MINUTES

FREMONT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETING

May 24, 2004

 

 

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

 

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:  (1) The Fremont library will be closed for several months for remodeling.  Books can be retuned for one more week.  (2)  The Fremont Chamber of Commerce is looking for signatures and publication of their Great Neighbor Agreement.    

 

TREASURER’S REPORT:  No report. 

 

MINUTES:  The March and April 2004 minutes were approved as corrected.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING:  The FNC is paying CHIPP $5200 on May 24th for expenses.  The City Council approved the acquisition of the site and the process is moving forward.  CHIPP plans to build a 19 unit building at 3622 Albion Place N.  April Thanos reported that notification will be sent to residents within 300 feet of the site regarding the plan to build affordable housing.  The committee wants to send a letter from CHIPP and the FNC to the Affordable Housing Committee.  A draft letter was reviewed.  There were no objections to sending the letter. 

 

PARKS & OPEN SPACE:  Chip Nevins reported that the park next to the library is going forward.  Residents should look at the work done to this point.  The Ross Park Shelter House is a project for next year.  They will have an open house on June 8th.    

 

BICYCLE ISSUES:  Matt Stevenson attended an open house at B.B. Day on May 12th.  There were no displays regarding bicycle routes.  There was a discussion regarding the replacement of the bridge centering on cars, bicycles, and pedestrians.  At this point they are not doing enough regarding bicycle and pedestrian use of the bridge.  Matt volunteered to write a letter including statistics he has gathered.  Leary Way changes are currently in progress.  The changes include the use of Fred Meyer money.

 

OLD BUSINESS:    

 

Annual Meeting- No comment. 

 

Liquor Licenses in Fremont- Motion and second for the FNC to form a Liquor sub-committee.  Vafa Ghazi and Pete Hanning were nominated to co-chair the committee.  Approved. 

 

Danielle Philippa, from Bandoleone and Tango, reported that the building they currently occupy on Eastlake is being torn down and they are moving to Fremont.  They will be located next to Torrefazione where Sergio’s is currently located, and have a capacity of 75.  They are a dining establishment with a liquor license.  They support the neighborhood and have talked to the City, LCB, and the FNC about their move to Fremont.  They are willing to sign a Good Neighbor Agreement with provisions that apply to them.

 

Candace Barroga, Chamber of Commerce, said they have not heard from the Bar Committee and must push forward.  The C of C is meeting on May 27th.  Candace suggested that the FNC wait to send a letter to the C of C about funding of patrols in Fremont as soon as possible.  Motion and second to send a letter to the C of C now regarding funding and implementing patrols in Fremont.  Adopted.  Benjamin Grossman will prepare the letter. 

 

Other issues mentioned were arts licenses, like Empty Space, and business that adopt a new name and start again.  The Brower application was approved.

 

Traffic Calming- A letter from the Chamber of Commerce with a pledge of $10,000 for traffic calming comes with conditions for the FNC.  The conditions need to be considered before the money will be forthcoming from the C of C.  There is a meeting on May 25th with the Fremont Arts Council and SDOT.  The FAC has raised concerns about a traffic circle at the Troll.  The lights at the Lenin statue and N. 36th and Fremont are creating increased traffic on N. 36th east of Fremont.  The neighbors in the area are open to alternatives other than a traffic circle, but they do think that having three blocks without traffic calming means inadequate mitigation.  The FAC is concerned about the Trollween event they sponsor at the Troll.

 

NEW BUSINESS:  Genevieve Vayda presented information on the Lake Union Watershed.  The South Wallingford Amendment is designed to preserve buildings and views in a Watershed Aquatic Education Center.  They want it to be a centerpiece of open space for South Wallingford.  The property is currently owned by King County Metro and is under utilized.  There is a developer in place who wants to develop the upper building, which is located in Larry Phillips district.  Motion and second that the FNC urges the City Council to adopt the South Wallingford Plan in conjunction with the Wallingford Neighborhood Plan and appropriate Open Space Policy 9.1.  The FNC urges the County not to sell the property in way that would result in a change from public to private ownership.  Adopted.  Toby Thaler will send a letter based on the motion.  Genevieve Vayda can be reached at gv@southwallingford.org

 

Linda Hall, the Volunteer Coordinator for the Fremont Public Association said that they are looking for assistance from 350 volunteers to work at the Fremont Fair.  A sign-up sheet for volunteers was circulated.  Volunteers will be contacted regarding shifts and duties.  Information on the Fair can be found at fremontfair.org.

 

The following calendar of meetings for the FNC was adopted:

 

               June 28th

               July 26th

               August-Motion and second not to meet.  Approved.

               September 27th

               October 25th

               November 22nd

               December 20th

               January 24th

 

Miscellaneous:  (1) We have four sources of money in our ‘Rainy Day Fund’ and need to consider how we might spend the money.  (2)  Jack Tompkinson is working to acquire a lot on Baker NW that will become part of the P-Patch system.  (3)  Welcome Matt Stevenson.

 

Meeting adjourned.