Meeting Minutes - March 13, 2001

In Attendance

UNC Board Members

Lisa Jensen (SUN), Nancy Hickey (East Campus), Sharon Wiley (SJSU), Tom Clifton (CCA), David Dudek (SUN), Lance Hile (HMNA), Chris Steadham (Downtown Residents).

Guests

Dennis Ahern (NDHS), Jonathan Nobel (Cindy Chavez's Office), Elizabeth Gonzalez (PRNS), Gilbert Hueyopa (RDA), Pat Colombe (Planning), Mike Brilliot (Planning).

Board Members Absent

Mark Williams (At Large), Don Boivin (Schools), Debbie Witherspoon (Faith), Joe Rapanut (At Large), Dale Weaver (Business), Julie Politt - on leave (SJDRA), Farrell Podgorsek (CCA), David Budd (East Campus).

Minutes

approved with amendments to the attendance list.

Agenda

approved with additions - Childrens Heath Initiative announcement

Announcements

Save San Jose Medical Center - Roz Dean

Provided an update with regards to the Mercury News article on HCA reconsidering the closing the hospital. While the Save San Jose Medical Center Coalition welcomes the news, they are concerned that it may be a diversionary tactic.

Childrens Heath Initiative (CHI)

CHI is a city and county program to provide heath insurance coverage for all uninsured children in the county through tobacco settlement funds. District 3 is planning a event to publisize the program and provide outreach to the neighborhoods. UNC will be interested in participating this program.

New Business

Notre Dame High School Developments

Principal Mary Lou Schoone provided background information on Notre Dame High School and its need for a new building. The school, a Catholic college prep school for girls, was started in 1851 on Notre Dame Ave (near the De Anza Hotel). The school moved to its current location at 2nd and Reed Streets in 1927. The last building on the site occured in 1968. They will begin working on the new building in June, 2001. Construction should be completed by Fall 2002.

Architect Johnathan Lucas provided details on the new building. It will be 34000 sq ft, 3 stories tall. It will provide class rooms and lab space as well as library. The new building will be built where the current parking lot is. The new building is being designed to match the existing designs and improve the schools public front.

Mike Blach, representing the construction company wanted to address neighbor concerns. He will provide contacts for addressing issues during construction. During construction there will be 30-35 workers on site. They will minimize work in the streets. Parking for the construction crew and faculty will be handled on site and in downtown (commercial) areas.

UNCs primary concern was on the construction's impact on neighborhood parking. The current parking lot would be unavailable during construction. Most of these 53 spaces would be replaced on campus by using the student lot. They will need to find replacement parking for students (25 spaces). After the construction is complete there will be an increase of 25-30 spaces. UNC also pointed out that with permit parking being instituted in neighborhood, students would not be able to park there.

Old Business

Market Amaden Neighorhood Association (MANA)

MANA is asking to join UNC. UNC is concerned about financing issues and making sure that redevelopment in MANA will not compete with UNC redevelopment funds. MANA will also need to develop its own redevelopment plan. Pat Colombe (City Planner) stated that Planning will be doing the MANA plan after our revitalization plan is reviewed. Johnathan Noble (Cindy Chavez's office) stated that the advantages to bringing MANA into UNC would be reduced fragmentation of City staff and Cindy's office. Having fewer groups to work with makes life easier for City Staff and more people to work with UNC. MANA stated that they are more interested in gaining political power than getting monetary gains.

Resolution to include MANA in UNC was passed on voice vote

UNC budget report was not presented.

Updates

NAC Meeting Reports are listed on the agenda

District 3 Neighborhood Summit will be Saturday March 24, 2001 from 9am-3pm. UNC will have a booth there that needs staffing from 12-1pm. The are expecting over 250 neighbors to attend the summit and the various workshops. The afternoon leadership workshop should be especially interesting to UNC members.

SNI Revitalization Plan Update (Pat Colombe and Mike Brilliot)

Pat Columbe is managing the planning portion of SNI. The goals in revisiting UNC's revitalization plan are to update the plan, make additions to the plan, reprioritized the plans and look at opportunities for development or redevelopment in the area.

Mike Greer provided updates on City Programs/funding that may impact the revitalization plan. Measure P, Greenprint and Traffic Calming initiatives will provide some funding for some projects in the UNC area including the 6th and William Park, upgrades to William St Park, and the Coyote Creek Trail. Measure O will not be providing funding projects in the UNC area.

UNC identified several potential revisions and priorities in the revitalization plan including, historic lightposts throughout the neighborhoods, historic designation for the neighborhoods, strengthening freeway noise mitigation, and redevelopment of properties with marginal/non-historic buildings with new buildings with "historic" scale and character.