MINUTES

FREMONT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETING

Annual General Meeting--April 24, 2006

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

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: Welcome and introduction of Board members. Toastmasters will meet at 7:30 am at the Fremont Baptist Church. SDOT will hold a Community Open House on April 26th from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the Adobe Plaza Building. Information on the Fremont Bridge construction, truck and bus restrictions, and lane closures will be provided.

TREASURER’S REPORT: The FNC has the following funds:

$ 1,880.71 Checking

$ 297.41 Savings

$29,624.26 CD

$27,644.06 MM

Total assets: $59,446.44

$10,000.00 is committed to CHHIP and $92.50 is committed to pay the FNC share for a booth at the Fremont Fair.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

PARKS & OPEN SPACE: Carolyn Law reported on the hand railing for Ernst Park. There is $18,000 in the project for a railing mid-way down the ADA path. They may try to make it multi-use as a railing and a back for the seating area. Public money requires a certain process, but the goal is to use only a small amount for administrative costs. They would like community involvement in the project.

There are not a lot of parks in Fremont. Ernst Park had a major development and now can incorporate art. Peak Park will be a new park in Fremont, and they hope to open this year. Ross Park has a new Shelter house. There is a new P-Patch on Baker and 42nd, which is still in the planning a development process. The ship-canal landscaping is on-going. Some trees along the ship-canal have been downed by animals. (Chip Nevins)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The Fremont affordable housing property is at Albion and 36th and will have 19 units. The project has not received any tax credits thus far this year. CHHIP may get off the waiting list at the end of June, when they learn if other projects did not go forward as originally planned. CHHIP is negotiating with City Light on the property price and the application for tax credits. (April Thanos)

LAKE UNION DISTRICT COUNCIL: Representative Conlin attended the last meeting to discuss water, re-zoning, neighborhoods, and other issues. Viaduct issues were discussed. There has been a $1,000.00 grant to the LUDC to expand the council. (April Thanos)

LAND USE: There is a lot of land use activity in the area even though there are not a lot of big projects right now. The development market continues to thrive with more density in Fremont. The City is starting to re-visit multi-family zones. QFC has a permit and ground breaking is expected in the summer of 2006. The behavior of some real estate agents is very predatory at this time. (Toby Thaler)

COMMUNICATIONS: The FNC sends two to four newsletters per year, with one going to everyone in Fremont and the rest going to a smaller mailing list. (Alan Younker)

PUBLIC SAFETY: There have been several burglary attempts in the area resulting in an appeal for more awareness of public safety issues. There has been an increase in prostitution on Aurora in Fremont. (Sheridan Hammond)

MEMBERSHIP: The FNC currently has 100 members. Membership applications are available for people who would like to join. (Vafa Ghazi)

RESIDENTIAL PARKING ZONE: Some Fremont residents asked for a RPZ, and the City has now approved a RPZ design. Petition of residents has started but has not been completed. Residents need to petition block by block to reach 60% approval in order to institute the RPZ. (Vafa Ghazi)

LIQUOR LICENSING & IMPACTS: Conditions in Fremont remain the same. The recommendation to seek GNAs from business in Fremont serving liquor was adopted as a way to improve conditions. The recommendation to have security patrols during high use times has not been instituted. A nightlife task force was created by the City and the FNC President participates to learn about possible solutions to liquor issues impacting neighborhoods. The task force was created in order to have a centralized location to deal with the issues. (Vafa Ghazi)

NEW BUSINESS:

Heather McAuliffe reported on the Fremont Historical Society, which was started in 2004. Their goal is to stop the character of Fremont from disappearing. They have formed a partnership with the Fremont Library, and will present a display of buildings in Fremont that are at least 50 years old during May. In June the FHS will share a booth with the FNC at the Fremont Fair. The book on Fremont history will be available at the Fair.

OLD BUSINESS:

Jessica Randall presented information on Space in Fremont, which is a new public plaza at N. 36th and Evanston. The permit is almost complete. The building at that location will be complete in August or September, and construction of the Space in Fremont will begin at that time.

Matt Stevenson, CommEnSpace, discussed a proposal to provide maps of Fremont to the FNC. The proposal includes three maps—two large and one smaller version with some PDF versions. FNC would own the copyright to the maps, and could sell them or partner with others on the maps. The maps cost $943 from CommEnSpace or $500 if Matt provides them as a side job. As a side job the delivery could be expected in approximately three months. Pete Hanning and Matt Stevenson will approach the Fremont Chamber of Commerce to see if they have an interest in purchasing the maps together with the FNC.

ELECTIONS: Melissa Moffett will not continue as a Board Member next year. Eric Pihl will join the Board. Motion and Second to elect the Board. Approved. Vafa Ghazi will serve as President, Toby Thaler and George Heideman will serve s Vice-President and Vice President Emeritus, the Secretary’s position is open, and April Thanos will serve as Treasurer.

MINUTES: The February 2006 minutes were approved as corrected. The March 2006 minutes were approved as presented.