Nathan Allan

Neighborhood Meeting Minutes – November 2020

Eastside Neighborhood Association

Board of Directors Meeting Notes

November 18, 2020

Virtual Meeting

Attendees: Sherry Chilcutt, Jim Rioux, Cheryl Bayle, Chris Knight, Roger Horn, Cindy Fulton, Jim Sweeny, Lisa Robinson

Low Income Housing

Nathan discussed the need for more discussions with neighboring jurisdictions (Lacey, Tumwater, Thurston County, etc.) about doing more to provide alternative housing like we are seeing tried in Olympia.

Cheryl expressed concern about the camp developing around the Capitol Lake. Seems tile is growing.

Sherry mentioned that the City has engaged other jurisdictions.

  • Upzoning/Housing Options

Nathan expressed concern about the lack of discussion about infrastructure. Our neighborhood currently lacks adequate infrastructure in many areas and the new ordinances will bring more people into the neighborhood without doing anything to address these needs.

Further discussion about more housing focused on concerns about the character of neighborhood.

Sherry asked if the Board wanted to comment at the upcoming Council meeting where the Housing Options will be brought forward for a final decision. Most members said yes.

Roger noted that the LUEC will take this up on Thursday. He recommended that we wait to see wat happens at that meeting. Roger and Sherry will participate in the LUEC zoom meeting.

Roger will report out to the Subarea Plan core team on the following Thursday and that group will draft a letter if they feel that is appropriate.

  • Sidewalk Updates

Roger provide an update on the letter he sent to Mark Russell at the City. That letter acknowledged the lack of funding and asks for assistance in finding funding to take on small projects on local access streets in need of attention.

  • Choke Cherry Tree Removal

Sherry provided update. Essentially the City’s permit requirements have put the idea on indefinite hold. The insurance requirements are too expensive to take on.

Tim Smyth plans to put more focus on conducting an inventory and history of the trees in out neighborhood.

  •  Staff Report on Housing Options

Joyce Phillips, Planning Commission staff, reviewed staff recommendations and changes that came from the Planning Commission.

The most significant change was the addition of fourplexes and sixplexes to the staff recommendation.

She outlined the lot size and parking requirements associated with any such proposal.

She also pointed out that staff will be required to conduct an annual review to assess how these changes are affecting the community.

She outlined the process going forward, LUEC tomorrow then Council on December 8.

She closed by letting us know that the Planning Commission letter can be found on the City’s Housing Code web site

  • FUMCO Shelter Briefing

Meg Martin, Exec Director of the FUMCO shelter provided an update of the shelter at the FUMCO is joining us around 8PM.

Meg explained that her organization had purchased the old Foam and Fabric property.  They will demo the existing building and build a modular building.

They are also working with LiHi to build permanent supportive housing.at the Martin Way sire. It is the work at the Martin Way site that is causing a temporary need to find additional shelter. That need will be met by using available space T FUMC.

FUMCO offered their building to provide a 38-bed shelter. Safety requirement and in place and they include robust COVID protocols. The people at this location receive targeted case management. Most over 60 or high risk for poor COVID 19 outcomes.

More information can be found at their website <https://www.iwshelter.org/temporary-shelter.html>

Staff are trained and have a very aggressive cleaning regimen. The living spaces and the grounds are monitored continuously, and staff are all trained in de-escalation techniques.

They expect to only need the FUMC space until March 31, 2021. FUMCO

Chris – This has been a benefit to the church. They have never had this kind of monitoring of the church property.  

Roger – What are you hearing from neighbors?  Meg – Some questions but no objections

Sherry – How can others help? Meals, donations, clothes twin sheets and blanket, pillowcases, towels. socks, clothing etc.  Drop off any items at United Churches admin offices.

  • Winter Walk About

Notices are up, event posted on web site.  Nathan asked about prizes and recommended

3-$50 gift certificates from Left Bank.

The board unanimously approved that recommendation.

  • Member Communication

Roger mentioned getting something on next door every Friday. He discussed asking for help to paint new signs and discussed the value of handing out notices and newsletters.

