INC NEWS - DRAFT - Minutes July 2008

[Deanna Crossman]

Minutes for InterNeighborhood Council
July 22, 2008
Herald Sun Building 7pm

In Attendance
Deanna Crossman	Walltown
Jay Levy	Forest Hills
Courtney James	Forest Hills
Christina Fish	Morehead Hill
Melissa Rooney	Fairfield
Nancy Cox	Hope Valley Farms
Tine Motley-Pearson	Olive Branch Rd
Scott Pearson	Olive Branch Rd
Susan Glowacz	Woods Edge / APS
Dan Willett	Lall Rd / APS
Heidi Carter 	Woodcroft
David Harris	Old Farm
Mitchell Archer	City of Durham Solid Waste
Bill Anderson	Duke Park
Cathy Abernathy	Hope Valley
Andrew Brown	Duke Student Government
Cheryl and Mike Shiflett	Northgate Park
Vicki Westbrook	City of Durham
Frank Thomas		Home Builders Assoc
Leslie Page	DRAR
Colin Crossman	Walltown
Craigie Sanders	Grove Park
DeDreana Freeman	Golden Belt
Antoine Freeman	Golden Belt
Pat Carstensen		Cross County
Ken Gasch	Colonial Village

Welcome and Introductions  7:10pm

ANNOUNCEMENTS

2 changes to the UDO – change language for a minor special use permit
to take into account not just adjoining neighbors, but the whole
neighborhood.  Also more specific language on the Development Plan
with regards to "what you see is what you get."  It will be discussed
at City Council and the County Commissioners.

NEIGHBORHOOD HERO nomination deadlines August 15th!  Start thinking
about who your neighborhood hero is!  Email scjdurham at aol.com.

West Point Park – the potential purchase of 60 acres just south of the
West Point on the Eno park has been in the news recently to protect
it.  More info at www.fowpp.org  or email Josie at riojosie at aol.com

Durham County Library – over the last 18 months the library has been
the decision to restore or rebuild the Main Library.  July 29th they
are having a meeting for community input (watch for more information
on the listserv).

UPDATES

Starting in October, Solid Waste will initiate a pilot program to
pickup bulky items, curbside, for free.  It will be on the Monday of
the first week of the month of your trash pickup.

Minutes approved from last month as sent on the INC listserv.

Neighborhood Improvement Services – 560-4570 – has a new meeting
facility in the Golden Belt that they can lend to neighborhoods.

Treasurer's Report: $100 dues received this month.  $638 in account
and no expenditures.

INC is on the way to becoming a 501(c)3 non-profit.  It has been
incorporated and is now a North Carolina non-profit corporation.  The
goal is to allow neighborhoods to come in under the non-profit
umbrella as independent subsidiaries.

Foreclosure workshop – was a big success!  Over 150 people attended.
Thanks to everyone for spreading the word and helping out!

Elections in September for INC Board.  Spread word out to those who
may be interested.  It's a great way to have a voice and be involved!
Contact Craigie if interested m- csanders at kennedycovington.com.

PRESENTATIONS

1) Abandoned Pets due to foreclosure – Susan Glowacz
With the Animal Protection Society of Durham.  There have been an
average of double digit (22-36%) percent increase in pet abandonment
to the shelters due to foreclosure.  Durham is up 12% for this time of
year.

People have several options.  Some leave the people in the property
when they abandon it, or let the pet loose when they leave to fend for
themselves.  We don't want this!  Several pets have been placed in
closed closets furthest from doors and windows, probably due to
embarrassment.

The Humane Society and Animal Protection Society are here to help!  If
someone takes their animal to APS, the APS will provide water, food,
medical help and human interaction.  If you have any questions, please
contact Susan at susan.glowacz at duke.edu.

2) Proposed Environmental Resolution – Frank Thomas – Home Builders Association
Concerns over clear-cutting and mass-grading.  Urban sprawl,
affordable housing, and carbon emissions are also important concerns.
Compact, high-density communities are the most environmentally
friendly.  Trinity Park was originally clear-cut and mass-graded.  The
current storm-water rules may be effective, but we don't know because
they aren't well enforced.

The Home Builders strongly think the primary problem is enforcement
and wholly endorse more fervent enforcement and fines for violating
the existing rules and codes.

Ken asked if there were ways to incentivize the developers to do good
development and asked Frank to take that back to the Home Builder's
Association.

Motion from Colin for the delegates to carry this resolution to their
neighborhoods and be prepared to vote at the August meeting.  Motion
passed.

3) Durham Water: Tiered Rates and Future Plans – Vicki Westbrook
Look for the tips and details on the new Tiered water rates in your
upcoming water bill.  Tiered rates are not due to the drought and
reduced water revenues (water revenue was stable compared to
estimates, but they did have a lot of one-time expenses including
buying water from other towns, installing the tap at Teer Quarry,
etc).  Rates are often implemented after a 1-2 year study.  When they
were finally approved, Council wanted them implemented by summer, so
their time to study was extremely reduced.

The goal is to apply the rates to a single family residence with an
individual water meter.  For single family residences, the new rates
will be seen on your September water bill (but the water you started
using July 1st is at the new rate).

On a hot day like today, it is not uncommon to see a 40% increase in
water consumption due to cooling towers, which is why non-residential
customers are billed at Tier 3.

Tier 1-2 will see a slight increase in usage ($1.58 per CCF to $1.72
per CCF, plus an increased service charge – likely in the range of $10
every two months).  On their website – www.DurhamSavesWater.org for a
bill calculator that will help you plan for what the increases will
look like.

Durham Water has the showerhead exchange program.  At CenterFest,
Earth Day, and other events and you can bring your showerhead to them
and get a free 1.5gpm showerhead.  Or, at City Hall, where you pay
your water bill, you can pay $3 for a showerhead (the city's cost).

Coming soon – a high efficiency toilet rebate program for
owner-occupied single family customers - $100 credit on your water
bill if you have your receipt and proof it's a 1.28gal.  It will come
online (with more information on their website) in August, but be
retroactive to January 2008, so save those receipts!

Automated meter reading (installed 20,000 at a time) – all meters will
be replaced and automatically read by 2010!  Once you get a new meter,
you will be converted to the new system and be billed monthly.

So Check The Website – www.DurhamSavesWater.org for 111 Tips to save
water at home and work.

Motion to Adjourn 9:05pm.