SUNA Board Meeting Minutes
Monday, January 13, 2020
7-8:30pm, Edison faculty lounge
Present: Kari Parsons, Nancy Meyer, Marsha Shankman, Tracy Phelps, Marcia Regnier, Pamela Miller, Lauren Willis, Constance Van Flandern, Bill Aspegren
Absent: Carolyn Jacobs, Grace Swanson
Guests: None
STANDING ITEMS
1. November minutes (Kari)
§ Draft and revised minutes were sent to the board and guests via email. Approved as revised.
2. Treasurer’s report/City $ (Bill/Connie)
§ Current balance in our checking account: $181.23
§ SUNA allocation from the City remaining in this period (to spend by end of February): $1,350 ($800 after postcards for General Meeting is subtracted.)
§ Cannot use for walkie-talkies.
§ Communication/spending ideas:
§ Marsha will inquire if the designer she knows could do a newsletter for us.
§ Recruit someone to be a NextDoor lead.
§ Reprinting magnets.
§ Winter-themed banners. Snowy-blue with cardinal.
§ Autumn themed banners.
§ Banners that reflect things people would do for the neighborhood or characteristics that they value, based on a survey of the community. Connie cited a Berkeley example. Connie wants ideas for survey questions from the board.
3. University of Oregon: updates (Matt)
§ Matt Roberts was unable to attend, but he provided the following notes, which were read at the meeting:
a. Hayward Field is on schedule and prepared to open in May.
b. Knight Campus is on schedule to open in May.
c. New residence hall has broken ground at the corner of 15th and Agate.
d. UOPD is working with sororities and a couple West University business owners to hire extra security officers to provide daily foot patrol from midnight to 5:00 a.m. Over the winter break several sororities were burglarized. We have not heard of issues around SUNA. If any exist, please be sure to report to EPD.
e. Matt noticed the City has completed its new 19th and Alder design. He hasn’t heard any negative feedback. Seems like it should slow traffic on 19th.
f. Regarding the UO freshman “live on campus policy” and the cost of housing: UO continues to believe living on campus leads to the greatest overall success of its students. This has been shown to be a “best practice” across the country and they will continue to require freshmen to live on campus. There are several different price levels for campus housing and meal plans, all are within the average cost of our comparator institutions. UO does grant exceptions to this policy for students who live with family within a certain radius of campus or who are non-traditional students. For example, older married students with families.
g. UO is working with community leaders to develop a strong plan to execute the upcoming census. The census is an important tool for UO to use in accounting for their students and where they live. They suspect that their data, which indicates where their students are living, is very out of date since many students don’t provide their local addresses.
§ Connie reported that “house concerts” are a thing on Hilyard between 19th and 20th.
§ Bill reported there was a party at an AirBnB on Augusta (in Laurel Hill Valley) that had a substantial police presence.
4. Updates on Edison planning/rebuilding (Kari)
§ Regarding the kiosk and Little Free Library, the District reported to Kari:
o “While the District has not yet gotten into this level of detail with the design team, the general concept of incorporating a notice center as a part of the new structure seems to make the most sense from a maintenance and operational standpoint. As for the little free library, 4j will work with the landscape designers to find an appropriately visible and accessible spot to have it reinstalled on site at the end of construction.”
o Connie suggests that the LFL in design has a rain shade. Kari will communicate that to 4j.
o If the District does not reuse the existing kiosk, that presents an opportunity for SUNA to consider an alternative location.
o Connie will offer the kiosk to Congregational Church, or offer to the Friends Meeting House.
§ Regarding future meetings: “The District will have our next presentation to the public sometime in February and could have a schematic concept shown to address these items at that time.”
§ Kari reports that the district does not plan to build to post-earthquake occupancy, opting to make Camas Ridge “hospital grade” because it has a larger lot. Note that the “Unprepared” documentary makes it clear that even “hospital grade” is unlikely to be inhabitable after Cascadia. Connie says that Edison is on bedrock, so we won’t get the biggest impact of Cascadia.
