UPCC Board Minutes November 5, 2008
Meeting was held at June Morgan’s home, starting at 7:00 p.m.
In attendance: Liza Prall, Bill Winn, Pat Cashen, Anne Wall, June Morgan, David Seymour, Mary Myers, Dana Strand-O’Connor, Diana Helper, and Tom Gonnella
September Board minutes were read and approved, and October General Meeting minutes were read and approved with spelling changes.
The University Park Elementary School Fun Run will be held Saturday, November 15. The race starts at 10:00 a.m. and volunteers should meet around 9:30 a.m. Anyone in the neighborhood is welcome to attend. There will also be a Mom’preneur Market. Funds raised will go to the U-Park Elementary School PTA.
Sunday, December 7, is the UPCC sponsored Holiday Sing event, starting at 5:00 p.m. There will be a choir from Swallow Hill, Santa Clause, and the horse drawn wagon rides. We need to verify quantity and status of cookies and cider, and will check with Diana Docktor, chair of events commitee. We need volunteers for organizing lines to the telescope and wagon rides. The University Park Mom’s group will bring cookies, and we need to encourage other neighbors to bring cookies as well.
The Lux development zoning was approved by Denver City Council on October 20, 2008. Preliminary drawings are done on the proposed development. The concept plans will be presented at the General February meeting. The building will reach 120’ in height, but have architectural interest to break up the mass of building, which will cover the full length of the property. There will be retail shops at street level and apartments on the upper floors. The parking entrance will be off the alley. The main lobby entrance will have a portico and bring traffic in from Evans and the alley.
Web site update:
Dana O’Connor has retrieved and shared data on our website use, in the form of time spent on pages, and page visits.
Pat suggested that the board make Membership a standing committee, and not just a special committee. The chairperson and/or co chairs then have the power to vote. Tom Gonnella made a motion to establish a standing committee for membership. The vote was unanimously in favor. The co-chairs of this committee are Dana Strand-O’Connor and Tom Gonnella.
Committee Reports
Treasurer – David Seymour announced that most of the annual Purple Pages revenue has been collected, $3,100. The UPCC has $11,911 in the bank account, and $1,782 is designated to the Fitzroy Place fund. There is also money designated to the 2142 S. University fund and to Buchtel Boulevard. Bill Winn will research ways to roll the money set aside for landmark building preservation into a new, agreeable destination.
Advisory and Communications Committees had no report.
Historic Preservation – Steve Turner now works for Colorado State Historic Trust.
Parks and Open Space – The white stones in the Prairie Park are there temporarily to provide a driving surface for utility trucks, they are not landscaping stones. There will be work done around the fox den before spring.
Harvard Gulch trail is going to be improved to serve the community as a continuous trail linking with other trails and providing pedestrian accessibility. Another planning meeting is scheduled for November.
Diana Helper asked if there was interest in our community partnering with D.U. to encourage a “green” community lifestyle, following models of other college communities around the country. Also, are we matching some of our plans with City of Denver’s “Greenprint Denver”?
The next quarterly Good Neighbors meeting is Tuesday, November 18, 6:30, at the School of Hotel Management.
Sidewalks – Mary Myers is waiting for notification on a start date for construction on our “Safe Routes to School” sidewalks. South Columbine Street is in need of some City inspection. Some of the property owners have put obstructions in the right of way. Pat Cashen will call Charlie Brown to follow up on this issue.
Volunteers are still needed for the snow shoveling clearing house. Anne Wall will ask PTA members at the school for volunteers.
Transportation – Liza Prall will be attending a neighborhood leadership conference relating to neighborhood organization and sustainability.
Pat asked about our position on a zoning language change making occasional charitable fundraising sales on school and church property legal. The board members asked for more specifics on the wording, for example, duration of sales.
Another request for zoning change was bee keeping. The group agreed this needs to be regulated in an urban setting and notification to properties effected needs to be addressed.
Next suggested board meeting is January 13.
Meeting adjourned 8:30 p.m.