MINUTES

FREMONT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETING

March 28, 2005

 

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:  Benjamin Grossman,  Alan Younker, Norma Jones, Dic Selin, April Thanos, Vafa Ghazi, Toby Thaler, Jenny Eichwald, George Heideman, Chip Nevins, Julia DeBroux.

 

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Introduction of Board members.  The Fremont Fair is scheduled for June 18th and 19th.  A booth at the Fair was discussed, but the consensus was that it is a lot of work and has not yielded many new members in the past.  Representatives of the Fremont Arts Council announced that they meet the first Tuesday of the month at the Powerhouse, and asked for participants for the Fremont Fair.   The Fremont Public Association is having a Bowlathon fund raiser on April 30th.  A letter has been received from SDOT regarding an accident at 87th and 15th.  SDOT is planning educational outreach regarding crosswalks and pedestrian safety.  The FNC has expressed concern about removal of crosswalks.  The FNC will invite SDOT to a future meeting.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT:  April Thanos provided the following information for inclusion in the minutes:

 

                $   1,532.32           Checking

                $     236.46            Savings

               

                $29,624.26           CD1

                $26,710.92           MM

               

Total assets:         $58,103.96

 

MINUTES:  The February 2005 minutes were approved as amended.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

 

PARKS & OPEN SPACE:  Chip Nevins reported that there is a pro-parks meeting tonight regarding funding, and they will recommend funding for Ernst Park.  City staff has recommended Opportunity Money go for this project.  An application for a Starbucks grant for Ernst Park was submitted by the FAC.  Peak Park is looking for volunteers.

 

LAND USE:  Stoneway QFC does not have a building permit, and probably will not be built until 2006.  The Seattle Sun had a good article on the Wallingford/Fremont issue.  The City Council meeting on the issue was held today, and design guidelines were approved.  The Committee passed it out last week.  The guidelines exclude the Fremont Urban Village.  The building at 36th and Evanston, across from the Lenin statute, has been permitted.

 

                MEMBERSHIP:  Most of the 2005 members are new, with five additional members today.  Three Board members have not renewed.

 

                ZOO:  The RPZ at the Zoo has not gone forward.

 

LIQUOR RELATED ISSUES:  Suite G has entered into a GNA.  Browers got a license that is good until 8/31/05.  Chiso has an application pending regarding the change in the name of the owners.  Renewals due by April 4th are Fremont Dock and Nectar.  Notice will be sent to local authorities objecting to license renewal procedures and the timing required.  Vafa Ghazi has learned that all objections must go the LCB form the City, which makes it harder for objections from individuals and neighborhood groups.  Ed McKenna has expressed his inability to work on a GNA with every liquor establishment that the FNC objects to.  Some people wanted individuals to walk the area on Friday and Saturday night, but that may be difficult.  Others have suggested taking videos of the area.   There have been complaints about the noise at Nectar. 

 

St. Paul’s church is being sold to the Living Room as a club.  The Living Room describes themselves as a non-profit arts organization.   They have a liquor license and a band.  The homeless shelter is moving back downtown.

 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: CHHIP is turning in their application this week.  The FNC money will be returned after the application is submitted.  If FNC makes a donation to the project it could help the application get notice.  The loan would be paid back before the donation.  Thus far the FNC has committed $39,000 to the project, and has paid $26,810.  CHHIP will not have to draw on the difference in the monies paid and committed.  CHHIP plans to repay the FNC the $26,810 at the end of April.  The $10,000 would not be due until the building is complete, which should be one to two years from now.  Motion and second for the FNC to commit to purchase $10,000 of equity in the project, provided pre-development money is repaid as described.  Approved.  Motion and second to authorize April Thanos to sign a letter in accordance with the motion above.  Approved. 

 

OLD BUSINESS: 

 

Traffic Calming-Traffic circles will be installed on 36th without a pole in the circle adjacent to the Troll.  This design was adopted in the interest of FAC concerns for the site.  SDOT is ready to go forward with a model of this non-traditional design.  A test of the design is planned before permanent installation. 

 

There is Fred Meyer mitigation money available for traffic calming.  This includes the Burke-Gilman trail, where nothing has been done thus far.  There is also money available for sidewalks, which did not happen under the Leary Way project.  Chip Nevins will follow-up and co-ordinate with Matt Stevenson on the bicycle portion of the mitigation.

 

RPZ- The status of the RPZ is the same as February.  The committee needs volunteers to gather signatures and keep track of the numbers needed to reach the 60% approval required.  SDOT has a meeting scheduled for the week of 3/28/05.  SDOT has decided not to install parking meters in Fremont at this time.  There was a suggestion to post the RPZ information on the FNC website.

 

Annual Meeting- The Annual Meeting will be held at the Fremont Community Church on April 25th at 7:00 pm.  It is required that Board members and Officers be identified.  Vafa Ghazi will run for President, Toby Thaler will run for Vice-President, and April Thanos will run for Treasurer.  There is no candidate for Secretary at this time.  Toby and April will coordinate refreshments.  Postcards announcing the meeting will be sent this week.

 

A-1 Motel- The Safer Fremont Community Group expressed their gratitude to the FNC for support in their efforts to solve the problems at the A-1 motel.  It was reported that there has been a second murder in eight months at the motel.  The FNC has received a letter from City Council member Rasmussen thanking us for our concern about the A-1.  Sue Cary looked into a possible sale of the building, but the building is not suitable for housing or major development.  A sale of the property has been rumored.  There is a meeting planed on April 20th with the owners and some community groups to discuss the situation and solutions to the problem.  McKenna is trying to change the zoning to allow for retail/residential use of this site and other motel properties on Aurora.  The FNC would request advance information about any zoning changes the City may be anticipating in Fremont.  Safer Fremont is encouraging the City to develop a plan for the motel properties. 

 

P-Patch- A letter of support from the FNC was proposed.  Motion and second to contribute $500 to support a grant and application of the P-Patch Trust.  Approved.

 

NEW BUSINESS: Need to review by-laws regarding expenditures of large amounts of money to ensure compliance.

 

In 1999 the Fremont Plan called for re-naming Aurora N. to Troll Way.  Permits are about to issue and cost $310.  Motion and second for the FNC to contribute $300 to support this action.  Approved.

 

It was agreed that a committee of three Board members will be formed to review email received by the FNC, to decide if it should be forwarded to the larger FNC distribution list.  The email will go to all Board members, who will have the opportunity to comment.  The committee will be Vafa Ghazi, April Thanos, and Sheridan Hammond.

 

Meeting adjourned.