Draft of Minutes for the ONA General Meeting
April 22, 2010

The meeting was called to order at 7:15 pm

23 members attended.

It was announced that it was both Kyle and Marcie’s birthday, and cake was served.

The minutes from the last meeting were corrected and approved.

Rob Farha gave the Oread Minute on the history of The Wheel.

Rose Fevurly gave the president’s report stating that we will be hiring a new coordinator during the next month or so.

Vice President Rob Farha reported on the study session held by the city on the text amendment and the Oread Neighborhood Plan. 12 ONA members attended, but none were allowed to speak. Discussion on both the text amendment and the Oread Neighborhood Plan ensued. Below are some of the comments made.

One difference between current law and the proposed law is that now a boarding house of 8 rooms must have 5 or 6 parking spaces under the new law every bedroom must have a parking space.

Why the Oread Neighborhood Plan must be updated is because 1232 Louisiana was torn down and the city does not wish to give the owners a building permit until the plan has been updated.

Some want to delay the text amendment and the plan until overlay districts can be drawn up, others feel that would take too long and unfairly delay the building permit for 1232 Louisiana. 

The text amendment will affect the entire city and we don’t need overlay districts to pass the plan, so why wait on either.

It was pointed out that the text amendment would become law, while the Oread Plan is simply a guide line so why not go forward with both simultaneously. Others feel we must first set up a workable plan and then look at a text amendment. 

It was pointed out that the text amendment would further restrict what a property can be used for, and since boarding houses are not a city wide problem, but a problem in the Oread there seemed no reason to do a text amendment. 

A discussion about leaving the law as it is then ensued.

Rob Fahra moved that a draft letter be composed stating that ONA is opposed to the present form of the text amendment and would prefer the law be left as it is for the time being, and voted on at the next general meeting. Shane Munsch seconded the motion. 11 were in favor 5 were opposed, and 2 abstained. Shane Mumsch, Bob Garcia, and Imran Wahla will compose the draft letter.

Treasurer James Hicks was not able to attend, but said he had the books and 2 of ONA’s accounts transferred to him. He plans to have a treasurer’s report next month.

District 1 Representative Linda Haskins reported that her neighborhood wanted something done about the football season port a potties put out for the entire football season near the stadium.

District 4 Representative David Holroyd has no problem within his district.

District 5 Representative Katherine Moore requested that we continue looking for options to improve lighting.

Traffic and Safety Commission - Carol von Tersch will attend the May meeting, there was nothing to report of concern to ONA at the April meeting.

BZA – Rob Farha reported that a parking variance for 1033 Kentucky has been applied for. 

It was moved by Elise Higgins and seconded by Marcie Francisco that ONA support the request for a parking variance for the 1033 Kentucky. Marcie Francisco will compose the letter and get it to Rose to sign and send. 

City Commission – Phill Hemphill reported by email that progress on the shelter was good, but that as of now The Drop In Center would stay open even when the new shelter opens. Jim Schneider brought up the fact that the Drop In Center if it remained open at it’s present location after the new shelter opens would be undercutting the rehab program the new shelter will be putting into place, and asked that ONA send a letter supporting the closing of the Drop In Center at the same time the Open Shelter closes.

Rob Farha moved and Tony Backus seconded a motion that Jim Schneider write and send a letter on behalf of ONA requesting the city include in their conditions for the new homeless shelter that the Drop In Center would be closed. 15 for 1 opposed 4 abstentions

Planning Commission – Rob Fahra reported earlier on the study session and further reported that they will not discuss the text amendment and Oread plan until June. So we have time to decide which side ONA will support. 

LAN - Linda Haskins reported that Candy Davis has agreed to attend LAN meetings on behalf of ONA.

CDBG – Marcie Francisco reported that ONA’s grants have been approved with enough money to pay a coordinator and do the newsletter. The telephone will no longer be paid for. Also all funds designated for the Open shelter will be transferred to the new shelter the Franklin Circle Shelter

Tony Backus will report on the water for the community garden project next month.

1043 Indiana – Rob drove by and it is a mess he will talk to the owner and report next month.

Elise Higgins reported that an additional $120,000 will be coming from KU to supplement the $60,000 in CDBG funds for the Oread lighting project. Elise volunteered to act as a liaison between KU and ONA. 

Elise also suggested that ONA write a letter to the editors of the Journal World and UDK requesting that they refrain from calling any part of Oread the student ghetto.

A motion to extend the meeting 15 more minutes was unanimously approved.

Bob Garcia moved and Lois Schneider seconded that Steve Watts’ home 1649 Edgehill Road be included in the Oread Neighborhood. Discussion ensued.  Elise Higgins called the question 14 voted for the motion, 6 opposed, and 3 abstained. Lois Schneider was asked to email the city manager of the change.

Meeting was adjourned at 9:15pm