NORTHFIELD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING MINUTES
March 1, 2010
The meeting was called to order at 7:02 PM by Will Bown, President. Introductions were made.
TREASURER'S REPORT, Annie Ervin, Treasurer
Beginning Balance: $952.47
Income: +145.00
Memberships $ 10.00
Newsletter ads $135.00
Expenses 0.00
Current Balance $1097.47
AIRPORT BLVD. REVITALIZATION
Sebastian Wren reports to the NNA that Airport Boulevard from approx I 35 to Lamar has been a source of attention to the Neighborhood Plan/Planning Team and concerned residents and business owners as an unsafe, unattractive, not habitable "highway" unconducive to pedestrians, bicyclists and businesses.In addition, Chris Riley, City Councilperson is interested in the area due to the above reasons and the impending light rail, the Mueller redevelopment, problematic Highland Mall and a thoughtful and progressive neighborhood association (that's us !) in it's presence.
A meeting of concerned residents, business owners and Chris Riley was held recently where common vision was shared: pedestrian and bicycle friendly, with green areas, less "highway", a safe, people friendly, business encouraging area. Thus far, Mixed Use and Vertical Mixed Use zoning has not been succesful in achieving these goals. Mr. Riley is interested in exploring "Form Based " zoning codes (which defines the shape and how people interact with a structure does not dictate the actual use ) to remodel and revitalize the area. Interest and support for this vision was strong..ie Twin Liquours bought the old Room Store specifically interested in participating ; the property owner of the strip mall at Airport/Lamar(where Big Lots currently is located) also very interested in remodeling.
It will be recommended that the City of Austin take the lead, commit to investing in the street (curbs, pedestrian accessibility etc) first. The planning for this may take years.
What's the next step, you may ask ? 1) Chris Riley will attend NNA's April 5th meeting. He will tell us about the vision and may ask for our ideas and input. He will gather information that he will take forward in presentations to ...Real Estate developers etc. in the near future.
2) If you have photos of a street, buildings, a vision of a model area that you like and/or if there are areas of Airport Boulevard that your really don't like, please take photos and send them to Sebastian Wren at [at] and he will forward them or send directly to Chris Riley via [at]
3) Sebastian will formulate a flyer to the list serve announcing Chris Riley's visit to the NNA meeting April 1st. People can print these and give them to their neighbors.
4) Come to the April 5th meeting . We hope to have a large turn out.
AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL MEETING:
Scott Johnson sent a copy of the Agenda and information from the Feb. 24, 2010 meeting .Resolutions that were passed : Allocation of remaining GO-Bond funds, Group Boarding Homes. Resolutions pending : Prostitute Diversion Initiative, TXI applications for gravel pits in Eastern Travis County,and Austin Police use of arbitrary and excessive force.
The information was passed around to the meeting attendees tonight. Minutes of the ANC minutes may be found at www.ancweb.org however at this writing the minutes of this particular meeting had not yet been posted.
CITY OF AUSTIN MATCHING PROGRAM
Mary Patrick provides information on the City of Austin "Neighborhood Partner Program" (NPP).This program is an initiative which will help neighborhood groups with a means of "advancing projects of their concern"
Qualifying groups ( neighborhood associations, civic and community service organizations, educational, ethnic, religious organizations) may submit applications (quarterly, must meet "Threshold" requirements) to enter into cost sharing agreements (groups are responsible for 25-40 percent of project. Cost share may include cash, donated goods or services, donated materials, volunteer labor) with the City Public Works Dept. for small (less than/equal to $75,000) to medium (less than/equal to $150,000) sized eligible projects (bicycle facilities, community gardens, community planning, curbs and gutters, gateways, green streets, pocket parks, sidewalks, street furniture, traffic calming, trails, tree/flower planting) .
City will accept project applications beginning with the initial quarter deadline of May 31, 2010. Projects will be evaluated for cost sharing, neighborhood participation, project impact on quality of life, consistency with planned City work, and geographic equity.
The NPP is hosted by the Public Works Department Neighborhood Connectivity Devision. More information: www.cityofaustin.org/publicworks or call 512-974-7065.
Watch for upcoming emails to NNADL/NNDL to gather input the neighbors believe to be important needs and debate the issues. . The May NNA meeting will focus on selecting a project to propose to this program.
DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM at Ridgetop Elementary School
Sebastian Wren reports that Ridgetop Elementary, currently the smallest school in AISD (200 students) is one of only 4 schools that will begin the Dual Language Program. The program will start in K and 1st grades; neighborhood children will get first priority in filling the 20 spaces that are available. Children will grow up speaking both English and Spanish.
Mike Wong, neighbor and Community Advisory Council at Ridgetop member, adds that the 20 slots will fill up fast; at Kindergarten level 90 % of instruction will be in child's native language/10% in Spanish, at 3rd grade level it'll be 50-50%. At higher levels, some classes will be taught in English, others in Spanish. Lamar Middle School and McCallum are preparing for bilingual classes to take the children from the dual language program as they grow up.
Mike also thanks the Planning Team for their donation to the outdoor learning center.
OFFICER NOMINATIONS
Officer elections will occur at the April 5th meeting . Annie Ervin (Treasurer), Lisa Wright (Webmaster), and Cindy Black (Keeper of the Green) have agreed to continue in their current posts. Thank you Annie, Lisa, and Cindy !
Nominations for open officer positions were as follows:
President: Mike Wong
Vice-Pres: Will Bown
Secretary: John Jackson
Newsletter Distribution Chair/s: Mary Patrick and Jan Seward
Newsletter Editor: Open
Sebastian offered that the Newsletter is so very important as it is our only means of communicating with everyone in the neighborhood area.
If anyone else is interested in Newsletter editor or running in a slate for any of the other officer positions, please notify us right away ! Everyone in the neighborhood is invited to participate.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Jackson Boyett announces that Dayspring Chapel will host a garage sale on Fri March 12-Sat March 13th. He suggests that if any other neighbors are also interested in having a garage sale, multiple garage sales in one area draw larger shopping crowds !
The meeting was adjourned at 8:07 PM.The next meeting is Monday April 5, 2010, 7 PM at Dayspring Chapel. Please put this important meeting on your calendar for meeting with City Councilperson Chris Riley and the NNA elections. See you there.
Respectfully submitted,
Jan Seward
Co-secretary
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