Attending: Theresa Tripp, Polly Gilbert, Carol Lavoie, Tom McNutt, Hugh Conroy, Margaret Lyons, Liz Jennings, Andrew Connor, Patrick McKee, Tony Kesslau, Monica Trott, Mary Anne Stuckart, Mickey McDiarmid, Dan Pike, Kristen Dunham, Erin Macri, David Donohue, Gina Gobo, Louise Bjornson, Patti Basart, John McGarrity
New Business: 1. Approved Minutes from 2-20-07 meeting
2. Treasurer’s Report: 2007 SNA yearly Dues Hugh Conroy $5.00 a person, $10.00 a household, $10.00 a business Treasurer’s Report-$240.00 in bank. Dues or donations are not tax deductible. We have spend $ on mailings, port a potty for picnic, filing fee, mail box, etc. City is providing SNA $700 but SNA needs to have matching funds; grant is used to reimburse SNA expenses. $2500 is available from 2007 Neighborhood Planning Committee but SNA needs matching funds.
3. Traffic Committee-Hugh Conroy
a. The traffic committee met and picked improving Ellis and Alabama intersection.
b. Hugh said SNA now has the task of identifying by 4-30-07, three intersections for traffic calming construction. SNA needs to demonstrate that there is neighborhood support for our choices for traffic calming devices. Patrick McKee said this is the first year that neighborhood associations are part of the process. Hugh said we could identify 3-5 intersections to recommend and then volunteers could create a letter/survey to pass out to the neighbors to gather information. Andrew said we have the city’s identified criteria for putting in a traffic calming device. Tony Kesslau and Monica Trott are very concerned by the amount of fast traffic cutting through King Street to avoid James. Both have been active with their neighbors around traffic issues. Dan Pike said to bring up baseline data and that Trader Joe’s is coming and traffic will increase.
Ellis and Virginia and King and Carolina were mentioned as possibilities. Tom McNutt said he would like 4 stop signs but Liz said people run the stop signs. Andrew had 3 letters from families on King Street asking for help with traffic. Several members said all of Grant Street has traffic issues. Several people suggested that the city block off neighborhood streets with cement barriers. Andrew suggested contacting Trader Joe’s to see if they would be willing to support protecting the neighborhoods from increased traffic. Hugh suggested studying the traffic on Alabama and lower James Street in the future. Traffic Committee- Tuesday, March 27th-6:00 to 7:30 Hugh will email the site. Agenda: Pick top 3 intersections to recommend.to city for traffic calming devices and organize to contact neighbors near intersections. Report back to April SNA meeting on April 17th.
4. Neighborhood Planning Academy Report - March 11, 2007 - Liz Jennings Subsequent meetings will be held March 26, April 9 and 23, May 8 and 29 from 6:30-8:00 at 314 Champion St. Liz reported on meetings and thanked the city for refusing to docket a change to the zoning for DOT property. See attached report. Motion: Mary Anne Stuckart moved to allow the SNA Neighborhood Planning Workgroup to spend approximately $30.00 for photocopying expenditures. 2nd by Margaret Lyons. Approved. Gina Gobo suggested that the Workgroup encourage people to attend the planning meetings by advertising in a variety of places. City Council Bjornson said it was so important to make copies of the SNA plan so the SNA can refer to the plan during meetings.
5. City Council Meeting on March 12-Patrick McKee Patrick said many citizens attended the city council meeting. The city council agreed with the city planning department to not allow a zoning change for the DOT property. Patrick said this was a big victory for the neighborhood associations. Patrick likes Tim Stewart, the new planning department, as he asks for feedback from the neighborhoods. Patrick said SNA needs to educate ourselves and be active regarding the DOT property.
6. MNAC -Andrew Connor Andrew’s 1 year term is expiring and he is going to be out of town for the next 6 months so he is not able to continue to be our representative on the MNAC. The term is for one year and the MNAC representative is also a member of the SNA Board. The position will be on the SNA Board officer slate for elections in May. Theresa thanked Andrew for being on the MNAC.
Patrick Stewart was nominated for MNAC Board. Erin Macri agreed to be a candidate for Co-Chair of SNA to complete Susan Adams’ term.
Old Business:
1. SNA Annual Picnic-May 20-Need a point person to organize-Erin Macri volunteered and passed around signup sheet for those interested in helping her.
2. SNA’s possible participation in the Human Race- Margaret Lyons The Human Race is 2nd Saturday in June and raises money for local non-profits. In order to participate, we need to join the ABN and attend the meetings once a month and then we can join the race and raise money. Tom McNutt suggested we be kind to ourselves and not participate. Everyone agreed.
3. Unfinished Street Repair-Bob Wunschel Margaret Lyons reported that Bob Wunschel had contacted her because the City road crew did some work on his street and never finished the job. Councilwoman Bjornson asked some questions and then Margaret Lyons and Councilwoman Bjornson exchanged phone numbers and Councilwoman Bjornson promised to check the situation out.
4. Business Letter – Hugh Hugh is mailing a letter to all Sunnyland Businesses and asking them to pay dues and join the SNA.
5. Greenways Funds – Patrick McKee $2500.00 Small and Simple Grants-Patrick said that we considered asking for picnic tables for Memorial Park but the Parks Dept. has a standard for a $1500.00 picnic Instead, Patrick asked for street trees. With this grant, the city provides the trees and volunteer the labor plants the trees. Liz asked if there was a method to determine who received the trees. Patrick said he contacted other Neighborhood Associations and they have a process we can follow. John McGarrity said that Sunnyland did this in 1992 and the cherry trees on Ellis were part of the planting. Councilwoman Bjornson mentioned many neighborhoods have planted trees. She said Puget Sound Energy used to help dig the holes for trees. Jonathon Schilk in the Parks Dept. knows about street trees and can advise.
Announcements: John McGarrity was cleaning out his filing cabinet and brought in information regarding any chemical spills, etc. on the DOT land. The information tells where the spills were in order to plan parking lots versus parks. He brought a map with sewers, etc. Wendy Steffenson, an environmental scientist and SNA neighbor, agreed to review these environmental documents.
Adjourned at 8:30 p.m.