January BHA Meeting

Come hear the news and share your views

 

The next meeting of the Boylan Heights Association will be held at Project Enlightenment (on Boylan between Cabarrus and Lenoir) on Tuesday, January 25, 7PM in their library.

Tentative Meeting Agenda

Welcome and Introductions

Treasurer's report/Website Committee Report

Western Blvd Pedestrian Crossing - Removal of Bushes

BHA West Gateway Working Group Report

Pedestrian Crossing Holly Bush Replacement

at Western Blvd / Boylan Avenue:

The Holly Bushes just west of the crosswalk across Western Blvd at Boylan obstruct a driver’s view of a person in a wheelchair, a child or pet until they actually step onto the pavement of the left turn lane from Western Blvd to Boylan Ave.  The bushes have been trimmed 3 times, but are growing up much faster than they used to.

Joseph Huberman brought this to the attention of the traffic engineers, and Anthony Goodson, City of Raleigh DOT, has suggested that the holly bushes be replaced with juniper, which will not grow as tall. Mr. Goodson will need the Boylan Heights Association to approve the solution to the problem and to send a letter stating that the neighborhood is in agreement. 

Joseph posted this information to the listserv several months ago, and there was minimal response... one for and one against.

Big Boylan Bash 2004

The Big Boylan Bash 2004 will be Sunday August 1st from 5 pm to 9 pm at Dupont Circle Park. Please put this on your calendar. Schedule your vacation around it! Plan for even more fun than last year! Join us to begin planning it.

To help volunteer your time/ideas call or email Chris Weedy at cweedy@aol.com or 755-3558

Minutes from Previous BHA Meetings

[Editor’s Note: The minutes from the October 2003 meeting were made available at the November meeting. The minutes from the November 2003 meeting were not available at press time.  The secretary should provide printed minutes at the January 2004 meeting. The BHA did not hold a meeting in December 2003.]

 

Boylan Heights

Monthly

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January  2004

West Gateway Working Group

As Raleigh's downtown continues to develop, efforts are being made to redevelop portions of downtown's southwest corridor, which includes the areas just east and south of Boylan Heights.  The City of Raleigh Planning Department has been working with a small group to determine what nearby business owners, property owners and residents want to see in the future.  Boylan Heights has four representatives on this group.  In order to best represent the interests and wishes of the neighborhood, this group solicited your input. The results of these planning efforts will have long-term impact on quality of life issues in our neighborhood. 

Much of the discussion thus far has been generated by possibilities presented by the convention center debate, planned TTA station, and recent certification of a redevelopment zone adjacent to Boylan Heights.

In order to determine what Boylan Heights wants and does not want down the road, BHA held two special meetings – one on November 23 and one on December 16. Recommendations developed through this process are presented below.

The section “Talking Points” is the summary that will serve as the basis for policy development at the meeting.  The section “West Gateway Comments” is a list of comments that were made at the two special BHA meetings.

West Gateway Talking Points

The following draft represents an attempt to capture broad consensus points that were unearthed at two previous neighborhood meetings concerning the West Gateway Small Area Plan (“the Plan”).  The draft also shows areas lacking agreement.  Comments under the Land Use/Urban Form, and Pedestrians and Open Space appear to contain items of agreement, but will need input by BHA. Items in the Redevelopment Zone section and Transit and Streets will need resolution by BHA.  The final policy document will serve as a road map for Boylan Heights’ representatives on the Plan Working Group, and throughout the implementation phases of the Plan.    

I. Cross-cutting Principles

1. Planning and design in areas adjacent to Boylan Heights should mitigate crime and other deleterious effects of change.
2. The Plan should contribute to the success of other redevelopment efforts in and around Raleigh’s urban core, and vice-versa.
3. The Boylan Heights Association’s ongoing involvement in the implementation of the Plan is essential.

