Membership Meeting Minutes-September 14, 2016

  • Call to order
  • Agenda Items
    • Welcome
    • Alexandria Police Report
    • DRCA Budget Presentation
    • DRCA Announcements
    • Special Guest, Mayor Alison Silberberg
    • Land Use Committee
    • Announcements
  • Adjournment

  • Call to order:  7:35 pm
  • Welcome: Rod Kuckro, President
  • Alexandria Police Department: Captain Dennis Andreas
    • Crime down 5%
    • 3.6% of city crime
    • 9 auto larcenies
    • Bike larcenies: Lock mechanism itself victimized (square heads)
    • Broken mirrors: Call City’s non-emergency number to report
    • Property damage
    • Hit & run: Screwy caper”
    • Back to school increased enforcement
    • Chief Cook retiring 10/1
    • Q&A
      • Dewitt burglary
      • Commonwealth traffic stop
      • How to report broken mirrors
      • False alarm contracted out
  •  DRCA 2016-2017 Budget Presentation, Bea Robinson, Treasurer
    • Discussion of DRCA operating expenses
    • Discussion about parks and Adopt-a-Park program (parks include: Commonwealth medians, Judy Lowe, St. Asaph, Simpson Gardens, Mason, W&OD Trail
    • Jim Snyder asked DRCA to leverage partnership opportunities to save dying trees. No specific motion.
    • Introduction of Jen Atkins, Chair, City Parks Commission.
      • Groups can get $25K/ matching grants
      • Pocket Parks Planning Process coming in Spring 2017, following planning process for citywide and neighborhood parks
    • Motion by Gayle Reuter: Amend Halloween Parade $500 to $1000, seconded
    • Amendment by Slack to reduce to $750, no second
    • Orignal motion carried, one vote against.
    • Motion to approve budget as amended carries.
  • DRCA Announcements, Rod Kuckro
    • Board Vacancy for Events Director
      • Needed for February Chili Cookout, August National Night Out
      • Discussion of Del Ray alley project: Naming alleys? Beautify alleys?
        • Closed off alleys =Pocket park candidates?
      • Spray Park
      • Spite Garage
  • Special Guest: Mayor Alison Silberberg
    • Three year Duncan Ave resident from 1989
    • LOVES Art on the Avenue, Halloween Parade
    • 34% tree canopy, work toward national goal 40%
    • 25th Anniversary  Town of Potomac Historic District
    • 50th anniversary of Hist Preservation Act
    • Focus on public safety
      • Excellent work by  Police, Fire, Sheriff
      • Enforcement
        • Quaker Lane, Russel Road
    • Focus on connecting with community:
      • Clergy Council Quarterly Coffee
      • Quarterly Business Roundtable Coffee
    • Public invited to  City Council (Saturday morning “open mike”)
    • Renaming Jeff Davis? AS favors proposal for Patrick Henry Street?
    • Questions?
      • Big discussion on trees
      • “Spite Garage”on Monroe
        • Jinks memo just released
        • More sunshine on permit process?
      • Parking inventory
        • Pressure on private lots to hare space?
        • Parking garage like Bethesda for Del Ray?
        • Holistic look at code, not piecemeal
      • East of Commonwealth R2: Economic pressure on SFH to get torn down and built as duplexes: Threat to neighborhood character
        • It seems that staff find it easier to recommend a tear down than preserve
  • Land Use Committee 
    • Happy Tart expansion:
      • 10 inside seat, 20 ouside, awning cooking offsite in Falls CHurcj
      • Parking reduction, plus  4 bike spots
      • Why bike rack?: Existing racks full and owner hapry
      • All in favor
    • Spite Garage
      •  Push email for resolution
  • Announcements
    • Bocce challenge
      • Braddock Road group
    • Art on the Avenue, October 1
      • Please donate clothes for scarecrows
    • Del Ray Artisans
      • Current show Fire & Earth. Next up:  Local Flavor
    • Simpson Park playground design
  • Adjournment: 9:31 pm