February Minutes 2013
Monthly Membership Meeting—February 26, 2013
FLS Energy Board Room, 130 Roberts Street, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Thank you FLS Energy!
Items of Note:
Creative Sector Summit, March 6-8
New Belgium Open House: Thursday, March 7 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall
Crossfit Pisgah: April 6-7 www.crossfitpisgah.com for more information
Soapy Dog: April 28, Sunday 1-5 p.m. Open House and Celebration, 10 Year Anniversary and 1 year for Sleepy Dog; working with community partners and invite people to drop by
Can park in Wedge lot and walk across, can put sign in the lot
Would you like to be involved in the Bus Shelter being built with the community at Craven and Haywood?
Would like to have involvement from the business community, if you’d like to be involved, contact Chris Joyell, Executive Director, chris@ashevilledesigncenter.org or 828-782-7894
Would you like to have input on the OPEN Parklet?
Please send any feedback or connections, more ideas to Luly Gonzalez (luly@alembicstudio.com)
RADBA Executive Committee Elections will happen in May 2013, would you like to be a RADBA leader? Come to the next meeting and express your interest or email RADbusinessassociation@gmail.com
Meeting Items:
Approve Minutes to January Meeting
Tim Schaller moves to approve, Joe Ramsmier seconds
Asheville Design Center bus shelter on Craven and Haywood (Chris Joyell)
Non-profit that works with more than 150 creative designers and professionals in WNC to work with the community
New Belgium partnered with ADC to incorporate the history of the site as well as the neighborhood into the design of the bus shelter inbound to downtown Asheville
Amanda Wray, UNCA professor and students interviewing natives about the site
Attending New Belgium Open House on March 7 at the Isis, open to gathering input and information at that event
Are using materials from the stockyard site to incorporate into the design of the bus shelter
Use the bus shelter as a place-making device, a gateway into West Asheville
Tying into the greenway system; bike rack and trash receptacle
Hope to incorporate a second bus shelter in the future on outbound side
Will be engaging community in design process as well; 3 versions that people can vote on
Employing people in the East of the Riverway/Green Opportunities teams to build the shelter
Trying to create a prototype with the City
Constrained by the timeline that City has for the Craven Street improvements—they are pouring ADA accessible pad, so Spring/Summer 2014 is when that will happen
Would like to have involvement from the business community, if you’d like to be involved, contact Chris Joyell, Executive Director, chris@ashevilledesigncenter.org or 828-782-7894
Idea: downhill bike lane should have a vegetated median/curb to protect cyclists coming down the hill into downtown
Side note: Checking on resources to see if there is a class from ASU is doing a survey of artist districts across the country and there may be something that comes of that. ADC wants to then get input from the community to see if it’s desired. Chris will come back and present at the end of the semester.
Summer Interns: PSNC bridge along Riverside Drive is a lead project
Input: A lot of business owners moved down here because of the artists, and we want to support
Update on OPEN Parklet (Luly Gonzalez)
SpeakUP was last Wed., great turn out, discussion of form of these public spaces
Walking charette is next, meet at the Artery, date TBA
Need more feedback from the community
Please send any feedback or connections, more ideas to Luly Gonzalez (luly@alembicstudio.com)
Summary:
Three-phased proposal to Mission: design, feasibility and design, schematic and permitting
Goal to have this on the ground by June 8, during first Studio Stroll
Steph Monson, City of Asheville, would still like to coordinate with OPEN on using City-owned property
ADC would like to collaborate with OPEN
Overarching idea: Having way-finding incorporated into the design, for example: rest spots that also double as way-finding
Rubber paper materials being donated to OPEN
Health-based space(s); consistent design if there are multiple—Walk, Ride, Swim
There will be a lighting element
This parklet will not take up a parking space
Creative Sector Summit: March 6-8
Update on Riverside Drive Strategic Plan (Steph Monson Dahl)
What is it?
City owns property between 12 Bones and up Riverside Drive and across the river; there’s a lot of interest in what’s going to happen to the City-owned space (Ice House, property between Curve and the Ice House, property next to PSNC building which may be a plaza)
March-September: meetings to gather community feedback on what should happen there
City-owned property needs ROI on their property
It’s in the flood plain and it’s a brownfield
City is going to put out for hire the pieces of the property
City is doing big planning process first
Tom Gallaher, Heritage Directions (downtown master plan); SDS, Jane Matthews, Chris Joyell, David Pearson
Wilma Dykeman Plan http://www.riverlink.org/wilma_dykeman.asp
Elections in May 2013 – term discussion (1 year or 2)
Nominations and elections for officers will happen in May 2013
Current Executive Committee had a 2-year term
Would members like to have 2-year terms or split 2-year terms (like the way City Council does it)
Discussion:
2-year term is smart, like the revolving leadership change over
Maybe a six month turn around, or make it one more year for two of the current members
Will need to write this into bylaws and vote on it
For long-term consistency, important that some of the founders stay on to make sure there’s guidance and consistency
Could change the structure to Secretary/Treasurer, Present, VP and President Elect
About 4-6 hours/month
Write “job descriptions” for each position
Be thinking about this for next meeting
Member initiated topics/ roundtable
Asheville Police Department no updates, Evan is hurt and will be back soon
Please try to put items on the agenda, by emailing Matt Sprouse
Theft:
Joe Ransmier had picnic table stolen as well as some other items between 9:30 p.m. Sunday and early Monday morning; metal was a common material in the tables, perhaps stealing scrap
People have stolen 55 gal drums in mid-day
Seems like metal recycling is the driver
Studio Stroll plans?
On schedule as it has been, brochure just came out
Depot Street Parking–Ken Putnam and City is getting closer with Norfolk Southern with Depot St. parking and sidewalk. Would like project to start in July if budget is approved.
Roberts Street Sidewalks—need survey information before anything else. Pattiy was in touch with professor to do this; in process; this money is coming from a maintenance budget
Thunder Road Bridge—City’s looking to make a decision about whether to put funding into making it structurally sound when it’s not being used, or take the bridge out; the house that’s there is still privately owned and Preservation Society would like to see it rehabbed and there is a possibility; City’s trying to determine what’s feasible from a budget perspective ($180,000). There are liabilities with having bridges that have not been maintained.
Fantasy: have the greenway go under the bridge and have it be a focal point
Perhaps do a RADBA walk up onto the bridge
City now has Super Departments where all departments are talking with each other: Finance and Strategic Planning, and more
Soapy Dog: April 28, Sunday 1-5 p.m. Open House and Celebration, 10 Year Anniversary and 1 year for Sleepy Dog; working with community partners and invite people to drop by
Can park in Wedge lot and walk across, can put sign in the lot
Crossfit Pisgah: April 6-7 www.crossfitpisgah.com for more information
New Belgium Open House: Thursday, March 7 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall
Agenda Items for the next meeting:
Joe Ransmier moves to adjourn; Tim Schaller seconds