CAN Board meeting Monday February 11, 2008 - Oakley Community Center

 

 

The specific purpose of the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods, hereinafter known as “CAN,” shall be:

1. to educate and inform the community about matters that concern Asheville area neighborhoods;

2. to provide a means for Asheville area neighborhood organizations and groups to share information; and,

3. to provide technical assistance to neighborhood groups and individuals that are interested in participating in community affairs Bylaws Article 2 Secion 2

 

1. Introductions

Dues due - $ 50.00 from each member neighborhood, $10.00 from individual members. Make check to CAN and send to Carl Nyberg, P.O. Box 1858, Asheville, NC 28802.

 

President Joe Minicozzi, Brucemont Vice-President Barber Melton, Haw Creek

Secretary Tom Rightmyer, Crowfields Treasurer Carl Nyberg, Kenilworth

Mike Lewis, Grace Benjamin Gillum. Five Points

Reid Thompson, Five Points Marsha Stickford, City of Asheville

Meegan Kelly, MAIN Chris Pelly, Haw Creek

Robert Zieber, Biltmore Park Joe Masters Emerson, Montford

Byron Ballard, West End Clingman Norma Baynes, Shiloh

Judy Williamson, Shiloh Marianna Bailey, View Point

Bill Bailey, View Point James Judd, Chunns Cove

Courtney King, Montford Barron Nichols, Montford

Tadd Cole, Beverly Hills Barb Verni-Lau, Low Income Neighborhood Organizer

 

2. Reports

 

a) Staples Board of Adjustment application - Ben Gillum

Mayor has worked with Staples which has made a proposal to reduce the size of the signs closer to current rules. Five Points neighborhood association two schools of thought, one that signs are not satisfactory, another that the city has little leverage and this is the best we can get. Unless nearby neighbors will testify at Board of Adjustment meeting citizens are likely to be shut out of the process. Suggestion to ask for variance on all non-conforming elements – city has not pursued this suggestion CAN members made some time ago. Mayor to be commended for her efforts, but Staples remains non-compliant.

 

b) Motion to support Five Points neighborhood by preparing an op-ed and an officer of the CAN Board appear at Board of Adjustments to review the history of the Staples project and community reaction to it. Passed unanimously

 

c) Meegan Kelly presented a proposal for CAN to support Mountain Area Information Network in applying for a 17K (12 +5) grant from New Voices to launch a new participatory news venture. Grant application due this week. Motion to sign on with letter of support approved.

 

d) CAN Website - James Judd ashevillecan.org

James reviewed the present web site including the Activist’s Tool Kit.

Note that the web site has been expanded to include links to neighborhood web pages and to make it easier for registered users to add information

 

e) Low Income Neighborhood Organizer CDBGrant application - Barb Varni-Lau

Office at Design Center, 8 College Street next to Tupelo Honey restaurant

Phone (828) 691-5870. CDBG grant has been prepared and submitted

Focus on (1) Leadership Development Workshop, (2) CAN Congress, (3) Fund for neighborhoods to draw on for small projects.

Working with Michigan Avenue area to organize structure

Feb 26 City Council 10K grant – 07 CDBG Neighborhood Housing community organizing grant turned back – motion to reimburse Barb for expenses setting up office (up to $150) approved unanimously.

 

e) Shannon Tuch restart of Merrimon Avenue proposal - Mike Lewis

Meeting of stakeholders to be held after March 11. City council to set a specific objective this time. Limited in number – 7 neighborhood members, similar number of business owners.

 

f) Watershed Policy Committee - Robert Zieber

Public meeting February 20. CAN participation will be needed at Planning and Zoning meeting probably in April when this is presented prior to city council action.

 

g) Affordable Housing Task Force - Barber Melton

Proposal is being floated in committee to allow Level 3 projects without public hearing, also “inclusionary zoning” which requires all projects to include some affordable housing in every project or require developers to pay into housing trust fund. The first will be pushed; the second is less likely to pass.

 

h) Other city developments - Marsha Stickford

Quality Forward provides services for clean streets, street tree replacement, environmental education, special events, etc. to neighborhoods – www.qualityforward.org

A number of conditional zoning projects are making their way through the system.

Joe Minicozzi reviewed the 2006 requests to city manager.

 

i) Courtland Avenue - Joe Minicozzi

Group homes are not conforming to conditions of their zoning. City staff are not offering cooperation. Ordinance on Board of Adjustment rules needs some revision to provide some additional means to resolve this sort of dispute. City council committee will discuss this Wednesday – Haywood Street city development office 5 p.m.

 

j) Downtown Commission Pack Park condo discussion - Joe Minicozzi

Downtown Commission is familiar with Pack Square Conservancy guidelines and discussed the project and the guidelines.

 

k) Steep Slope legislation – Barber Melton

State legislature proposing to limit development on steep slopes in counties from Haywood west. Barber will ask Bill Eaker to make a presentation on this issue at March CAN meeting.

 

l) Newman Proposal for Citizens Commission on Local Elections – Chris Pelly

Chris will convey our general support for this proposal. He is willing to represent us.

 

3. Discussion -

 

a) CAN Planning meeting -

 

b) Place of next meeting - Oakley

 

c) Election of officers - The bylaws provide for election of officers at the April 14 meeting.

Further discussion of the three year rule at March meeting.