MINUTES

FREMONT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETING

June 28, 2004

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Pete Hanning, Julia DeBroux, Alan Younker, Norma Jones, April Thanos, Vafa Ghazi, Toby Thaler, Jenny Eichwald, Matt Stevenson, Chip Nevins.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: Jenny Eichwald no longer has access to email. Vafa Ghazi reported that the email server, Seattle Community Network, which hosts the FNC site, is free, but an annual donation of $120 is requested from users. Motion and second for the FNC to pay $120 to SCN. Approved. The FNC box for receipt of mail was renewed to take advantage of a discount price that includes three months of service free. Motion and second to approve the $120 expenditure to renew the box. Pete Hanning announced that he would like to purchase a house in Fremont.

TREASURER’S REPORT: No verbal report. April Thanos provided the following information for inclusion in the minutes:

$ 505.57 Checking

$ 215.83 Savings

$29,332.35 CD1

$15,440.20 MM

$31,098.87 MM

$ 3,532.42 MM

Total assets: $80,125.24

MINUTES: The May 2004 minutes were approved as corrected.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Sue Cary reported that CHHIP now has an executed purchase and sale agreement for the affordable housing property. They are on schedule for Design Review on July 12^th at University Heights, 5031 University Way NE, at 8:00 pm. This is an early advisory meeting, and a notice will be sent to Board members via email. Community notification was sent on May 24, 2004. The Housing Committee will meet prior to the Design Review meeting on July 8^th at 7:00 pm at April Thanos house, 418 N. Bowdoin. There will be a minimum of two design review meetings. The funding application will be submitted in early September. CHHIP wants to stay within the zoning requirements, but will seek waivers on the number of one and two bedroom units and total lot coverage. They will also seek a waiver from having commercial use in one of the units. At this time they anticipate 19 units, with two being live/work spaces. There will be 16 parking spaces for 19 units. The Sustainability Check List will be used, and resource sustainability will be a goal. Cost limits are a factor with some materials. A possible timeline would include approvals in September and December 2004, permits in 2005, and building in 2006. The purchase price for the property was $343,000.

GUERILLA GARDENING: There will be a fall Guerilla Gardening event planned, but no date has been selected.

MEMBERSHIP: The FNC has eighty members so far this year. The FNC had 100 members last year.

COMMUNICATIONS: The next newsletter will be sent out in September. Articles for the newsletter should be sent to Alan Younker.

OPEN SPACE: Chip Nevins reported that most walls have now been poured at Ernst Park. Rodman Miller is a contributing artist. The FNC feels that a public process and plan for completion of the park is needed.

PUBLIC SAFETY: Pete Hanning reported that Steve Louie is leaving Fremont to take a position on Beacon Hill. Pete also reported that the City is looking at re-doing the transfer station to make the facility larger. Use of the Interbay site was suggested. It was suggested that Benjamin invite City representatives responsible for the transfer site decision to the July FNC meeting to explain and discuss their plans.

LIQUOR LICENSES: A letter was sent to Candace Barroga regarding off-duty police. The Chamber of Commerce responded that nothing has happened since April. There will be a meeting of bar owners on June 30^th. Pete Hanning reported that he has asked some of the reluctant bar owners about participation on the Chamber of Commerce Board.

OLD BUSINESS:

Bicycle Board and Bridge Approach-Matt Stevenson reported that the bridge approach plans are about 60% complete. Matt has drafted a letter that he will send to the City Council Transportation committee, Cascade Bicycle Club, Fremont Chamber of Commerce, and the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board. The City has been made aware of the fact that people are not happy with the current design and want changes. Matt and Marco, the President of the CofC, will attend the July 22^nd meeting on this issue. Matt has applied for a position of the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board, but noted that the Board is looking for greater diversity, which could impede his application. Matt reported that the City said that they had never heard about a bike lane on Fremont, and he will follow-up with a letter.

RPZ- Julia DeBroux reported that there will be a meeting at the Fremont Baptist Church at 7:00 pm on July 15^th to initiate the process, but it is not a design review meeting. The meeting is to provide information, and is open to the public. Julia Erickson at SDOT is running the meeting. They want to know what areas qualify for day and evening RPZ designation.

Traffic Calming-Julia DeBroux reported that there was a meeting with the FAC regarding the yellow pole in the center of the traffic calming circles, which the FAC opposes. The solution may be small center islands and curb bulbs. The island at the Troll would be more like a circular speed bump. Grants for the traffic calming have been received, and will be official in August when the Mayor signs-off on the grants. Money is required by October 4^th. Julia will talk to the Chamber of Commerce about their conditions for providing $10,000 for traffic calming, and will update the Board via email.

NEW BUSINESS: Pete Hanning suggested that the FNC add a new committee on diversity. Toby Thaler reported that Suzi Burke has acquired the previous dog food plant property between 34^th and 35^th along the canal. The property is zoned light industrial with a 60 foot height limit, and developers have already looked at the property. Toby Thaler agreed to draft a letter from the FNC, for Benjamin Grossman’s signature, regarding FNC concerns about development of the property. The letter will include a request for a meeting.

Meeting adjourned.