Board elections (conducted by Jim Martin)
Nominations
President – Dana Meier
Vice President – Ryan King
Treasurer – Tracy Anderson
Secretary – Cecilia King
Any other nominations for positions on the board?
No
Vote on the full slate of nominations
Unanimous Yes
No votes: 0
Abstaining: 0
Events Updates
Firepit Friday
Chris and Robin’s house, Friday, November 15
Located next to the Writer’s Place, on Pennsylvania.
Next scheduled event – holiday party
Sunday, December 8th
Will start at 5 pm this year (started at 6 in previous years)
Mike Jones’s house – 620 Valentine Rd. (corner of Valentine and Jefferson)
Holiday luminaries event
Drew and Bonyen’s house – 3644 Pennsylvania
Tuesday, December 24
Put together luminaries 12-2pm, return at dusk to put luminaries out and light them.
Development updates – Chris Jordan
MGE project – 3410 Broadway
City has been notified about code violations closer to Pennsylvania (construction debris should not be dumped in back lot). They have been cited numerous times.
Chris has spoken with the developer – estimating that they will have occupancy permit for Phase 1 (conversion of current building to apartments) by June 2020.
Phase 2 (2-story building along Broadway) – pushing that back in order to start on Phase 3 earlier (apartments along Washington, between 34th and 35th). No current estimate for when Phase 3 will be begun.
Dennis Bradley – architect for the car wash development on 39th St.
Project plan approved by the city in 2017, but the architect had not heard from the developers for about a year.
Most recent update – developers have requested that the architect pass plans on to someone else (but we do not know to whom). The city approval for the project is specific to the property (if a different developer took over the project, the approval stands, as long as they do not change more than 10% of the plan).
734 and 736 Valentine (corner of Valentine and Southwest Trafficway)
Cited for numerous code violations (disrepair, peeling paint) – 30-day Chapter 6 notice sent
Permits for Spire and for a construction company (to remove debris) were pulled on October 1, 2019. Not clear what the plan is for this.
501 Knickerbocker buildings – no code violations.
Question: Any information on demolition activity at Uptown Shops?
No current changes to the development plan, as far as we know.
Plan for the boutique hotel may be initiated sooner than initially planned.
If anybody is noticing worse than usual parking conditions on their streets on concert nights, we can bring this to the attention of the Uptown Theater. (Nobody in attendance has noticed changes in parking availability/conditions.)
Activity on 39th Terrace – some issues with abandoned vehicles and strangers on porches.
Holly and Andy have been contacted – no substantive response as of yet.
Comment – some anecdotal evidence of cars being rifled through if left unlocked.
Request for input – general neighborhood meetings
- In the past, VNA has held quarterly neighborhood meetings and monthly board meetings, as stipulated by the bylaws.
- Other neighborhoods in the area have monthly meetings. Any interest in changing our practice?
- Mary Jo – monthly meetings can bring people together, be an opportunity to invite more speakers.
- Patti – seconds the idea of meeting more frequently. When people miss meetings, they may not touch base with neighbors in this kind of setting for 6 months.
- Comment – slower months in the winter may pose a challenge.
- Patti – would it be possible to hold meetings in a more social space, such as a restaurant with a private room? The VNA could provide appetizers and arrange to have a cash bar. How would this work, in terms of VNA providing funds?
- Chris – we have previously provided pizza and soda/beer at meetings at the Writers’ Place, so there is precedent for this.
- Mary Jo – it would be important to use this as an opportunity, also, to make new residents feel welcome (and residents who have not previously attended events/meetings).
- Patti – Patti and Barb are taking over as Events co-chairs and are considering other events possibilities, such as standing gatherings at local establishments, a second book club, neighborhood networking, etc.
- Dana – general views from the group seem to be in favor of more frequent meetings. The VNA Board can look into updating VNA bylaws, potentially.
Historical survey – Mary Jo
Many neighborhoods in the area have a historic designation. Valentine does not.
That is not necessarily an end goal for the historical survey here, but this group would like to present historical survey information to neighbors, then people can decide how to proceed.