§ Kari also reports that the district plans to use existing parallel street parking; no other plans are being considered to increase capacity around the perimeter. The Transportation Demand Management plan they are mandated to create as a condition of parking waiver is how they intend to address parking: by reducing demand alone.
§ Kari asks: Would the SUNA board like to communicate with the district on earthquake resiliency and parking, and if so, what is the best method? No directive was received.
§ Kari will ask if they are talking with Jeff Petry about parking.
§ Kari will ask if they will buy desks that are strong enough to shelter children and staff in an earthquake. Ask if they can designate the playground for a meeting place for the neighborhood.
5. Trials Parking (Jeff Petry)
Jeff was not present at the meeting, but Nancy reported on an email her sent her:
§ Jeff met with TrackTown staff and discussed the Trials permit proposal. TrackTown is very supportive of the permit and willing to presell it to their coaches and athletes mailing list. We are still determining the price and duration of the permit. Based on the 2016 event assessment done by Community Planning Workshop, there are about 1,500 parking spaces in the event parking area (SUNA) and the demand ranged from 300 to 1,100 vehicles parked in the neighborhood. This leaves about 400-1200 open parking spaces. We discussed selling 300 permitted spaces for the entire event (perhaps split into different increments based on the events going on) and perhaps about 100 “daily” parking options through our pay by phone app. If we keep the same fixed price of $200 per permit x 300 permits, then we are looking at $60,000. That can be plus or minus another $20,000. Signage/reader boards will likely run $5,000 (still confirming).
§ As Parking Services works out some of these ideas, they will then forward the communication plan for the neighborhood.
6. 19th improvements (Reed Dunbar)
§ In January, the City completed the following work along 19th at Alder:
o Filled planters with soil and covered with fabric (note that the soil level will be higher at build out)
o Installed permanent signs in planters (note that the decorative sign post at 19th and University will be replaced)
o Installed flexible bollards (bolted to pavement) in median island at Alder
§ Work to be completed in late winter/early spring 2020 and anticipated to take approximately 3 weeks:
o Final 2 inches of paving (1 week)
o Permanent striping (1 week)
o Final clean up and punch list (1 week)
o Demobilize all equipment and materials (1 day)
CONTINUING BUSINESS AND REPORTS
7. General Mtg Plans 1/22: Disaster Preparedness (Lauren)
§ Lauren got permission from OPB to show a clip of the “Unprepared” video
§ Guests:
o Doug Toomey, UO (geology)
o Kevin Holman, City of Eugene (city response to a disaster)
o David Regnier, SUN (neighborhood organization)
§ Alan and David are going to show a powerpoint that includes a map of the blocks that are participating.
§ Postcard will arrive shortly.
§ Nancy will write up an agenda and send the content to Lauren to check. She will include “shout outs” at the start.
§ Tech needs: Kevin needs to project video with sound, as will we. Kari will bring her computer and confirm with Jason Aulicino that the tech is available. David will send Kari their power point slides.
§ Sign in sheets, name tags, coffee (Nancy)
§ Donation jar (Tracy)
§ Vests, mic, “tips for happy living” mailer reprint (Connie)
§ Water, tablecloths (Kari)
§ Cookies, shout outs (Everyone)
8. Housing/Land Use updates (Bill/Carolyn)
§ Application for Short-Term Rental (STR) committee: Both Bill and Carolyn applied to be on it.
9. Student Food Pantry (Pamela)
§ There is an opening for a 10:30-noon M-F opening for volunteers at the Food Pantry. Pamela will add this as a “shout out” at the General Meeting.
NEW INFORMATION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
10. SUNA required annual report (Nancy)
§ The board brainstormed content around goals, challenges, volunteer hours, etc. to include in the Annual Report required by the City of all neighborhood associations:
o Accomplishments:
§ Setting up the disaster preparedness committee.
