Boylan Heights Association Meeting

7:30 PM

July 22, 2008

Meeting Place:  Auditorium, Central Prison

 

 

Attendance:  Kate Akin, Anthony Aurigemma, Alyson Aurigemma, Michael Bradshaw, Jake Brennan, Jade Brennan, Emily Brinker, Kate Bush, John Bush, Lyman Collins, Chris Cox, Jimmy Creech, Brigid Davidson, Mike Davidson, Dan Dunbar, Kemp Dunbar, Andrew Dunbar, Byron Dunning, Evelyn Fahy, Donna Futoransky, Bob Geary, Rich Giroux, Sandro Gisler, M.H. Green, Franklin Haignere, Robyn Haignere, Rebecca High, Mark Johnson, Wendy Johnson, Bill Johnson, Chris Johnson, Colin Kelly, Lee Kirby, Carrie Knowles, Mark Kuykendall, Cole Leiter, Jeff Leiter, Jeff Mason, Marty Lloyd, Amy McCallister, Steve McCallister, Adam Moeser, Heather Moeser, John Montgomery, Kim Nilson, Karla Oakley, Kathleen O'Brien, Susan Parry, Alex Sokoloff, Matthew Staton, Mary Gail Walker, Gwen Weaver, Thomas Crowder - Raleigh City Council, District D, Keith Acree - DOC, Director of Public Affairs, Jake Freeman - DOC, Director of Central Engineering, Larry Wann - DOC, Project Manager, and Gerald Branker - DOC, Warden of Central Prison.

 

Minutes

 

Central Prison Warden Branker welcomed members of the Boylan Heights Association to Central Prison.

 

Jeff Mason, President, called the meeting to order.  Lyman Collins reminded the Association that the 2008 Big Boylan Bash will be on August 10.  Steve and Chase Bryan are chairing the Bash and volunteers are needed.  To volunteer, contact Lyman.

 

Jeff explained that this meeting would be dedicated to a presentation about the new construction at Central Prison and discussion about its impact on Boylan Heights.  Expecting a large attendance, prison officials invited the Association to meet in the Central Prison auditorium. Because of the special nature of this meeting, ordinary business was deferred to the August meeting.

 

Jeff explained that a few days prior to the scheduled meeting of the BHA, neighbors became aware of the demolition of buildings and major excavation on the Central Prison campus, along with the destruction of the natural buffer between Central Prison and Boylan Heights.  Investigation revealed that the State of NC is significantly expanding the Central Prison complex.  The Boylan Heights Association had not been notified about the proposed construction at anytime during the several years the State was developing its plan and negotiating with the City for approval.  Final approval for the project by the Raleigh City Council was given on June 5, 2007.  Letters were to be sent to property owners within 100 feet of the Central Prison property informing them of the proposed construction.  However, no one can recall receiving this letter. 

 

Jeff announced that he has appointed Chris Johnson to head up an ad hoc committee regarding the Central Prison construction to keep the Association and neighborhood informed.  Chris gave a brief report his efforts to learn what was happening over the past few days.  A detail description of the construction with images can be found on the Boylan Heights Web site (www.boylanheights.org).

 

Jake Freeman, DOC Director of Central Engineering, and Larry Wann, DOC Project Manager, gave an overview of the new construction and answered questions from the Association.  The project will consist of:

Medical Hospital – five stories, 120 beds; it will be a full-service hospital with ER and trauma unit;

Mental Health Hospital – five stories, 216 beds;

Prison kitchen renovation and expansion;

Central Utility plant for the entire prison complex;

New Electric Power Substation – 40’ X 60’, dedicated solely to the prison complex; and,

Additional parking on the east side (Boylan Heights side) with new road.

 

Access to the prison via Montford Avenue is permanently closed.  Access to the prison is now only via the Western Boulevard entrance. 

 

A single row of deciduous trees will be planted along the eastern edge of the property as a barrier/buffer between the prison complex and Boylan Heights.  The City requires that a significant portion of the trees be oaks.  The planned buffer should completed within 1.5 years.

 

The project will add a net total of 338,000 sq. ft. to the prison complex and will cost approximately $152 million.  It is scheduled for completion in five years.

 

Reportedly unrelated to the prison construction and destruction of the natural buffer, Norfolk Southern Railroad has begun cutting down trees along the railroad right of way on the western edge of Boylan Heights.

 

Response/reaction from the Association:

Concern about lack of public notification about the project and involvement of the neighborhood by the City during the planning stages of this project;

Concern about the destruction of the natural buffer along the eastern edge of the Central Prison complex and the inadequacy of the plan to replace the buffer;

Concern about the height and massive appearance of the new buildings and their visibility from the neighborhood; and,

Concern about the location and visibility of the electric substation (southeast corner of the Central Prison property near Dorothea Drive).

 

Chris Johnson asked Jake Freeman if the State would support the Association’s request to Norfolk Southern Railroad to cease cutting down the natural buffer on its right of way along the western edge of Boylan Heights.  Mr. Freeman said the State would support this request.

 

Evelyn Fahy made the following motion:  The Boylan Heights Association formally requests that those responsible for developing the Central Prison Medical Facility Expansion project provide a buffer between the prison and the neighborhood that exceeds the legal minimum requirements in order to achieve a mutually-agreeable outcome.  The motion was seconded by Lyman Collins and the affirmative vote was unanimous.

 

Mr. Freeman said he would be glad to work with the Association regarding the restoration of the natural buffer.

 

At 8:50 PM, a motion by Jimmy Creech to adjourn was approved.

 

Next Meeting is August 26 at the home of Lyman Collins and Don Davis, 603 South Boylan Avenue.

 

Submitted by

Jimmy Creech, Secretary

Boylan Heights Association