[Durham INC] DRAFT January Minutes

[pazar at nc.rr.com]

Hi David,

I'm not sure that postponing for precinct meetings is appropriate.

I'll be a little less adamant about starting right on time, and I've learned to hold off votes (minutes aside) until late arrivals have a chance to be late.

That said, how may delegates does this affect? Is this a quorum issue?

Thanks, Philip

---- David Harris <harrisdl2003 at yahoo.com> wrote: 
> Is it possible to start the meeting at 7:30 pm to give us an opportunity to attend the precinct meetings.  ThanksDavid
>       From: Pat Carstensen <pats1717 at hotmail.com>
>  To: inc listserv <inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net> 
>  Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2015 5:20 PM
>  Subject: Re: [Durham INC] DRAFT January Minutes
>    
> #yiv3186145575 #yiv3186145575 --.yiv3186145575hmmessage P{margin:0px;padding:0px;}#yiv3186145575 body.yiv3186145575hmmessage{font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri;}#yiv3186145575 Reposting this for the meeting on TUesday
> 
> From: pats1717 at hotmail.com
> To: inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net
> Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2015 08:32:37 -0500
> Subject: [Durham INC] DRAFT January Minutes
> 
> #yiv3186145575 #yiv3186145575 --.yiv3186145575ExternalClass .yiv3186145575ecxhmmessage P {padding:0px;}#yiv3186145575 .yiv3186145575ExternalClass body.yiv3186145575ecxhmmessage {font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri;}#yiv3186145575 
> 
> As usual, please let me know about any additions or correctionsRegards, pat
> 
> January DelegateMeeting of the InterNeighborhood Council of DurhamNIS ConferenceRoom, Golden BeltJanuary 27, 2015 Attending the meeting were:
> NeighborhoodsColony Park – Don LebkesCross Counties – Pat CarstensenDowning Creek – Dick FordDuke Park – Bill AndersonFairfield – Chris BrownLong Meadow – Pakis BessiasMorehead Hill – Bruce MitchellNorthgate Park – Debra HawkinsOld Farm – David HarrisOld North Durham – Peter KatzStage Stop – Dolly FehrenbacherTrinity Park – Philip AzarTuscaloosa-Lakewood – Susan Sewell University Estates – JoAnn ComisWatts Hospital Hillandale – Tom MillerWoodcroft – Jose Sandoval Visitors Lynwood D. Best – City of Durham, NISJohn Killeen – City of Durham, NISJim Wise – News and Observer Will Wilson – DOST Elise Kohn – NCNGN  President Phil Azar opened the meeting and announced thatJohn Martin had heart surgery this week; appreciation and support to John wereexpressed.  An Outreach Committeereport was added to the agenda. Because of INC’s tabled high-speed internet resolution, weinvited Elise Kohn from North Carolina Next Generation Network (http://ncngn.net) to talk about the technology andoptions.  When she was invited, shedidn’t know that the Google announcement would come today.  She has been involved nationally inbroadband networks and bridging the digital divide.  There is no physical North Carolina Next Generation Network.  What there is is a coordinated effortof 6 cities and 4 universities in the Triangle and Triad to encourage privatesector providers to deliver ultra-fast bandwidth at highly affordableprices.  In 2013 NCNGN issued anRFP to private companies to build the desired networks, and in 2014 recommendedAT&T’s response as a master network development agreement; AT&T’sresponse included community benefits like pre-wiring of multi-tenantbusinesses, some lower speed connection for low-income housing, and service tocommunity centers. AT&T launched in the 5 communities where they alreadyhad service in December, and is working in Durham.  Generally, where Google Fiber is already being done, havingcompetition has driven higher speeds, lower costs and new ideas.  With both AT&T and Google, we willhave to see how much they really do in less affluent areas, but both seem to bemaking efforts in this direction, with AT&T’s promises about communitycenters (tho they wouldn’t necessarily be in least wealthy areas) and Googlehiring Community Impact Managers (at least in other cities).  Even if the fiber goes to only toaffluent communities, lower wealth areas seem to be also getting lower costsand higher speeds (but less then a gig). Time Warner is bundling more internet with the cable in somemulti-family buildings, so more people will have “enough,” making it harder forGoogle or AT&T to get enough customers to make it worthwhile to serve theapartment building.  We are lookingforward to “experiments” with taking advantage of the infrastructure, in termsof both innovation and community inclusion.  Finally, a lot of delegates would like to address thelong-standing desire for buried electric power lines as long as trenches arebeing dug for fibers.   