Carrollton-Riverbend Neighborhood Association (CRNA)

CRNA Monthly Meeting – Minutes

June 11, 2009 

Attending—Board:  Marilyn Barbera, Kevin Brown, Julianna Padgett, Gary Smith, and Jerry Speir

Absent Board Members:  Pax Bobrow,  Betty DiMarco, Rudolf Garrison, Tilman Hardy, Gordon Cagnolatti, Marshall Hevron, Todd Leavitt, Judith Miranti, Amanda Smithson, Llewelyn Soniat,  Jim Stratton, and Betsy Weymann                 

Residents/Guests:  Lyn Adams, Marilyn Kearney, Elaine Leyda, Mary Martin, Phil Martin, Cindy Morse, and Anne Nicolay 

Marilyn Kearney, Director of the Oak Street Main Street project, reported on the status of the Oak Street renovation and answered questions from the group about the street’s future.  The renovation work has been temporarily halted by the Corps of Engineers because of the high level of the river.  Work is expected to re-start within the next week. 

Questions about the street’s future included:  Will the street be one-way?  Will there be meters?  What about the traffic problems in front of Jacque-imo’s and the Maple Leaf in the evenings?  How might we recruit “good businesses” to the many vacancies on the street?  Would it be reasonable to make part of the street a “pedestrial mall” in the evenings?  How can we encourage more residential occupancy in the upstairs spaces on the street?  What about a streetcar spur down Oak Street? 

Clearly, the renovation of the street has focused our concerns on the street in new ways and there is an opportunity for new neighborhood cooperation on issues surrounding the street. In the course of the discussion, it was decided that it would be appropriate to hold a separate meeting, with representation from both CRNA and the Oak Street Association to consider all issues pertaining to the street. 

Marilyn Kearney agreed to help organize the first meeting of such a group.  Of those present at the meeting, Ann Nicolay, Phil Martin, Cindy Morse, Marilyn Barbera, Gary Smith and Bob Bermudez volunteered to take part.  The meeting will be open to anyone who is interested.

Elaine Leyda spoke about efforts that she is organizing to clean-up (and save) the Nix Library.  Nix is scheduled for closure under the Library’s Master Plan.  Saturday morning at 8:30 there will be a clean-up at Nix.  Volunteers are encouraged to bring perhaps buckets and scrub brushes for cleaning on the building itself and trashbags, rakes and brooms for cleaning the grounds and sidewalks.  A later phase will involve some landscaping and tree planting. Efforts are also under way to try to get the library open on Saturday—and ultimately to get it back into the Library’s long-range vision for our neighborhood.  Elaine can be contacted at littlenixlibrary@gmail.com

Marilyn Barbera reported on the Capacity College, organized by the Neighborhood Partnership Network,  that several CRNA members attended since our last meeting .  The group chose to work on urban gardening and is working toward refining a project.  Elaine Leyda also reported that one of the lessons from the Capacity College was the need for surveying our organization’s membership—for doing a “needs assessment”—to help define our own future.  Some preliminary discussion of such a survey has begun.  Anyone with experience and/or interest in such a project should please contact Jerry Speir at jerryspeir@hotmail.com

Jim Stratton was complemented for organizing our association’s participation in the Preservation Resource Center’s Neighborhood Sellabration event, which featured available properties in our neighborhood for prospective buyers.  Thank you, Jim

Jerry Speir gave a brief update on the neighborhood land-use planning process that has been led by the Carrollton-Audubon Renaissance, Inc. (CARI) group.  The latest version of the land-use map and a report on its development should be on the organization’s website soon http://www.carrollton-audubon.org/

Gary Smith reported on the code enforcement hearing re: the house at Dante and Zimpel.  The owner was fined $500 plus $75 in court costs and given 30 days to clean up the property and secure it.  Failing that, the fines will be $500 a day to a maximum of $15,000.  Thanks to all who attended that hearing.

Filed under: meetings, minutes, Oak Street | Leave a comment »