  • New meeting time

Nathan reminded everyone to fill out doodle pol if they have not.

After discussion about what we saw at this point from the poll, the board decided to leave our meeting on Wednesday, but switch the meeting to the second Wednesday of the month. Some board members had conflicts on the third Wednesday of the month.

The board unanimously agreed to move our meetings to the second Wednesday of the month starting in December 2020.  

Lions Park Spray Park Letter

Jim Rioux had incorporated Roger’s edits. Sherry mentioned that Jim Sweeny provided some comments that should be included. Jim R. agreed to finalize the letter and get it to Sherry for signature.

Armory Updates

Jim Sweeney provided an update and expressed concern about the City ability to purchase the property.  He felt a letter to our letter to legislators was needed to request state funding or direction to give the property to the city for a very low dollar amount.

After indicating support, The Military Department has now declined to support or oppose the listing of the property for historic designation. The City is still going forward with process for designation.

The city team is making presentation to Council on December 8.

Joint letter for neighborhood map.

ONNA is sending the North East Neighborhood map to Council Members.

We have a similar map. The board decided to ask ONNA if it would be possible to include copies of that map.

Roger mentioned that the ONNA letter may be too far along to change and that we can do something separately.

Bylaw Revisions from Annual Meeting

Jim will revise and send final copy to the Board.

Approval of minutes

The Board approved the October meeting minutes

Treasurer’s Report

Sherry sent the following report via e-mail.

Checking $570.66

Trees $152.96

Savings $1061.81

Signs $1305.00

Community Beauty $409.17

Total $3499.60

Next Meeting

December 09, 2020

7:00 pm

Virtual Meeting

Nathan Allan

2020 Winter Window Walkabout

When to tour? December 16th – December 31st

How to tour? Check out this growing list of homes participating, then take the self guided walk.

Get the Map: Click here for Google Map of participants.

Hello Neighbors!

The Eastside Neighborhood Association invites you to walk around the neighborhood to view holiday-decorated windows.  The event is the Winter Window Walkabout and the theme is “Community.” We’ll provide a map providing the locations of the decorated windows and we’ll provide a link on Nextdoor and our Facebook page, when the map is ready.

Everyone can participate!

Please consider decorating one or more of your windows prior to the December 16th.  You can use tempera paint (washes off easily), paper, or any other means to reflect the “Community” theme. Think about reflecting the positive aspects of our neighborhood and this year’s holidays. Decorating your window may be a fun thing to do prior to the December holidays. And it will help improve the quality and togetherness of our neighborhood.

You can check out photos of windows decorated by neighbors in past years here: https://eastside-olympia.org/projects/winter-window-walkabout/

And there’s a Pinterest page that has lots of information on window painting: Window Painting Information

You may also like to use paper to decorate your window.

Another option is to highlight your Christmas light display.

And here’s a link to photos of holiday decorated windows on Pinterest: Holiday Window Painting

If you are a window decorating expert, you can share advice on Nextdoor our ENA Facebook page or volunteer to help decorate somebody’s window.

Prizes

We are pleased to announce that we will be awarding prizes to participants.

Categories include;

  • Best kids window (done mainly by kids)
  • Best family window (full family effort)
  • Best “community” theme

If you wish to officially submit for prize consideration and to be put on the map we will need the following from you;

  • Your name (Family name will do)
  • Email address
  • Location/Address of display (any special instructions, ie Window top left corner of house)
  • Category you are submitting for
  • Optional, name of display

The information will be used on the map.

If you choose to decorate your window, please provide your address through Nextdoor or send it to Nathan Allan ([email protected]) or Roger Horn ([email protected]) by December 15th.  We will use addresses (not names) to create a map of window locations. You may also contact Roger or Nathan if you have questions or suggestions about the event. 

Hope you will join us and have a fun time viewing the holiday windows in the neighborhood!

See who won in our wrap up post!

