MINUTES

FREMONT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETING

December 20, 2004

 

 

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:  Benjamin Grossman,  Alan Younker, Norma Jones, Jenny Eichwald, Dic Selin, Toby Thaler, Pete Hanning, April Thanos, and Matt Stevenson.

 

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Board member introductions.  The Board will consider not having a meeting in December 2005 due to scheduling conflicts.  Antoinette Meier reported that the 2004 Neighborhood Plan Progress Report is available, and provided copies.  Design guidelines reflecting compromise between Wallingford and Fremont are being circulated and reviewed. 

 

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

 

               $   1,706.48         Checking

               $     216.24           Savings

              

               $29,624.26          CD1

               $26,622.21          MM

              

Total assets:        $58,169.19

 

MINUTES:  The November 2004 minutes were approved as submitted.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING:  April Thanos reported that there will be a meeting for the community on January 20th, after dissemination of information to the immediate neighborhood.  Location for the meeting has not been determined, but will be provided to the Board via email. 

 

BICYCLE ISSUES:  Matt Stevenson reported that the Northwest team from the Seattle Bike Collaborative will submit recommendations to the City Council on January 15, 2005, with prior review encouraged.  Specific items in the recommendations are being replaced with broader bicycle issues.  A public relations firm will be used to get the message out.  Ideas for items to consider for inclusion should be forwarded to Matt.

 

               LIQUOR RELATED ISSUES:  It was reported that the Ballroom has signed a Good Neighbor Agreement with the City.

 

OLD BUSINESS: 

 

Traffic Calming-  The Chamber of Commerce contribution to the traffic calming on N. 36th looks more positive, and residents hope the project will go forward to install the proposed traffic calming.

 

SDOT Meeting- SDOT reported at the meeting that all projects in the area are on track, and that the $10,000 for traffic calming will be available.  There was no discussion about bicycle routes in the area.  The Chamber of Commerce concern about parking in the area was mentioned, but there was no general discussion.  SDOT regards this issue as outside the scope of the project. 

 

Transfer Station- Toby Thaler reported that the Solid Waste Master Plan for the North End has waste going to the transfer station in South Wallingford, which is adjacent to the Fremont Urban Village.  This could be an inappropriate use of land.  SPU is trying to re-configure three facilities in the city, and wants to rebuild a transfer station in the current location.  Problems include land use, traffic, and smell.  Right now there is no alternative to the Wallingford location, which could trigger an appeal at a later date.  Toby is injecting requests for a process change in the current proceedings.  The Port has stated that they do not want a transfer station on Port property.  An EIS process on alternate properties is required.  It was suggested that the FNC invite someone from the Port to the next FNC meeting, to present their position.

 

NEW BUSINESS:  Scope Arts Collective- Brent McCrossen (cosmicvibe@hotmail.com, 713-7049) reported that Scope Arts Collective will be holding an event on February 5th in the Chocolate Factory, formerly the Red Hook Brewery.  The event will be held in collaboration with other businesses, including Suite G and Nectar.  The event will be a carnival/masquerade ball to raise money for non-profits and arts organizations.  They expect about 1000 people, but have not had any security problems in the past.  Suite G and Nectar told McCrossen that there are police in the area on a regular basis, and they are hoping to increase the police presence during the event.  They are willing to pay for more police, and are looking at having private security on the premises.  There is also private security at Suite G and Nectar.  They have several partners for the PR and the FAC is involved.  They will have brass bands, floats, etc.  They will sell beer and wine, but no hard liquor, and there will be no liquor sold after midnight.  Some people are against bringing Mardi Gras activities to Fremont.

 

A-1 Motel- Alan Younker reported that there are many neighbors of the A-1 Motel who are concerned about safety and crime at the A-1 and Thunderbird motels.  The neighbors want the FNC to use its influence to abate the problems with the City and the City Attorney.  They would like to see Good Neighbor Agreements between these businesses and the City.  The problems include violence, crime, prostitution, and others.  On 9/27/04 there was a shooting behind the A-1. Two other events precipitated a neighborhood meeting: 1) a stolen and crashed car; and 2) a car break-in.  The police gave notice that the neighbors need to make noise to get action.  Problems have greatly increased in the last six months, with the police there almost daily.  Dee Dee Footer of FAWN noted that they do walks in the neighborhood and would like more participation.  The neighbors would like to see the following: Good Neighbor Agreements, including a meeting with Ed McKenna; abatement, to include lifting of licenses; conversion of the motel to apartments.  The neighbors are asking for the FNC to put pressure on the City Counsel and City Attorney to make changes.

 

Alan Younker and Jenny Eichwald will work with the neighbors on a draft letter for FNC consideration at the next Board meeting.  A. Meier will work with the neighbors to make some contacts with the City.  Pete Hanning will bring the issue up at the North Precinct meeting in January.  The letter being drafted can ask for a Good Neighbor Agreement, object to a business license, ask the city to look at abatement, and discuss health code violations.  Neighbors should work with Nick Licata, and everyone should write letters to the City.

 

FNC Email List- The FNC has been forwarding a lot of email from others to the total email list, which gives the appearance that the email is coming from the FNC.  The question of whether we should be forwarding email and the criteria for forwarding email was discussed.  There was a consensus that the FNC should not be forwarding email to the general membership list, but that it is okay to send it to the Board.  Benjamin Grossman will communicate this position to Vafa Ghazi.

 

Meeting adjourned.