July Minutes 2012
Monthly Membership Meeting—July 31, 2012
Glen Rock Depot Board Room, 372 Depot Street, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, August 28 at 4 p.m. in the FLS Energy Board Room
Meeting Items:
Approve Minutes to June 26 Meeting
Membership Dues are up for Renewal/ Membership Forms
Nominations for 2012-2013 Executive Committee
Future RADBA work – survey (monkey) topics
What should this membership focus on for long-range goals?
Send suggestions for survey questions by August 20 to Susanne Hackett, Secretary of the RADBA at PollinateCollaborations@gmail.com
Formation of Neighborhood Development Sub-Committee
NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE: Ben Mixon, Hedy Fisher, Matt Sprouse, Joe Ransmier, Brian Lewis (volunteer)
Letter to Council on Clingman Ave Green the RAD
Depot St Parking and Sidewalk update – Plan from Matt Sprouse
Question: MHO building the Glen Rock Hotel, how will people be crossing there?
It will likely need to be addressed by MHO. Suggests contacting MHO.
Roberts Street—same problem. The City thinks that it’s close enough for them to go up to the round-about crosswalk. Crossing there is very dangerous.
RADTIP will address that section of Roberts Street. It is the emergency route out for New Belgium and that will be addressed. Overtime there will be other types of road improvement.
We are in the middle of an area that is being redeveloped. This area was built not for pedestrians. We should form a Neighborhood Development Subcommittee to talk with the city and keep in touch. Ben Mixon suggested talking with the city about a pedestrian master plan. East of the Riverway (Steph Monson of the City is the project manager). RADBA needs a body of people to interface with the city.
Doing a lot of traffic studies down here.
What about lowering speed limit on Depot Street?
New Belgium public meeting report – Tim Schaller
Many neighborhood and business association groups in attendance.
Traffic:
Traffic is not going to impact the RAD the way we thought it would.
First there’s city work, then New Belgium work and then simultaneous.
Cathy Ball from the City was in attendance. The City is going to have specific contacts to call if there’s a problem and the city is going to have someone on site to monitor it.
City did this same thing with 51 Biltmore. Created distribution lists to be in touch with people to give heads up about what’s going on and keep communication lines open with those living there and working there.
There will be times when we won’t be able to use the area due to construction.
They are starting infrastructure work. Beginning grading the site after the 1st of the year.
Website for more info and feedback: www.NewBelgium.com/AshevilleBrewery
City of Asheville: updates on their part of the project as well
Question about pedestrian bridge, helping to avoid the tracks; fantasy project
RADA update – Daniel McClendon, RADA liaison
Executive boards are meeting once/quarter
Trying to decide if going the non-profit route is a good idea
Reorganizing and redefining the mission statement
Send survey to all River Arts District Artists as well, desire to work with RADBA
Second Saturdays—seem to be going fairly well, but there’s a lot of diversity as to how people operate. Some like it and some do not.
Stormwater pipe burst on Clingman -Pattiy Torno
Bike Race feedback to Terry Wilson
French Broad Cycling Classic Marketing Director
Interested in feedback about the cycling event, want feedback for planning for next year’s event
Parking did not work, trying to work this out for next year
Cyclists loved riding the RAD
Looking at an alternate date in May (perhaps 2nd weekend or Memorial Day Weekend); July is difficult for everyone
LEAF usually falls on the 2nd weekend in May
Lots of clean up needed on the sidewalk (hay)
Would be good to have sandwich boards out for people to know what’s going on would be good to have around the area
More ways to make it spectator friendly
Lot of planning for next year in the works; want to stay in the RAD and want to work together to make it good for everyone
Public address system to have a few speakers around the course—did try to keep the noise in the morning on Sunday to a minimum to the residents in the area
Parking signs and volunteers to help let people know where to park
There’s a lot across from Dave Steel that we could use in the future
Great event, but parking is the main thing to consider for future—confusion about what was considered public parking
Lots of professional teams were here and kept the pace high
1,050 race starts over the entire weekend (about 375 each day)
How can we help RAD businesses drive business?
Ideas? Thoughts? terry.l.wilson@att.net
RADFest @ Phil Mechanic Studios and Grey Eagle—Chase Hudson, Chall Sullivan
Saturday, August 25 at the Grey Eagle (550 capacity)
3-7 p.m. (all day)—at Phil Mechanic
7-9 p.m. Explore the RAD
9 p.m.—at Grey Eagle
Annual event for experimental local music scene
Intended to preserve local charm of the area
Seeking support from RADBA and suggestions
New to the area
Working with Susan Roderick to acquire funds and will give funds to Asheville GreenWorks for Green the RAD
Festival curated by different local artist every year
Chris Ballard, Headway Recordings is the curator (Izzy’s)
Collaborating with many folks in the area
Each artist gets a share from the event; artists can donate their share to Asheville GreenWorks
Interested in being a part of the community, wanting to create a platform
Mostly all musicians from Asheville; want to support area businesses
Ideas? Suggestions? Feedback? twopeopleplayingmusic@gmail.com
NEW BUSINESS
Office of Sustainability with City of Asheville—Laura
East of the Riverway
Received data from App State to collect information of community carbon use
Creating Community Energy Plan
Want Community engagement and involvement
Addressing residents and businesses
Hosting a series of focus groups
Sending out emails and gathering information
Important for funding and informing the process
River MUSIC Festival
Where are we on that?
Feedback that has been received—nowhere near the number of people they thought they would have, likely because of the weather
It’s been a non-issue
Biggest issue was people crossing the tracks; railroad is not happy
APD and Railroad worked together on the second to make sure that didn’t happen on the 2nd one
There were lots of NO Parking signs and it’s not very inviting as people come down here
The one coming up is a jazz event—that will draw a smaller crowd
Depot Street was dead during the event
The concern is that regulars will not come in when there’s a huge event with lots of traffic
WE CAN Neighborhood Association—Luke Perry
We are a residential community here in the RAD
Getting more active
Let’s work together
Possibly put someone on the Neighborhood Development Subcommittee