Members introduced themselves.   Tom Miller moved to approve the November/ December minutes,David Harris seconded and delegates voted to do this. Susan Sewell reported as treasurer that there areoutstanding checks and bills (banner, hero event, etc.), but right we now have$4238.87.  The time to pay dues isnow.   Deb Hawkins said thatthe Park, Public Spaces and Environmental Issues Committee will need a smallamount of money to print off their environmental coloring sheetsfor kids, tohand out at community events; she will submit a budget / request next month. Reports·     Parks,Public Spaces and Environmental Issues – There are only a few more days leftin Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association’s major donor drive if a neighborhoodwants to contribute; thanks to neighborhoods have also done so already.  Durham Mardi Gras (http://www.durhammardigras.com) isfund-raising, if neighborhoods or individuals want to donate; Tuesday, Feb 17is the big night.  ·     HeroAwards – The celebration will be February 15 at the Pit.  The committee is working through numberof people who will fit into the venue (maybe 150, unless good enough to beoutside).  Stay tuned on theinvites.  There are 29 individualsgetting 25 awards.  ·     Zoningand Development (cell towers) – Members of the committee met with Planningand industry representatives 2 weeks ago. At the meeting, INC and industry explained their concerns with thecurrent draft of the UDO revisions. We got memo back from Planning on their understanding from the meeting.  A lot of things still open so we don’tknow what they will do.  Keyquestion is making sure there are Board of Adjustment hearings forneighborhoods (including those in R-20 and RR in suburban areas) near proposedtowers.  Another draft is comingout, and we will have to see what it is.·     Zoningand Development (protest petitions) – For the last couple years, we havefought proposals from the NC Legislature to take away the right to a protestpetition.  Yesterday morning, TomMiller was contacted by someone in the legislature working on protest petitionissue.  A protest petition istriggered when property owners owning 5% of 100 foot ring (including corners)around the property with the proposed re-zoning ask for it; with a protestpetition, the re-zoning takes 75% of the votes in the governing body topass.  What legislators are talkingabout is changing the numbers to 20% of 100 feet, at which point 66% vote wouldbe required.  Getting 20% would behard because there are always things like Corps of Engineering land,inattentive landlords, etc.  Wouldthe 66% be rounded up (if so in Durham would reduce our margin from 6 to 5 thevote needed)?  If we made thecompromise, would the other side take it and go away, or come back for more(like they do with billboards)? We’ll be watching this. ·     Communications– Applause for Pakis Bessias for rescuing the list serve.  Going forward, we will look at whatneeds to be done to improve the website.·     Outreach– They had a list of neighborhoods that did National Night Out.  Anyone who has contacts in thoseneighborhoods should let Dick and Don know.  They may need $150, not the $100 budgeted, for thebanner.  David Harris will work onPACs with the Outreach Committee. New BusinessBecause of Colony Park’s development issue, Don Lebkes hasbeen working a lot with Planning, which has been very helpful, but theexperience makes him think there must be a better way for neighborhoods.  He will be bringing a proposal to thenext meeting. Neighborhood Reports·     Susan Sewell reported that TLNA has been innegotiation with Guglhupf on parking, which has been a long-term problem, withthe neighborhood needing to call cops on parking in front of driveways, and soon.  The solution to change a residential lot to commercial zoning, with adevelopment plan for only parking with full buffers and no building everallowed on the lot. Plus covenants on deed and additional agreement withneighborhood. So the neighborhood will speak in support of the re-zoningand hopes it will be step in solving the ongoing hassles of having aneighboring commercial strip that is successful.·     Deb Hawkins reminded folks about upcoming Coffeewith Council meetings.  If you thinkan ombudsman would help with Planning, this would be a good time to ask for it.·     Will Wilson said someone is planning aconservation subdivision on Roxboro in northern Durham County.  It looks promising that this option,which preserves natural areas by clustering the development, is finally beingtried.            
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