[Durham INC] Draft August INC minutes

[Pat Carstensen]

Please let me know about any corrections or additions.  Thanks, pat



August Delegate Meeting of the InterNeighborhood Council of Durham

Golden Belt

August 27, 2019


Attending the meeting were:
Neighborhoods

Cross Counties – Pat Carstensen

Forest Hills – Matt McDowell, Ellen Pless

Long Meadow – Pakis Bessias, Stevie Daniels

Morehead Hill – Rochelle Araujo

Northgate Park – Debra Hawkins

Old North Durham – Peter Katz, John Martin

Old West Durham – Vicky Welch

Trinity Park – Mimi Kessler

Tuscaloosa-Lakewood – Susan Sewell

Woodcroft – Jose Sandoval

Visitors

Annette Smith – DPR and Durham Parks Foundation

John Killeen – dataworks

Faith Gardner – NIS

Rudy Toledo – NIS


PresidentRochelle Araujo welcomed those present, and folks introduced themselves.  The only adjustment to the agenda was some time shifting.  John Martin moved to approve the July minutes,Matt McDowellseconded and it passed.


On code enforcement of lawn management in a time when folks want to attract pollinators, Neighborhood Improvement Services is in the information-gathering stage of updating their weedy lot and trash rules, which are set in both code and policy.  Several sections in the code apply – about 6 pages that try to delineate “public nuisance” in yards.  How does a code enforcer determine what is a “weed,” or a “noxious weed,” or a “natural area”?  They have been looking for best practices around the state but not getting much, but Austin (Texas) may have some ideas.  Some organizations do certification, although none of them has on-going monitoring. People are more and more interested in naturalizing the verge (the area between the street and the sidewalk).  Some ideas that might apply are whether there is some kind of discernable edge to the garden / natural area, language that permits code enforcement to assert that the garden is not “unkempt,” the location of the garden (but where there is sun may not work where the garden is allowed), and the owner’s ability to identify the plants.  Many pollinator gardens are much taller than the currently allowed 10 inches for yards. How to report a problem in your neighborhood is not in the code; currently “requests for service” come in many sources (Durham One calls, enforcers checking out major corridors, neighborhood associations, etc.).  Should special attention be paid to invasive species when they encroach on the neighbor? We talked about the process of engaging the public in this effort of “working through the weeds.”


The Expanding Housing Choices(EHC) Accountability / Indicators Workgroup reported that they made a real effort to get the perspective of a range of neighborhoods.  Given that we want to be able to measure what has happened after a couple years of having EHC, the workgroup wanted to find out the values / stories / hopes / fears that the measures need to provide answers to; some of the values may be in conflict.  It will be hard to untangle the effects of EHC from other forces such as an affordable housing bond.  Not everything reported will be matters the Planning Department is responsible for, and other groups in town may be asking for different reports.    The Workgroup will be meeting with the Planning Department to figure out metrics that tie back to these values (understanding that counting / keeping statistics doesn’t necessarily get to the “people / values effect,” and some iterations may be necessary to get the measurements right). Values include that housing is a right (should be affordable, including transportation and access to jobs and other aspects), housing policy should be people-centric (people at all AMI levels and for long-term residents, renters, various identity dimensions, ages, etc.), a broad definition of affordability (rent, buy, taxes as property values go up, access /transportation to jobs/food/etc.), preservation and safety of spaces that are historically African-American or native American, concerns about DHA evolution, neighborhood stabilization and preservation (people-centric measures, as well as those about the built environment, “neighborhood look and feel” as different as it can be in different places, traditional quality of life concerns like quiet and parking and trees), and so on.  Each neighborhood should have the data available to evaluate on its own the aspects that are important to it.


The Nominating Committee for INC officesreported that they have made a lot of progress in filling the slots for the election next month but not everything is firm yet.


The Candidate Forumhas been set up for Thursday October 17.  Jose has contacted 5 of the candidates and will contact the rest to get commitment to attend.  Jose needs help on moderator, questions, and time-keeping.


Neighborhood Reports and Announcements

  *   Given the shootings in town, Northgate Park has been having conversations about unfilled positions in the police department, resources in general, and where resources are deployed.



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