York Neighborhood Association Board Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

7:05 – 9:00 pm

Nelson’s Market

Present: Tom Scott, Helen Jackson, Anne Mackie, Judy Bachman, Carolyn Mulder, Amelia Lunde, David Wainwright and Libby Stark. George Liepart and Robert Hand indicated they would not be present.

Lisa McShane was present to deliver the Planning Committee’s report.

Announcements: None were reported.

• Historical Preservation Committee Chair: Barbara was in London so Libby delivered the meeting minutes from the last meeting. See attached. Anne said she received a call from Dean Kahn with the Bellingham Herald regarding the YNA’s position on design review standards for our neighborhood. Anne said the YNA has not discussed this issue yet, unlike the Lettered Streets. The Museum’s workshop on researching your home was attended by 8 Yorkers and will be presented again in the fall. Helen said that design review information will want to be addressed in our Neighborhood Plan Update if the opportunity arises. The next meeting will be on June 14.

• Franklin Park Renovation Chairs: Judy reported that on Earth Day (4/22) there were volunteers cleaning up the hillside. Helen has attended playground planning meetings with the playground architect Jonathan Schilk and the Loving Space day care children. A bike path was a suggestion for the park.

• Franklin Park Market: Judy is no longer chairing this committee due to other obligations. There was a meeting at Helen’s on 5/16 to determine if we were going to proceed with the Market. It was decided to continue as Helen has received more phone calls from crafters and artisans requesting spaces. The ad in the Herald has gotten a good response and there are currently 16 table spaces that have been sold. Helen has contacted Allied Arts and they will be emailing their artisans with information on the Market. Libby will email the YNA list with a call to donate items and baked goods. Volunteers are still needed on Market day to help out. It was suggested that neighborhood children wave signs to attract attention on the day of the Market. David will be bringing 6 tables for YNA board members’ spaces.

• Franklin Street Island: Work has continued. Anne made the point that it will be ok if the hillside is not ready for plantings as we can always re-submit the grant again next year. Judy said we need to recruit weed whackers who can regularly weed back the brambles.
• Rock Hill Park Steward: The Parks Department has mowed part of the park. The plants are still waiting to be planted. Anne is going to pay a Nelson’s employee to help plant. Kelix Scott is still working on the butterfly houses and will be getting together with neighborhood children to have them paint the boxes. One idea is to have stepping stone mosaics that neighbors can make and then have placed at the park.

• Treasurer: Helen provided a handout indicating we have $180.13 in our checking account and $404.13 in our savings account. See attached.

• Fundraising Committee Chair: Libby has mailed out 12 donation “renewal” letters to those who contributed in 2003/2004. Judy has prepared postcards for landlords that will be mailed out late summer. Board members are to think of fundraising ideas, such as a car wash.

• Garden Club Chair: The next meeting will be 5/18 at Judy’s house. Amelia said they will discuss the plant sale for the Franklin Park Market.

• Dumpster Day Chair: Carolyn has put out the call for pick-up trucks that can haul trash from the alleys to the Dumpster. Hours are 8:30 – 10:30 or until full on Saturday, June 10. Regarding publicity Carolyn said she will design fliers to be placed in the yard boxes and possibly on telephone polls.

• Job duties and descriptions of board positions: The board reviewed and edited the remaining job descriptions. It was determined that since many of these positions are currently unfilled to label them “Neighborhood Support Positions.” Robert and Elliott will be asked to assist in developing the Student Rep position description. Libby will compare by-laws and job descriptions to ensure compatibility. Anne and Libby will contact neighborhood business owners to see if they are interested in serving on the board.

• Planning Committee Chair: There will be a meeting on 5/19 at 9 am with Tim Stewart (new director of Planning), Pat Carman (staff person assigned to our rezone request), Nicole Oliver (Planning Department staff) and Helen, Tom and Lisa to give a tour of the neighborhood and discuss issues important to the neighborhood and what we’d like to see from the rezone request. The York Neighborhood will be setting precedent for other neighborhoods with our process, so our approach is important. Parks and parking are two important issues. There is currently no date scheduled for the meeting to be held with neighbors about the rezone request. Everyone within 500 feet of the request will be receiving a notice, paid for the city. The committee is not sure who gets to write the material. Nobody has looked into the history of this process in other cities. The auxiliary dwelling units (ADUs) are one issue that will need to be worked out. The city is still deciding how they’d like these units used. The triangle section (by Magnolia Court apartments) is not part of the rezone request. This area is in design review by the city for the City Center Business District.

Topics for next board meeting: Neighbor education regarding the neighborhood rezone request.

The meeting adjourned at 9:00.

Submitted by Libby Stark