II. Land Use/Urban Form

1. Establish a gradient of building heights.  The scale and mass of buildings west of the rail lines should decrease from the tracks to the neighborhood.  The scale of the buildings nearest to Boylan Heights should be limited to prevent the shadowing and dwarfing of existing residential structures.  The tallest buildings should be east of the rail line. 
2. Encourage targeted high-density development.  High- density development is important for building an urban core. To assure the success of the light rail project, the highest residential densities should be focused near the proposed Intermodel Station and TTA station, particularly due east of the rail line.
3. Promote aesthetically pleasing development to enhance livability.  Establish design standards that incorporate elements important to the community.  This would include mixed-use projects and variable housing designs on the eastern and northern edges of Boylan Heights. 

III. Transit and Streets

1. Mitigate against transit related traffic pressures.  Public transit infrastructure improvements adjacent to Boylan Heights, including the TTA station and proposed Intermodel Station, will likely place added pass-through and cut-through traffic pressure on streets throughout the eastern portion of Boylan Heights, including Boylan Avenue. In order to mitigate these additional traffic pressures, the Morgan Street Connector should be built to provide another north/south connection between Western Boulevard and Morgan Street.  Additionally, transit related traffic should be routed to existing north-south thoroughfares, including McDowell and Dawson Streets, by creating a transportation solution from the Intermodel and TTA stations via Martin and Hargett Streets. Boylan Heights opposes the proposed Glenwood Extension flyover road to South Saunders Street.
2. Create appropriate parking solutions for transit facilities. Sufficient and affordable parking should be available at all transit facilities in order to prevent parking overflow and parking bargain seekers from finding their way into Boylan Heights.
3. One-way/two-way street issues. 

NON CONSENSUS:  What, if any, position on the configuration of traffic flows in and around Boylan Heights should BHA take?  Proposed alternatives include the “two-waying” of all east/west streets in and around Boylan Heights, to specific recommendations on individual streets, including making South Street two way throughout its entirety.

IV. Pedestrians and Open Space

1. Complete quality streetscape improvements.  In order to improve the livability and assure the future economic viability of the planning area, the city needs to complete streetscape improvements consisting of tree lined sidewalks, with non–polluting lighting on posts (similar to Glenwood area) throughout the entirety of the planning area.
2. Improve pedestrian and bike connectivity to downtown. In addition to streetscape improvements, the rail line crossing on Cabarrus Street specifically, and other rail crossing in the planning area must be improved, or enhanced through the construction of a pedestrian bridges.  Furthermore, Boylan Heights wants a pedestrian/bike bridge from/near the Blam Building toward the TTA Station and/or downtown.
3. Encourage park and open space development. To protect open space in an ever-urbanizing planning area, a park should be developed near Boylan Heights.  This park may encompass existing parks and greenways to connect into the greater Raleigh park system.  Boylan Heights would like the overgrown creek/stream area running south from Cabarrus Street to the Rocky Branch Greenway to be converted into a quality park/greenway space.

V. Redevelopment Zone

1. Improve the quality of housing stock in the redevelopment zone; reinvigorate commercial presence.  The city should pursue strategies – including recombination of odd-shaped parcels – to encourage redevelopment.  A preference for shorter blocks and uniform plot sizes should guide, although not define, the redevelopment agenda. 
2. Promote opportunities for residents in the redevelopment zone who are of various socio-economic backgrounds. 

NON CONCENSUS:  What, if any, position should the BHA take on the socioeconomic mix of new residents in the redevelopment zone?  Several positions on the desired mix of residents for the redevelopment zone along income, racial, gender, and other social strata have been aired.  In addition to the desired goals (outcomes), there is not a consensus on the means (approach) to achieving various goals.  Various approaches that have been suggested include mandates on developers, the initiation of new public housing, or various programs to encourage renters to become owners.

3. Use various regulatory mandates and incentives to encourage the private sector to construct new properties of varying size and type. 

NON CONCENSUS:  How detailed should city planning be in the redevelopment zone? Among policy alternatives are targeted incentives for developers, to regulate the mix of buildings through zoning and permitting, or to reduce the reach of planners in order to encourage as many providers of new capital to the area as possible.

West Gateway Comments

From December 16^th meeting

The following issues and comments were raised and discussed at the December 16, 2003 special meeting of the Boylan Heights Association. They have been divided into categories that correspond with those being used by the West Gateway Task Force to develop a small area plan for areas east of Boylan Heights.

