GROVE PLACE
ASSOCIATION
GENERAL MEETING
October 28, 2001 at
4:00:00 PM
The YMCA’s Carlson Metro Childcare Center
Present: Sue and Jim Bovay, Larry Baumgart (Rural/Metro), Myra Buonocore, Linwood Garrenton, Roz and John Goldman, Elta Green, Bob Keck, Susan and Steve Levinson, Kathy Lynch, Kaye and Hal McDonald, Jim Mason, Diane Moonan, Kathy and Dave Parse, Paul Pineo, Mariam and Sandy Shapiro, Betty Strasenbugh and Eugene Van Voorhis.
1. President Sue Bovay welcomed guests and members.
2. Betty Strasenburgh passed around a letter from the Gateways Music Festival thanking GPA for its $125 in financial support and for its members opening their homes to visiting musicians.
3. Jonathan Davis, Executive Director of the Y, welcomed us to the new Childcare Center, saying we’ll be in the Y’s George Williams Hall by our next meeting and reiterating his offer of guided tours of the expanded facilities.
4. Larry Baumgart who is Rural Metro’s new liaison to GPA was introduced.
5. Elta Green reported that GPA has $9,967.69 is the bank with a couple of bills yet to be paid.
6. Art Committee Chair, Roz Goldman said, if Judy Gregory is back, there will be a November Meeting. No grant for beautification of the East Main Facade of the East End Garage was given. The newest bench, funded by the Eastman School, will be temporarily on Grove Street for viewing. The others have been stored for the winter. Roz requested ideas for new art projects. There is no money for enhancing Arch Miller’s “Fred and Ginger” installation. Wall-ivy landscaping could be done for around $1,000, as could repointing of the sculptures. The lighting fixtures (even with RG&E’s offer of free installation) could, however, cost as much as $5,000.
7. Myra Buonocore said that City-donated bulbs will be planted in the Grove Street pocket park by the Beautification Committee in November. Volunteers are needed. Call Marilyn Klass at 262-5068. The City must first be requested to remove the dead tree that is there. The Committee has completed the neighborhood Tree Survey and has identified 10 or 12 other dead trees. The report will be forwarded to the City Forester.
8. Sue mentioned that copies of the GPA membership E-Mail lists were available. b) A host for the March membership Meeting is needed.
9. John Lovenheim, reporting for Sector 5, announced that:
a) Mac McAlister has resigned as Sector 5’s Corn Hill representative.
b) The Downstairs Cabaret has closed on the Cathay Pagoda building.
c) There is a public meeting re: New Signage for Downtown on November 18th. Check www.groveplace.org for details.
d) Craig Jensen’s plan for the Gibbs Street Housing Initiative is on www.groveplace.org.
10. Bob Keck will continue his outstanding community service by plowing the north sidewalks of Selden Street this winter. John Goldman will continue to substitute.
11. Officer Tom Belcher reported a male Hispanic prowler at the window of apartment #3, at 144 Gibbs Street on October 17th and 18th. He claimed to be a security guard. Sector 5 fingerprinting identified him as a burglar. If you see this man, do not confront him - call 911. Torn said there was no car vandalism reported this month. The exception being a homeless white man with a moustache and a long goatee, who knocked a side mirror off a car. This person rides a black 10-speed bike and is harmless unless his meds kick out. Tom also asked us not to give money to panhandlers. Several soup kitchens are available. Call 911 if anyone harasses you. The fellow fleeing through the Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church’s side alley last week had tried to pass a bad check and was apprehended. Officer Graham Highland attended a Neighborhood Watch Workshop in Albany recently. PLEASE ATTEND OUR NEXT MEETING. Lieutenant Belcher and Officer Highland will share their expertise and help us set up a Neighborhood Watch, should we choose to do so.
12. Margaret Wurstle, Rochester’s Director of Zoning, spoke re: the rewriting of the City’s Downtown Zoning Ordinance and how it will affect us. Proposed changes are many. The new emphasis will be on design and performance - not use. Toronto was used as a model for the center city. Design and Performance standards go hand in hand. Performance Standards include noise, vibrations, traffic, odors, hours of operations and parking. Design Standards are to be strict in order to protect neighborhoods, yet flexible enough to attract developers.
The only two uses not permitted are Adult Entertainment and Homeless Shelters.
The design and historic characteristics of each neighborhood will be assessed and respected. New building design must be in harmony with the given neighborhood. If an existing building is sold, any redesign must comply with existing standards or a variance must be obtained.
Preservation Districts will remain. The changes may provide incentives for public art. Peter J. Smith of Buffalo, who was originally hired as Urban Design Consultants, will complete the work of the original Design Consultants, Duncan Associates. The Design Districts have gone from two to twenty-eight - seven in downtown alone. The Consultants are trying to release their report in January, followed by thirty days of review, with the next draft due February 28th. Comments will be solicited during four Public Meetings in March. The final Presentation to the City Council would be the first week in April.
There have been requests for a Good Neighbor Policy, i.e. neighborhood workshops with Developers, agreements not to be legally binding. The City might agree to this process. They would want a Zoning representative present Margaret fielded several audience questions.
She said the timetable was set in deference to the timing of City’s budget process.
13. Sue presented Gloria Weyert’s cards to Margaret to thank her for her presentation.
14. Announcements: See
the GPA Calendar. Highlights:
An Amtrak Public Meeting at 7 pm on Tuesday 10/30/01.
The Alan Harris Faculty Artist Concert on November 11th at Kilbourn
Hall.
The NEXT MEETING is early! Sunday November 18 will be the PowerPoint
Presentation.
Respectfully submitted,
dmc moonan
Surrogate secretary