Nathan Allan

Meeting – Temporary Shelter at FUMCO

ZOOM Meeting: Informational Neighbor Meeting
November 4, 2020 5pm

First United Methodist Church of Olympia and Interfaith Works welcome you to save the date for an informational neighbor meeting to discuss the temporary relocation of the Interfaith Works shelter. This shelter has been housed at 2828 Martin Way since April 6, 2020. IW needs to relocate these shelter beds because construction on the new development of a 60 bed shelter and 65 apartments of permanent supportive housing is starting at 2828 Martin Way which precludes the shelter from continuing operations in the current space. You can learn more about that development here. 

FUMCO will provide a safe, warm home for up to 38 highly vulnerable people at high risk for COVID-19 between November 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 or until IW’s next location is ready for occupancy, whichever comes first. This shelter will be staffed 24/7 by trained, experienced staff and is centered on safety and connection. The shelter is strictly adhering to state COVID-19 safety precautions and will not be allowing outside guests while at FUMCO.For more details and commonly asked questions, please follow this link. 

The neighbor meeting will happen on Zoom on November 4th, 5pm. The City of Olympia will be notifying all property owners within 500 feet with mailed letters next week, and we will update the website, post on social media sites, and will send out an email with the Zoom link for the meeting as soon as it is set. We look forward to meeting you, hearing from you, and learning about how we can be the best neighbors possible. Feel free to reach out to Interfaith Works for any questions ahead of the meeting by following this link.

Nathan Allan

Art Crossing Survey


If you were unable to attend the recent meeting with public artist Andrea Wilbur-Sigo (or you did and have more to contribute), you still have another chance to share your stories and experience about the place
where you live! We’ve been provided a brief survey that’s open for feedback until Sunday, October 25:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NYR5BGZ 

Thanks for your input!

Nathan Allan

Special Meeting of the Membership Meeting Notes

Eastside Neighborhood Association

Special Meeting of the Membership Meeting Notes

October 14, 2020

Virtual Meeting

Attendees:

Sherry Chilcutt, Jim Rioux, Jim Sweeney, Roger Horn, Cheryle Bayle. Jim Sweeny, Tim Smythe, Walt Jorgenson, Sandia Slaby, Stephanie Johnson (Olympia Parks)

  • Introduction

Sherry convened the meeting at 6:30 pm. 

Sherry welcomed the attendees and explained that the meeting was called primarily to consider two bylaw amendments. We would then adjourn and join the Indian Creek Neighborhoods Association for a discussion with the artist selected for the Art Crossing project. Planned for Eastside Street

  • Proposed Change to the Annual Meeting Date

Jim explained that the proposal to change the bylaws to move the month of our annual meeting from February to October.

Jim explained that the proposal came about after discussion with the City about the impact of COVID-19 restriction on various neighborhood association ability to hold annul a meetings and elect officers.

During that discussion the Board note the challenge we have every year getting our officers elected and meeting our deadlines to report to the City.

Jim asked for a motion. The motion was made by Sherry and seconded by Nathan.

The motion passed with the support all board members in attendance.

  • Proposed Change to the number of required Board members.

Jim explained the proposal to lower the minimum number of Board members from ten to six. The primary reason for the proposal was recognition that we are having challenges attracting new board members and the term of several current board members is expiring.

During discussion Nathan voiced opposition. In general, he felt that if we can’t attract ten Board members the viability of the Association was probably in question. He suggested that we should allow board members to focus on only limited issues.

and Walt recalled that this issue has come up in the past and we typically stick with at least 10 members.

  • Announcements  

Tim Smyth provided an update of efforts to remove and replant the infected choke cherries. A work party is ready to conduct tree removal on Saturday October 31. He has all the help he needs to cut to take down the trees. They will need help with clean up.

The wood will be offered for firewood. Any wood not taken will be delivered to the City’s drop off of firewood for the Kiwanis Club.

The adjacent property owners have been asked to look at the demonstration trees at the library. Those trees are suitable for planting under utility wires.

  • Adjournment

Meeting was adjourned at 7:00pm