Regent
Neighborhood Association (RNA) Board Meeting
January 24th, 2007, 7 PM
Meeting Notes
Present: Kevin Corrado, David Gundersen, Troy Rost, Troy Thiel, Mary
Niedermeier, Ron Rosner, Patty Wood, George Hall, Robbie Webber, David Worzala,
Nancy Webster, Joel Robbin.
Minutes will be reviewed at the next meeting.
Kevin discussed the public comment and guest policy allowing for guests to address priority topics. Kevin also discussed that there was a West Side Planning Council meeting scheduled for February 1st. There was no consensus on the need and/or role of a council. There is a meeting on January 25th meeting being sponsored by the Capitol Neighborhoods group to discuss alcohol issues. The newsletter should be out by mid-February.
Robbie Webber discussed the Safe Routes to School Program. She went to police inservices and emphasized the need to have better communication with neighborhoods. Community policing team is meant to address issues in neighborhoods and weÕll need to make sure they have a process for checking in. Robbie shared that the traffic enforcement team is on duty only in the morning. Chief Noble Wray directed officers to do traffic enforcement in the afternoon also. Field House Station is no longer on the Planning Commission agenda. Robbie is discussing with the UW Hospital their plans for signage for getting people to the hospital.
Action Item: We will request presentations to the RNA Board by the Community Policing Team at the open house.
David Worzala discussed the youth homes and the need for greater oversight of kids in the homes. David will be at the RNA meetings in the future. The Huber Center plans are being reviewed with the potential for day check ins and electronic monitoring. David was concerned about not having mental health and AODA counseling for clients.
Steve Puntillo, owner of Paragon Video and Stereo is concerned about traffic calming/islands. He is concerned about the islands at Spooner/Rawley and on Spooner. HeÕs concerned about city and service vehicles that can no longer navigate the turns because of the inappropriate placement. He was also unable to find neighbors who voted on the islands. Robbie shared that there was a consistent process used in making the decisions. The situation has been reviewed and the process was applied appropriately.
Action Item: Robbie will facilitate a meeting between Steve and Dan McCormick of the CityÕs Traffic Engineering.
Erica Fox Gehrig from the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation discussed their walking tour schedule and that theyÕll be sponsoring a tour of University Heights. The tour will focus specifically discuss the architecture and history of the University Heights area. The tours will be the fourth Saturday of every month May through September, 10 AM to 11 AM. On March 6th theyÕre also giving free tax consultation for potential historic preservation of properties.
Action Item: The RNA will send out notices of the tours and Patty Wood will act at the liaison with the Board
· Public
Safety Update
Captain James Wheeler of the South District of the Police Department ran the incident reports for the RNA. There were over 2,000 calls for the neighborhood, but almost 1,000 were for parking violations. These numbers represent all the calls for which an officer was dispatched. A few of the numbers include 3 sexual assaults, 1 attempted abduction, 32 burglaries, 7 stolen cars, 14 drug arrests, 57 disturbances, 134 noise complaints, 32 theft from autos, and 113 information reports. The abduction on Highland is currently being investigated, and they have a person of interest. Their was no information on the Harvey Street assault. There is a new community policing team, with 5 officers and one captain. They are working on a mission statement and clarifying their role. There will be an open house with the community policing team and they want to invite representatives of the neighborhood association. Captain Wheeler also reiterated the need to call if thereÕs an issue or crime concern.
Action Item: Captain Wheeler will send an updated list of contacts for the South Division for problems around West High School
· Candidate
Forum, March 28th,
2007 Board Meeting
Both candidates confirmed that theyÕll be there for the forum.
Action Items: The Executive Committee will discuss the format for the forum and report back in February.
· Spring
Meeting, May 23rd,
2007
The announcement will be sent out in the newsletter.
· Process Issues: Nominations, Newsletter Process, Directory On-line, Listserv Protocols, Guest First Rule, Froth House Meetings
· Development
Updates: Mullins (Old
University/Highland), Brown (Old University/Princeton Street), and Sieger
(Monroe/Regent)
Brian Mullins was in attendance and shared that they had good attendance and feedback at their community meeting. They will be presenting a design for the site in the coming months. There will be another community meeting and the MullinsÕ will be sending out a notice.
Patrick McGowan, John Barton from Brown House gave an update on the new design based on the input from neighbors. The 4-story building will be a mix of stone, siding, and brick. The property will also be set back from the University Ave property line by at least 5 feet, and then and additional 13 feet for the bays of the building. They will be meeting with the Òdesign assistanceÓ team with the city. There will be 65 units with a level and a half of parking. They are hoping to submit plans on February 7th. There are several steps in city review and they will then present to the community after those reviews. The question of Ògreen roofingÓ was raised to address storm water run-off and energy efficiency. The architects will explore the potential.
· Neighborhood
Planning Process: Appreciation
Event, Fundraising Options, Timeline/Upcoming Meetings
George Hall and Greg Miller have decided on the charette members, with sound business, development, university, and RNA members, including Troy Rost and Ron Rosner from the Board. The first meeting with PDI will be on February 3rd at 1 PM. They will agree to the names and the timelines for the planning process and try to get that into the newsletter. There was also interest in having an appreciation meeting for the people who have been involved to date and mark the transition to the hired consultant. Kevin is working on arrangements for an event.
· By-Laws
Revision
Due to a lack of time, these items will be taken up at the next meeting.
· UW
Relations
Nancy gave an update on the UW Relations committee. The following items were addressed:
· The committee plans to distribute a letter in the next few weeks to all of the residents responding to our Survey in the Spooner to Breese, University Ave. - Regent St. area. . The letter will express appreciation for their response, summarize the results of the Survey and state that our committee is in ongoing explorations of ways to respond to their concerns.
· The committee is also in the process of exploring positive alternatives for engaging with other stakeholders in our area noted above i.e. Landlords, Management companies. The Committee received Tim Wadlington's Housing Committee data maps of RNA. They are useful as part of our deliberations.
· The committeeÕs next meeting is Feb. 20 for continuing the above topics.
· Green
Space
The Ash Street entrance is being redesigned with a single stairwell and a performance area. A draft was shared. Steve Arnold had a meeting about the lakes and weÕre unsure about the attendance although he had several respondents in attendance.
· Joint
West
There is discussion about the signage for the UW Hospitals as it relates to the walking plan. There is also discussion about surveying UW staff about how to promote UW residential housing in the RNA area. The Ash bore is at the border and the UW will be testing for presence in Madison.
Meeting adjourned at 9:09 PM
Respectfully submitted
David Gundersen, January 24th, 2007