Land Use/Urban Form

·          The orange area and green area should serve as recreational facilities w/ gardens – more than just a typical greenway type park.

·          To what extent does BH want rental properties in the green transitional area?

·          Incentives should be developed that encourage existing renters to become house owners in green transitional area.

·          Houses could be moved to create park areas next to BH

·          Not all historic properties should be saved during the redevelopment process – saving severely dilapidated properties hinders redevelopment.  Encourage maintenance of historic aesthetic, but no necessarily each building.

·          The creation of the Depot Historic District should be opposed.

·          PSNC/Dupont Circle industrial properties should become park

Transit/Streets

·          BH needs a mix of 1 and 2 way streets in and around the neighborhood

·          The Morgan Street Connector is the solution to the potential traffic problems created by the IM station

·          I want a traffic circle to be developed on Boylan Ave at the intersections of either Dorothea Drive or Lenoir Street

·          There are problems with traffic back ups at Boylan and Western

·          South Street should be 2 way , with a boulevard/median type design

Pedestrian/Open Space

·          Support for a pedestrian bridge extending from the Boylan Bridge into downtown, as long as there is minimal light pollution (better than conventional lighting), and is designed to prevent it from becoming a homeless sleeping area

·          We don’t want BH to become a “park and walk” area for the transit station.

·          Desire for asphalt sidewalks in greenway areas so they can be used by bikes

·          A pedestrian bridge extending from BH should terminate in downtown area, rather than the IM station – maybe near Martin Street.

·          I want bike paths on South Street to downtown in order to encourage quality development and solid quality of life in the redevelopment zone

·          The park to be developed at PSNC area should be connected to the Rocky Branch greenway.

·          I don’t want on-street parking removed or diminished to accommodate bike lanes or paths.

·          Bike lanes need to separate from the road; multi-purpose paths should be developed.

·          I want bike racks at the IM station

·          South Street needs significant streetscape improvements to make it a quality corridor to connect redevelopment zone and BH to downtown.

·          The cost of parking near TTA station should be low/reasonable so as to disincent travelers from simply parking in BH and walking to station.

·          Building the West Street Bridge (traffic) is a bad idea – it would facilitate a flow of traffic into BH, which we do not want

·          South Street should be 2 way through retail area, and then 1 way in BH

·          I disagree completely with the previous statement.

·          BH needs a park /open space/soft space.

Redevelopment Area

·          Small multi-family buildings need to be part of the redevelop-ment efforts

·          The multi-family structures should have similar character to surrounding buildings

·          The multi-family structures do not have to have similar character

·          There should be a gradient of building heights in the transition areas east of Boylan Heights; 2-3 story buildings at most in the orange and green areas.

·          Historic homes should be saved in redevelopment zone

·          Historic homes that are dilapidated should not be saved.

·          Plots should be recombined in a reasonable manner to provide for uniformity of development, and avoid the creation of crime zones

·          Ultimately, the blocks that are created should not be big/long

·          Encourage income/racial variety in ownership of properties.

·          Odd/small lots should be recombined

·          We should avoid BH “lite”; reduce criteria and restrictions on development.

·          Planning for the redevelopment area should be very specific – block to block – to make it work.

·          I want to see and mix of owner occupied houses and apartment buildings/developments; avoid rental homes and rooming houses

·          A small senior center in a park would be great

·          We do not want any additional public housing or homeless shelters in the redevelopment area – BH and surrounding area already has plenty of this.

The redevelopment zone should be planned and designed so as to reduce existing criminal element, and to deter criminal activities from again taking hold in the area

From Our Neighbors

Neighborhood Watch E-mails

Call police if you see this guy:  Sunday night, a thin 30ish, black man was seen by a few people on South St. trying to open several car doors.  When confronted he'd either run away or ask for spare

change.  He wore a dark jersey with large white "51" in front, a dark ball cap, and kept his left eye closed.

