Slabtown Minutes – Nov. 1, 2010

Slabtown Plan Committee
Meeting Minutes
November 1, 2010
5:00 to 6:30 pm
Northrup Building, 2282 NW Northrup Ave.

Committee Members Attending: Ron Walters (co-chair), Don Genasci (co-chair), Greg Aldrich, Craig Boretz (Con-way), Mary Czarnecki, Steve Pinger, Bill Welch

Committee Members Not Attending: Peggy Anderson, John Bradley, Brian Bramlett, Wayne Clark (Legacy/Good Sam), Patricia Gardner, Dan O’Brien, Dan Volkmer

Guests Attending: John Cole, BPS

No Motions.

No Votes.

The meeting was called to order at 5:10 pm without a quorum. Late arriving members achieved a quorum.

The group reviewed a near-final draft of the Slabtown Urban Design Concept in the form of a slide presentation. Numerous suggested improvements were made, including:

1. Clearly label green streets, particularly Pettygrove, and emphasize them graphically on the green street pages.

2. On the Pedestrian Greens & Festival Streets pages, add greater graphical emphasis on the specified streets on the map.

3. On the parking and/or street car pages , add a note about the potential for buses and trolleys both to and from the neighborhood and within the neighborhood.

4. Regarding parking, clarify how shared parking works and how advanced technologies could improve parking efficiency.

5. Improve copy about Community Buildings and Services.

The group did not have time to review the design standards that provide greater detail for the Urban Design Concept. It was agreed that the NWDA Planning Committee will continue to review and refine the standards.

Both before the meeting and during the last twenty minutes of the meeting, members were invited to weigh in on whether they support asking the NWDA Board to vote on approving the Slabtown Urban Design Concept. Co-chairs Don Genasci and Ron Walters believe the plan is ready to be presented to the Board for consideration. The majority of members attending the meeting and commenting via email support the plan and the decision present it to the NWDA Board.

Steve Pinger expressed numerous strong concerns about the plan including its suitability for engaging with and influencing City-led planning initiatives, its ability to influence investment in public spaces, its lack of prioritization for public spaces and projects, lack of specificity of street car alignment, and its degree of detail (too much).

Co-chair Ron Walters expressed a desire for complete consensus but acknowledged it may not be realistic. The Committee co-chairs believe it is the will of the Committee to seek support for the Urban Design Concept from the NWDA Planning Committee and the NWDA Board. The Committee will work with Planning over the coming weeks to refine the plan and standards. It is expected that the Urban Design Concept and standards will be presented to the NWDA Board in December.

The meeting adjourned at 6:35 pm.

The Slabtown Urban Design Concept is a very large, graphically intense document that cannot be posted on this website. Please email Ron Walters at ronaldjwalters@hotmail.com if you would like to receive a copy of the document via email.