Boylan Heights Association Meeting

January 27 , 2009

Project Enlightenment

Attendees: Christopher Neese, Chris Todd, Franklin Haignere, Robyn Haignere, Lyman Collins, Evelyn Fahy, Ray Lanier, M.H. Green, Jr., Jeff Mason, Paul Meyer, Don Palmer, Steve Bryan, Jennifer Gallant, Andrew Gallant, Mike Davidson, Emily Brinker, Matthew Staton, Mark Johnson and Jimmy Creech. Guests: Sgt. Tracy Turner, RPD and Shelly Paramore, Bloomsbury Estates.

Jeff Mason, President, called the meeting to order

I. Agenda – The agenda was approved without additions.

II. Minutes – the minutes of the November 25^th Boylan Heights Associatio meeting were approved as recorded.

III. Finance Report – no report was available for the meeting.

IV. Raleigh Police Department – Sgt. Tracy Turner

1. No crime reported for the Boylan Heights area in January through the 25^th.
2. There was an aggravated assault in the 100 block of South Boylan Avenue on January 19.
3. There were two burglaries in the 500 and 600 blocks of West South Street: Barber Shop, January 20 (corner of S. Saunders and W. South); and J’s Auto Service and Auto Repair, January 24 (520 West South).
4. It was reported by a Boylan Heights Association member that a home was burglarized on the day of the meeting, January 27. Sgt. Turner had no information about the burglary at the time of the meeting.
5. Sgt. gave her email address and encouraged Boylan Heights residents to contact her for information: Tracy.Turner@ci.raleigh.nc.us.
6. Sgt. Turner encouraged Boylan Heights residents to be vigilant and call 911 to report crimes, accidents or suspicious behavior. She also encouraged residents to call the RPD non-emergency number to get information: 831-6311

V. Bloomsbury Estates – Shelly Paramor reported that construction on Bloomsbury Estates is almost complete. Residents will begin moving in at the end of February. Of the 56 units, 17 remain available for sale. Prices range from $326,900 to $1.2 million. There will be an Open House in March, date to be announced. All Boylan Heights residents are invited.

VI. The City of Raleigh’s Comprehensive Plan for 2030– Jeff Mason explained that he asked Emily Brinker to chair a committee to review the City’s new Comprehensive plan and bring recommendations to the BHA for consideration. Emily reported that the new Comprehensive plan does not include all existing Small Area plans that have been adopted by neighborhoods around the city. She also reported that January 31 is the deadline for public comments on the plan. At its last meeting, the City Council was asked to extend the deadline to give adequate time for review of the plan. However, a tie vote of the Council denied extension of the deadline.

Emily said the positives of the new plan include:

1. Boylan Avenue and Cabarrus are designated as “Green Streets”;
2. There are traffic calming measures in the plan, although neighborhoods are not stipulated; and,
3. There is a commitment to preserve historic neighborhoods.

The negatives are:

1. the omission of the Downtown West Gate plan for the area just east of Boylan Heights (South Saunders and South Streets); and,
2. The plan does not include transitional areas.

Emily’s committee recommended the following comments on the plan, for endorsement by the Boylan Heights Association, to be submitted to the City Council for consideration:

1. incorporate the following aspects of the Downtown West Gateway Small Area Plan:
1. Land Use & Urban Form Summary Map
2. Transition Zones;
3. Statement: it is wasteful of City tax dollars to abandon this plan.
2. Include description of future use / development of the Dorothea Dix property before adopting the Comprehensive Plan; and,
3. The plan needs to include specific plans for the Multi-Modal Station with emphasis on no “flyovers.”

After discussion, Matthew Staton moved approval; Lyman Collins seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.

Jeff asked Emily and her committee to draft a letter to members of the City Council stating these recommendations. He will sign the letter on behalf of the Boylan Heights Association. Public comments are to be reviewed and the final Comprehensive plan will be adopted by the City Council in the spring.

VII. Central Prison Construction – Lyman reported that he and Alex Sokoloff met with Central Prison representatives and Deborah Ross to address concerns of the neighborhood regarding the new construction. He said commitments were made by the prison representatives for work to begin no earlier than 8:00 AM and that drivers will be told not to back up when it can be avoided. Jeff reported that he has asked Susan Parry to be the contact person for the Boylan Heights Association with Central Prison and the State Department of Correction during the construction of new facilities on the prison property. Evelyn Fahy moved that a representative of Central Prison/DOC be invited to attend each BHA meeting to report on the construction progress and hear concerns of the neighborhood. The motion was seconded and approved.

A motion was made to adjourn, and the meeting was adjourned

The next meeting of the Boylan Heights Association will be on February 24, 2009.

Recorded by

Jimmy Creech, Secretary