M. B. Hardy  

1/6/04

A truck parked in a driveway in the 300 block of Cutler Street was broken into sometime between 11pm Sunday, Dec 28 and 7am Monday, Dec 29.  The camper top was pried open and construction tools valued at $2500 were stolen.  Many were power tools in cases, but items such as tool belts, hammers, etc. were also stolen.  A police report was filed and the police dusted for fingerprints.  This is again a case where it took some time and a vehicle to complete this theft; also likely made some noise when the camper top was broken into.  Should anyone notice any of these items suddenly appear or if anyone saw anything, your information would be greatly appreciated.  kimmstone@aol.com 834.6303

Kim Stone
 12/29/03

Brenda Corbin, a neighbor on Kinsey around the corner from me, had some things taken from her carport this afternoon and confronted the man in her driveway.  After the confrontation (during which he denied having her things but laid them down in the driveway anyway) he went behind a house across the street and pulled off his coat so that he wouldn't be as easily identified.  Unfortunately for him, she was still watching when he did this so when the police came, they found him easily down behind one of the buildings down the hill on Dupont Circle.  The police said that the man also had a portable CD player in his coat pocket.  He's already being charged with felony breaking and entering but they said that the more charges the better so if anyone has had a CD player gone missing, contact Master Sergeant K.M. Gregson at 890-3335 to identify the CD player and file a report.   Because of the timing of his misdeed, he will remain in jail over the weekend before seeing the judge on Monday.

Leigh Menconi

1/23/04

Lost & Found

During the Christmas frolicking, one of our guests lost his key ring.  It holds three keys along with a remote car door operator.  Two are car keys and one house key.  If anyone should come across such a combination, please call us (838-9008) or come by 909 West Lenoir Street. 

Karen Polk and Mark Jolly

12/25/03

She is a 9 year-old tabby with 4 white paws who has always been an indoor cat. She escaped on Thursday night from 404 Boylan Ave. If you see her or have seen her, please call me at 828-6544.

Suzanne Hayes

1/23/04

While on a walk on 1/2/04, I found a set of car keys at the entrance to Dorothea Dix Hospital (entrance with soccer fields across from main entrance to Central Prison).  Please let me know if you know anyone missing them.  Home: 755-1066

K. D. Reeve

Miscellaneous

The Boylan Heights canvas bags are in! The canvas bag, otherwise known as a durable tote is 19 1/2" by 14 1/2" by 5", has an outside pocket, very sturdy straps and has the Boylan Heights sign embroidered on it. The cost is $20. All proceeds go to the Boylan Heights Association. Call me at 755-3558 or email me at cweedy@aol.com and I will drop one by your house.

Chris Weedy

12/20/03

Building on Lenoir near Florence Street:  Does anyone know how to get in touch with the owners of the brown building on Lenoir St. near the Florence St. intersection (near Project Enlightenment)? I believe that someone holds tae-kwon-do classes there early in the week. If anyone has any information on how to get in touch with the owners, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

Tonya Loggains

tloggains@tompkinsinc.com

1/14/04

BHA Leadership Team

2002-2003

Officers

President

Paul Meyer · paul.meyer@boylanheights.org               838-9028 (h)

                                                                                                715-4369 (o)

Vice President

Jeff Groves · jgroves@krenim.org                                    821-4306 (h)

                                696-4271 (m)

Secretary

Kent Lassman ·    klassman@pff.org                                836-7551 (h)

Treasurer

Leslie Kellenberger · ljberger@mindspring.com            833-9678 (h)                                                      

Standing Committees

Demolition by Neglect

Chuck Dopler · cdopler@bellsouth.net                          838-9772 (h)

Neighborhood Watch *

Open

Newsletter Editor

Catherine Bray · cbray@boylanheights.org                   546-9394 (h)

Newsletter Distribution

Derrick Weaver                                                                    755-6333 (h)

Social Activities **

Jay Spain · jay@cgfilm.com                                              821-4725 (h)

K. D. Reeve · kd@cgfilm.com                                          755-1066 (h)

Dana Damico · dadamico@earthlink.net                      836-7551 (h)

Website

Chairperson

Chris Weedy · cweedy@aol.com                                     755-3558 (h)

Webmaster

Jeff Groves · jgroves@krenim.org                                    821-4306 (h)

                                                                                                696-4271 (m)