Board meeting minutes, Feb 3, 2021
Post date: Mar 05, 2021 12:26:0 AM
Attendance
Guests: Jill Schinn, Lois Eckman, Stuart Eckman
Meeting called to order at 6:30 pm by the Chair, Sharon Gustafson via Zoom web conference platform
Approval of last meetings minutes:
Motion: D. Rudawitz second: K. Wiens
Vote: approved without changes, 10-0
Presentations
· None
Subcommittee Reports
· Tree Subcommittee – Sharon Gustafson
o City permit application to remove 6 trees for the Gateway Sculpture. They indicated they will plant 6 native trees and native plants as mitigation.
· Treasurers Report- Dennis O’Neill
o $275.11 (no change)
· Emergency Preparedness – David Rudawitz and Jeff Wiens
o Spending has begun for items on the NEP grant.
o Radio communications group contacted regarding options during an emergency.
o Asst. LOFD fire Marshal D. Smith has put together a video on prepping a 72 hour emergency pack. City is studying how to get that out to citizens.
· Land Use- Carole Ockert
o Clarification of the City appeals process.
§ Forest Highlands NA was denied the ability to appeal a land use issue that included tree issues for a new development based on the documentation they submitted to verify their board support for filing the appeal. This has implications on the protocol that all neighborhood associations will be held to going forward. a.
§ As chair of the new Neighborhood Chairs Committee (NCC) Carole spoke with the City planning director and senior planner about clarifying the process.
§ Current code says 1. Whatever is in the na bylaws, or 2. Vote of na board or 3. General membership vote
§ Complete resolution is in on-going discussion.
Updates
· Water Tower Park. S. Gustafson:
o Contacted City regarding their plans for the space on 10th and C Street.
o City has a landscape plan that includes planting trees where the water tower now stands.
o No timeline on when the tower will be decommissioned and removed.
· 4th Street demo of historic home. S. Gustafson:
o HRAB (City historical commission) has photo documented home’s interior that built in the late 1800’s and is being demolished.
· Oswego Lake Watershed Council. S. Gustafson and K. Wiens:
o OLWC is setting up Urban Forestry committees within the Neighborhood Associations and looking for participants. [1]
· HB 2001 survey on neighborhood character. S. Gustafson and C. Ockert:
o Sharon participated on behalf of FAN and Carole on behalf of Forest Hills.
o Their emphasis was on the practical issues, front porches, trees, walkability, traffic, drainage problems, parking
· City Council goal setting for 2021. C. Ockert:
o Roughly 1/3 of the submitted goal suggestions by the citizenry want gas powered yard equipment banned. City has now entered into contracts for its own landscapers that will require electric equipment only.
o Also there was a discussion about fireworks protocols in the City due to fire dangers.
o Can cover more items at future FANFH board mtg
Pre-Apps
· C. Ockert updated on three pre-apps:
o D Ave project condos.
§ Project is on both EC (south part) and R0 (north part) lots so the design is split up to meet code requirements for those areas.
§ Developers have gone to a gable roof design on the EC section with overall height of 60 feet. The R0 section is limited to 35 ft height.
§ EC section will be 4 story plus parking underneath.
§ Public meeting on Feb 24th from 6-8 pm.
o 515 5th Street project.
§ Proposal for essentially the same structure that was originally submitted as multi-family “co-housing” has been proposed now as a six bedroom plus 3rd floor obvious additional bedroom. 7,500 SF single family residence plus potential of full basement (bringing total square footage up more than 7,500 SF.
§ Only one parking space is required by code for a single family home.
§ Council voted down a new “co-housing” code 7-0 in December.
§ This is clearly an end run around the Council decision.
§ They are looking at removing two large firs – staff told them to get an arborist report
§ Motion made allowing Carole Ockert to file an appeal of the project as generally represented at the pre-App on behalf the FAN-FH Neighborhood Association, including tree portion, should it be submitted to the city.
· Motion made by: Dennis O’Neill 2nd by: Kathleen Wiens
· Vote: Approved by 10-0 board vote, and 3-0 by the guests in attendance.
o Sunningdale lot split.
§ Developer wants to split lot to include a flag lot.
§ Public meeting will be held 2/9 7:00pm.
New Business
· Annual Meeting. S. Gustafson:
o Proposed April 22nd for FAN-FH NA annual meeting.
o This will be a Zoom meeting using a webinar platform
§ Board members will be visible and able to speak.
§ Guests will not be visible and able to communicate using the Chat box that Secretary will pass along to the board.
o City needs 4 weeks to send out the invitation notice.
o We want 2 weeks after reception so people can schedule it in.
o Plan will be to submit invitation for printing by March 8th.
o Agenda will be:
§ Current board member introductions and focus on why they are on the board.
§ Nominations and vote for officers and board members.
§ History of the First Addition Neighborhood Association (established in 1975) by D. O’Neill and J. Bolland.
§ Achievements of the FAN-FH NA for 2020
o Meeting team will be S. Gustafson, K. Wiens, C. Ockert and K. Ockert
o Motion to approve the date made by David Rudawitz, seconded by Dennis O’Neill. Motion approved 10-0.
· Letter to the LOFD regarding fire plan for Tryon Creek State Park. D Neill:
o Concern over the potential for a devastating fire coming out of Tryon Creek State Park.
o Discussion on the topic from several board members led by Jeff Wiens (retired fire battalion captain) and David Rudawitz (civil air patrol incident commander) ensued.
o Consensus drawn that LOFD Chief Johnson covered in last board meeting that the LOFD is part of a County and State mutual aid network that responds to these incidents and the proposed letter was not necessary.
o D. O’Neill withdrew the letter.
Meeting adjourned at 9:05 pm.
Respectively Submitted,
Karl Ockert
Co-secretary
Fan-Forest Hills Neighborhood Association