILLIARD DEVELOPMENT UPDATE: Mike explained that Dr Biddle owns the lot and MHO has an option to purchase. They did not get tax credit funding last year and now may be ineligible in future due to proximity to the Duke Substation. They have gone to 60 West and Partners Preserving Communities to propose a use that includes office/retail, mixed use and some affordable housing. Chip Howell and Maggie Carnivale from PFA Architects showed preliminary plans for an 80ft tall building with 88 units, 67 parking spaces on two levels, 6000 sf retail space for 4 tenants and 6-8,000 sf office space upstairs. While not finalized the project is moving forward. There will be a community meeting on March 27 at 5 pm at Pack Memorial Library and final Planning and Zoning in June. There was discussion of the pros and cons (mostly) of parking and traffic associated with the site. These will be considered by the TRC (Technical Review Committee.) RECYCLING 101: Julia Kress-Moberg from Asheville GreenWorks explained the two biggest problems that single stream recycling faces are using it as an overflow bin for trash and ‘wishful recycling.’ The rule of thumb is: when in doubt-keep it out.  A lot of recycled items have no value. The highest value is for cardboard, #1 and #2 plastics, and aluminum and metal cans. Ironically glass and mixed paper cost the recycler to handle. Anything that can’t be recycled has to go to the landfill and the recycler has to pay. The main contaminants are Plastic Bags (All kinds but may be recycled at grocery stores), soft paper (napkins, tissues and paper towels,) Aluminum foil (but pie tins and catering trays ate okay,) and Styrofoam (which can be recycled at GreenWorks special events.) For plastics the three questions we need to consider are did it come from a grocery store? Is it a container? And does it have a recycling triangle symbol? Additionally, the caps on soft drink bottles can be recycled but have to be left on the bottles or they will get lost. Orange juice containers are ok, but grease on pizza boxes makes them unusable (except for clean lids can be removed and recycled.) Finally, coffee cups and lids are not recyclable only the cardboard sleeves are. We are at risk of losing single stream recycling if it is not economically viable for the Curbie business. The complete list of what is and isn’t recyclable is on the city website. NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNIY ENGAGEMENT: Brenda Mills announced a biweekly newsletter that has news items from the city of interest to neighborhoods. ENCROACHMENT AGREEMENT: Since May of 2013, WECAN has tried to take care of the empty lot with behind the stone wall on West Haywood Street. On May 5, 2016, neighbors met with Green Works and NCDOT engineers after a clean-up of the site for a possible win-win but with the big questions unanswered: is it right of way, or excess property? Does it belong to the city?  At a WECAN meeting on January 4, 2018, in response to a complaint of NCDOT burying trash on the site, NCDOT Engineer Troy Wilson told us that we could get an encroachment agreement. On June 11, Joe met with Transportation Director Ken Putnam and Public Works Director Greg Shuler, Brenda Mills for a site visit to see if the city could enter an agreement with the NCDOT. Since then Joe has emailed Ken several times for updates.  On February 21 he received an email from Ken stating that we are now moving forward with the City Council process and a tentative date of March 26, 2019 is set on the consent agenda.  An agreement between the City and WECAN is also needed and he asked if the following conditions are acceptable to WECAN: 1-WECAN will be responsible to properly and continually maintain the vegetation in accordance with generally accepted horticultural practices including all costs. 2-All new plantings or other amenities must be coordinated with the City and WECAN will need to submit landscape design, plans, and specifications in accordance with NCDOT's standard landscaping policies and procedures. And 3-Before any existing trees are removed, WECAN must coordinate the request with the City (Public Works Department) and/or the Tree Commission. Joe responded positively and asked if the ‘No Trespassing “signs would remain and for a list of the NCDOT Policy and procedures. Meeting adjourned at 8:17 pm. Minutes submitted by Joe Fioccola, Secretary Mark your Calendars for upcoming events and meetings Mar 11             4 - 6           Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods  (CAN) Meeting Mar 25             6:30           Neighborhood Advisory Committee Mar 30             10 am        GreenWorks Tree Giveaway at First Baptist Church on Oak Street Apr 4               6:30pm      WECAN Board Meeting