§ Monitoring HB 2001 and land use laws, including ADUs and STRs.
§ Ongoing communication with 4J and design input. A member of the SUNA board participated in several meetings with Superintendent Balderas and other district officials.
§ Working with City on parking, including planning for Trials and beyond.
§ Still working with FCC on the new homeless housing.
§ Continued research on improvements needed for pedestrian lighting, identified sites, and communicated with City and EWEB regarding ownership, investigated opportunities for grants to support new lighting.
§ Maintained relationship with City on University Park and communicated desire to use dollars raised from the Trials parking put towards improvements at the park.
§ Engaged with City on street safety, urban forest.
§ Explored support needs for the UO Food Panty.
o Challenges
§ Supporting appropriate regulation of STR, challenge of investor owned STR.
§ Safety and lighting.
§ Getting entire community involved in disaster preparedness.
§ Having a safe place and supplies for the neighborhood to gather and respond in an emergency.
§ Concern with potential hate and bias uptick.
§ Livability with respect to student parties.
§ Difficulties engaging positively with our student community, creating activities for students to be involved with. Day of Service and Holden Center programs is a potential way to engage.
§ Rats.
o Goals for 2020:
§ Work with City on University Park improvements.
§ Increased participation in disaster preparedness.
§ Policies having to do with short-term rentals.
§ Planning for HB 2001.
§ Continuing communication with Edison.
§ Continue advocating for lighting in mid-block areas.
§ Successful parking for Trials, and successful hosting of Trials.
§ Better outreach to students.
§ Monitor hate and bias incidents.
§ Identify ways to support the UO Food Pantry.
§ Once or twice a year print newsletter.
o Events:
§ Hosted summer social at University Park.
§ Participated in the Edison Block Party.
§ Participated in ground-breaking of the FCC housing for homeless families.
§ Participated in the Upper Willamette Soil and Water meeting.
§ Participated in NLC meetings.
§ City council testimony about housing issues. Three or four instances.
§ A board member participates on the MUPTE Board.
§ Twice hand delivered mailers to save City money.
o Hours:
§ Administrative: Board meetings 20×11, General Meetings 60, Minutes 15, Agenda-setting 30, Finance 15,
§ Land Use: MUPTE 60, Land Use 250
§ Committees: Disaster Preparedness – David 40, Banners,
§ Event: Summer picnic 40, Hand delivery of mailers 30, Edison Block Party 15
§ Project: Lighting 30, Banners 30, Postcards 30, eNews 36, NextDoor/Social Media 30, Website 15
§ Collaborative: Edison meetings 50, City meetings/parking , Church
11. Future topics from neighbors
§ Did not discuss
12. Newsletter updates (Kari)
§ Did not discuss
GOOD OF THE ORDER AND NEIGHBORHOOD UPDATES/ANNOUNCEMENTS
§ University Park: We are not ready to have a conversation with the neighborhood yet, but Connie would like the City to continue to have us top of mind, particularly communicating regarding the possible influx of parking dollars (potentially several thousands of dollars). With ongoing Trials here, we could potentially have an ongoing deposit into the Park, so go ahead and design it so it can be built incrementally. Pamela suggests being careful that we don’t get put down in priority, as the city waits for those additional funds to come in. Nancy suggests allowing neighbors to buy a bench to contribute to the park.
§ Trials parking communication will be very important. Important to frame the msg in a welcoming way. Perhaps Jeff Petry’s department will support a newsletter to the neighborhood. Perhaps tie it into the city’s message to the community regarding the move to paperless parking permits and reading license plates instead of chalking. We have a question with regard to how we will know if a car is permitted if the permits are paperless. Nancy will ask about these issues. TrackTown may want to send a newsletter to talk about free days, etc.
§ Connie and Kari will work with getting a widget on the website where folks can add themselves to our email list. We will add to the fall newsletter the way to add yourself.
NEXT REGULAR SUNA BOARD MEETING
Monday, February 17